1927–28 Ottawa Senators season

National Hockey League team season

1927–28 Ottawa Senators
Division3rd Canadian
1927–28 record20–14–10
Home record13–4–5
Road record7–10–5
Goals for78
Goals against57
Team information
General managerDave Gill
CoachDave Gill
CaptainBuck Boucher
ArenaOttawa Auditorium
Team leaders
GoalsFrank Finnigan (20)
AssistsKing Clancy (7)
PointsFrank Finnigan (25)
Penalty minutesAlex Smith (90)
WinsAlec Connell (20)
Goals against averageAlec Connell (1.24)

The 1927–28 Ottawa Senators season was the club's 11th season in the NHL, 43rd overall. Ottawa qualified for the playoffs to try to win their second-straight Stanley Cup; however, they were eliminated by the Montreal Maroons in a two-game total-goals series, losing by a combined score of 3–1.

Regular season

The Senators were playing in by far the smallest market in the league, and were having problems financially due to escalating expenses. Part of the problem for the Senators was they had problems drawing fans against the expansion US teams, and as a result, they would play two "home" games in Detroit, collecting the bulk of the gate receipts.

The Senators would be led offensively by Frank Finnigan, who scored 20 goals and 25 points, both team highs, while 20-year-old Hec Kilrea would have a 23-point season. King Clancy would be the anchor of the Ottawa defense, and put up 15 points, along with 73 PIM. Cy Denneny would struggle all year long though, collecting only three goals, while the return of Punch Broadbent proved to be disastrous, as he only collected five points.

In goal, Alec Connell would have another strong season, earning 20 wins, having an NHL best 15 shutouts, and a 1.24 GAA. Connell would set an NHL record for longest shutout streak, as he did not allow a goal in 464 minutes and 29 seconds, recording six shutouts during the streak.

Final standings

Canadian Division
GP W L T GF GA PIM Pts
Montreal Canadiens 44 26 11 7 116 48 496 59
Montreal Maroons 44 24 14 6 96 77 549 54
Ottawa Senators 44 20 14 10 78 57 483 50
Toronto Maple Leafs 44 18 18 8 89 88 436 44
New York Americans 44 11 27 6 63 128 563 28

[1]

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

Vs. Canadian Division

1927–28 NHL records[2]
Team MTL MTM NYA OTT TOR Total
M. Canadiens — 2–2–2 4–2 3–2–1 3–2–1 12–8–4
M. Maroons 2–2–2 — 4–1–1 3–2–1 5–0–1 14–5–5
N.Y. Americans 2–4 1–4–1 — 1–5 1–4–1 5–17–2
Ottawa 2–3–1 2–3–1 5–1 — 1–1–4 10–8–6
Toronto 2–3–1 0–5–1 4–1–1 1–1–4 — 7–10–7

Vs. American Division

1927–28 NHL records
Team BOS CHI DET NYR PIT Total
M. Canadiens 2–0–2 4–0 2–2 4–0 2–1–1 14–3–3
M. Maroons 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–1–1 2–2 10–9–1
N.Y. Americans 1–3 3–1 0–2–2 0–3–1 2–1–1 6–10–4
Ottawa 1–3 4–0 3–0–1 0–2–2 2–1–1 10–6–4
Toronto 2–1–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 1–3 11–8–1


Schedule and results

1927–28 Ottawa Senators (20–14–10)
November: 3–4–0 (home: 1–2–0; road: 2–2–0)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
1 November 15 Maroons 2–1 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 0–1–0 0
2 November 17 Ottawa 2–3 Rangers Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 0–2–0 0
3 November 19 Pittsburgh 1–3 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 1–2–0 2
4 November 22 Ottawa 2–1 Detroit Connell N/A Detroit Olympia 2–2–0 4
5 November 23 Ottawa 2–0 Chicago Connell N/A Chicago Coliseum 3–2–0 6
6 November 26 Ottawa 0–1 Maroons Connell N/A Montreal Forum 3–3–0 6
7 November 29 Rangers 2–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 3–4–0 6
December: 4–2–4 (home: 4–0–3; road: 0–2–1)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
8 December 3 Boston 2–3 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 4–4–0 8
9 December 6 Toronto 0–0 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 4–4–1 9
10 December 10 Ottawa 0–0 Toronto OT Connell N/A Mutual Street Arena 4–4–2 10
11 December 13 Ottawa 1–2 Americans OT Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 4–5–2 10
12 December 15 Americans 1–4 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 5–5–2 12
13 December 17 Maroons 0–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 6–5–2 14
14 December 20 Ottawa 0–1 Boston Connell N/A Boston Arena 6–6–2 14
15 December 24 Toronto 1–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 6–6–3 15
16 December 27 Canadiens 0–0 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 6–6–4 16
17 December 31 Detroit 2–6 Ottawa Connell N/A Detroit Olympia 7–6–4 18
January: 5–4–1 (home: 3–1–0; road: 2–3–1)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
18 January 7 Americans 1–4 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 8–6–4 20
19 January 10 Ottawa 0–3 Canadiens Connell N/A Montreal Forum 8–7–4 20
20 January 14 Boston 4–2 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 8–8–4 20
21 January 17 Ottawa 1–1 Maroons OT Connell N/A Montreal Forum 8–8–5 21
22 January 19 Ottawa 1–3 Pittsburgh Connell N/A Duquesne Garden 8–9–5 21
23 January 21 Ottawa 1–2 Toronto Connell N/A Mutual Street Arena 8–10–5 21
24 January 24 Ottawa 2–0 Americans Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 9–10–5 23
25 January 26 Chicago 6–9 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 10–10–5 25
26 January 28 Ottawa 2–1 Canadiens Connell N/A Montreal Forum 11–10–5 27
27 January 31 Toronto 0–4 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 12–10–5 29
February: 4–1–4 (home: 2–1–2; road: 2–0–2)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
28 February 2 Maroons 0–1 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 13–10–5 31
29 February 7 Ottawa 0–0 Rangers OT Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 13–10–6 32
30 February 9 Rangers 0–0 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 13–10–7 33
31 February 16 Pittsburgh 0–0 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 13–10–8 34
32 February 18 Canadiens 0–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 14–10–8 36
33 February 22 Ottawa 3–2 Chicago Connell N/A Chicago Coliseum 15–10–8 38
34 February 23 Ottawa 0–0 Detroit OT Connell N/A Detroit Olympia 15–10–9 39
35 February 25 Ottawa 2–0 Pittsburgh Connell N/A Duquesne Garden 16–10–9 41
36 February 28 Canadiens 2–0 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 16–11–9 41
March: 4–3–1 (home: 3–0–0; road: 1–3–1)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
37 March 3 Chicago 1–3 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 17–11–9 43
38 March 6 Ottawa 2–0 Boston Connell N/A Boston Arena 17–12–9 43
39 March 10 Detroit 1–3 Ottawa Connell N/A Detroit Olympia 18–12–9 45
40 March 13 Ottawa 1–1 Toronto Connell N/A Mutual Street Arena 18–12–10 46
41 March 15 Ottawa 5–2 Americans Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 19–12–10 48
42 March 17 Ottawa 1–3 Maroons Connell N/A Montreal Forum 19–13–10 48
43 March 22 Americans 0–5 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 20–13–10 50
44 March 24 Ottawa 0–4 Canadiens Connell N/A Montreal Forum 20–14–10 50

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

Montreal Maroons 3, Ottawa Senators 1

The Senators played the Montreal Maroons in a first round two-game, total-goals series. The Maroons won the series by three goals to one.

Canadian Division semi-final
Montreal Maroons 3, Ottawa Senators 1
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Series
1 March 27 Maroons 1–0 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 0–1
2 March 29 Ottawa 1–2 Maroons Connell N/A Montreal Forum 1–3

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM
Frank Finnigan RW 38 20 5 25 34
Hec Kilrea LW 43 19 4 23 66
King Clancy D 39 8 7 15 73
Alex Smith D 44 9 4 13 90
Frank Nighbor C 42 8 5 13 46
Georges Boucher D 43 7 5 12 78
Punch Broadbent RW 43 3 2 5 62
Cy Denneny LW 44 3 0 3 12
Len Grosvenor C/RW 43 1 2 3 18
Al Shields D 7 0 1 1 2
Gene Chouinard D 8 0 0 0 0
Alec Connell G 44 0 0 0 0
Sam Godin RW 24 0 0 0 0
Milt Halliday LW 13 0 0 0 2
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Alec Connell 2760 44 20 14 10 57 1.24 15
Team: 2760 44 20 14 10 57 1.24 15

Playoffs

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM
Hec Kilrea LW 2 1 0 1 0
Frank Finnigan RW 2 0 1 1 6
Georges Boucher D 2 0 0 0 4
Punch Broadbent RW 2 0 0 0 0
King Clancy D 2 0 0 0 6
Alec Connell G 2 0 0 0 0
Cy Denneny LW 2 0 0 0 0
Len Grosvenor C/RW 2 0 0 0 2
Frank Nighbor C 2 0 0 0 2
Al Shields D 2 0 0 0 0
Alex Smith D 2 0 0 0 4
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Alec Connell 120 2 0 2 3 1.50 0
Team: 120 2 0 2 3 1.50 0

[3]

Note:
Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Transactions

The Senators were involved in the following transactions during the 1927–28 season.[4]

Trades

October 7, 1927 To Ottawa Senators
Punch Broadbent
$22,500 		To Montreal Maroons
Hooley Smith
October 26, 1927 To Ottawa Senators
Cash 		To Toronto Maple Leafs
Edwin Gorman
February 1, 1927 To Ottawa Senators
Cash 		To London Panthers (Can-Pro)
Stan Jackson

Free agents signed

October 24, 1927 From Ottawa Rideaus (OCHL)
Len Grosvenor
December 19, 1927 From Quebec Castors (Can-Am)
Gene Chouinard
January 24, 1928 From Rockland Hockey Club (OVHL)
Sammy Godin
March 3, 1928 From New Haven Eagles (Can-Am)
Allan Shields

See also

References

  1. ^ Standings: NHL Public Relations Department (2008). Dave McCarthy; et al. (eds.). THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Official Guide & Record Book/2009. National Hockey League. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-894801-14-0.
  2. ^ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  3. ^ "1927-28 Ottawa Senators Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 28, 2009.
  4. ^ "Hockey Transactions Search Results".
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