Toronto Marlboros - Memorial Cups

Memorial Cups

1929
The Marlboros reached their first Memorial Cup series in 1929 after being upset in 1928 by the Ottawa Gunners. In 1929 the Marlboros defeated the Ottawa Shamrocks in a two-game total goals series by 6 to 5. Ottawa won the first game 4 to 3, and Toronto won the second game 3 to 1.

Toronto played the Elmwood Millionaires from Winnipeg, Manitoba, in a best of three series starting on March 29 at the Arena Gardens (Mutual Street Arena) for the Memorial Cup. The Marlboros won the first game 4 to 2 in overtime. On March 31, Toronto won game 2 by an identical score of 4 to 2 for its first Memorial Cup.

1955
Turk Broda took over the coaching duties of the Marlboros midway through the 1954–55 season. In the playoffs the Marlboros defeated the reigning Memorial Cup champions St. Catharines Teepees, followed by the Quebec Remparts to win the Eastern Canadian championship.

After a long train ride to Regina, Saskatchewan, to Marlboros and the Regina Pats took part in the First Annual Memorial Cup Dinner. The idea of the banquet was one of Harold Ballard's many longlasting effects on the game. The next day the two teams would start a best of seven series for the Cup.

Regina won the first game 3 to 1. Toronto won the next two games scores of 5 to 2, and 3 to 2. Regina tied up game four at 2 goals each in the dying minutes of regulation to send the match to overtime. Billy Harris scored in overtime to give the Marlboros a 3 games to 1 lead. Game five was also tied after three periods. Toronto scored three unanswered goals, winning 8 to 5 in overtime, and their second Memorial Cup.

1956
Toronto defeated the Montreal Junior Canadiens in an 8-game series to return to the Memorial Cup and a rematch versus the Regina Pats. The championship series started at Maple Leaf Gardens on April 27.

The teams tied the first game at 4 goals each. Toronto put together three consecutive victories by scores of 5 to 1, 4 to 2, and 6 to 1. The Marlboros captured their second consecutive Memorial Cup in game five by a score ot 7 to 4. The Oshawa Generals were the first team to accomplish the feat in 1938–39 and 1939–40.

1964
Toronto defeated the defending OHA champions Niagara Falls Flyers and the Montreal Jr. Canadiens to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The Marlboros swept the NOHA champion North Bay Trappers to play the Quebec champion Notre-Dame-de-Grace Monarchs, who were coached by Scotty Bowman. Toronto prevailed to return to the Memorial Cup after an eight-year absence. Their opponent was the perennial Abbott Cup champion Edmonton Oil Kings.

The series opened at Maple Leaf Gardens with a 5 to 2 Toronto victory. The Marlboros won games two and three with scores of 3 to 2 and 5 to 2. Toronto finished the series sweep with a 7 to 2 win in game 4. Many of the players on the 1964 Marlboros team, including Ron Ellis, Mike Walton and Pete Stemkowski, helped the Maple Leafs capture the Stanley Cup in 1967.

1967
Toronto defeated the Montreal Jr. Canadiens and Hamilton Red Wings for the OHA title, then eliminated the Thetford Mines Canadiens to capture the eastern Canadian championships. The Marlboros played the Port Arthur Marrs in the Memorial Cup series hosted at the Fort William Gardens in what is now the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

The Marlboros won the first two games by scores of 6 to 3, and 8 to 4. Port Arthur won the third game 6 to 4 in a heavily penalized match, including a bench brawl with one second left in the game. Toronto won the last two games by scores of 6 to 0, and 6 to 3 capturing its 5th Memorial Cup. In 1966–67, the Maple Leafs also won the Stanley Cup, the last year the two clubs were national champions at the same time.

1973
The Marlboros of 1972–73 lost only seven games in the regular season. The team was ranked # 1 in Canada going into the playoffs. Toronto eliminated the St. Catharines Black Hawks and Ottawa 67's before meeting the Peterborough Petes in the OHA finals.

The series versus the Petes went to a seventh game played at Maple Leaf Gardens in front of 16,485 spectators, a record at the time for junior hockey attendance. Toronto needed only a tie game to advance, and did so in dramatic fashion. Paulin Bordeleau scored on a penalty shot in the last minute to tie the game at 5 goals each.

After winning the OHA title, the Marlboros travelled to Memorial Cup hosted at the Montreal Forum where their opponents would be the Quebec Remparts and the Medicine Hat Tigers, who were led by future NHL star Lanny McDonald.

The Marlies beat Quebec 5 to 2 in the first game, and lost 3 to 2 to the Tigers in the second game. The Remparts then beat the Tigers 8 to 3 in game three. Since each team had won a game, Toronto and Quebec played each other in the finals based on goals for and against. The Marlboros scored a 9 to 1 victory for their 6th Memorial Cup.

1975
The 1975 playoff run for the Marlboros was complicated by Mark Napier and John Tonelli signing professional contracts before the season ended. Tonelli would sit out all the Marlboros games after his 18th birthday so he would not the jeopardize playing for the Houston Aeros.

Toronto stumbled through the playoffs managing come-from-behind victories in series versus the 8th place Kingston Canadians and 5th place Sudbury Wolves. Both series went 8 games, and the Marlboros were a point away from being eliminated each time but stayed alive. The Marlboros then beat the Hamilton Fincups in the finals for their last OHA championship. Toronto would face the New Westminster Bruins, and the Sherbrooke Castors in the Memorial Cup series played at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex.

Toronto beat Sherbrooke 5 to 4 in overtime in game 1 after coming back from three goals down. The Bruins beat the Castors (Beavers in English) 7 to 5 in game two, defeated Toronto 6 to 2 in the third game to reach the finals. In a rematch versus the Castors in the semi-final, Toronto won 10 to 4 to reach the finals versus New Westminster.

The Marlboros continued their momentum in the finals winning 7 to 3, and capturing their seventh and final Memorial Cup championship. Coach Armstrong said it was all worth it, even after his team had tossed him into the hotel swimming pool during a victory party.