Detroit Red Wings win Stanley Cup
The 1936 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This was Detroit's second appearance in the Final and Toronto's sixth. Detroit would win the series 3–1 to win their first Stanley Cup.
Detroit defeated the defending champion Montreal Maroons in a best-of-five 3–0 to advance to the final. The Leafs had to play a total-goals series; 8–6 against Boston Bruins, and win a best-of-three 2–1 against the New York Americans.
The Detroit Red Wings won the NHL's American Division, while the Montreal Maroons finished first in the Canadian Division in 1935-36. In the semi-finals, Detroit easily handled the Maroons to take the best of five series in three straight games, thus earning a berth in the Stanley Cup final. The scramble took place with the other participating teams. Using a two game total goal series for the final time, the NHL paired the New York Americans and the Chicago Black Hawks, as well as the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs. New York outscored Chicago, earning the right to face Toronto, who prevailed over the Bruins. The Maple Leafs beat the New York Americans two games to one to win the best of three series, and would therefore face the Red Wings. Detroit proved to be too strong for the Buds, wining the best of five series three games to one to win their first Stanley Cup for the franchise. The Red Wings' attack was spread out as 11 of their 14 skaters scored at least a goal in the finals.
The year is 1936. The Detroit Red Wings would knock of the Toronto Maple Leafs 3 games to 1 to win their first Stanley Cup championship.
The Wings featured some great players. Players like Syd Howe, Marty Barry, Herbie Lewis, Bucko McDonald and Ebbie Goodfellow.
But the man most synonymous with the 1936 Red Wings is a seldom used rookie nicknamed "Mud:" Modere "Mud" Bruneteau.
In the semifinals against the defending champion Montreal Maroons, Bruneteau ended the longest game in NHL history with a goal at the unthinkable time of 176:30. It was the only goal of the game. 9,500 spectators witnessed Bruneteau's heroics in the sixth overtime. The game ended at 2:25 am.
Goaltender Normie Smith also deserves mention. He stopped an incredible 92 shots that night. He was incredible every night, as Detroit was out-shot in every playoff game. Smith stole the opener against the Maroons blocking all 90 shots as his team won 1-0 after 117 minutes of overtime. He followed up with 36 saves in a 3-0 shutout and was solid in every game against Toronto as he stopped 95.7% of the 281 shots that he faced.
