After January’s intense match, both teams took to practising with increased vigour. Each team could feel the rivalry swelling, and each longed to possess Anderson’s shiny new cup.
The next match was encouraged by increased interest from the public, with raucous applause audible outside the Thistle on Market Street. The fans were treated to a great finish, as Armytage again demonstrated his heroics, pulling the Vics ahead out of a 3-3 tie before the final whistle. With the victory, the boys in maroon drew the season series to a draw at 1-1-1. (MDFP, Feb. 15th, 1892. p.5)
This set up the final and decisive match between the clubs on March 12th, 1892. Originally scheduled for the previous week, the game was postponed due to soft weather and poor ice conditions. The extra wait was well worth it for the spectators who packed the Thistle for the match.
Even early on, fighting in hockey was seen as a disgraceful and desperate act. Early commentators suggested that too much fighting would ruin the game, and that sportsmanship and respect for officials were qualities that made a player great. It was so for this final match of the 1891-92 season, that was said to be “for blood” (MDFP, Mar. 14th, 1892. p.5).
The first half was played with increasing intensity, culminating in a scuffle at the half that found Jack Armitage on his back on the ice. Goals were scored by Girdlestone for the Pegs, and McCullogh and Armytage for the Vics. Early in the second half, the score was evened at two by Dennison on some pretty passing by Fred Ashe.
Ashe was said to be using some “nasty tricks” by hooking and tripping his adversaries with his stick. When he tried this on McCullogh, a fight broke out between the two. This being the first of its kind in Manitoba hockey, the referee decided that, as both men were at fault, both should remain on the ice. Neither were sent away or penalized.
The score remained unchanged until the final whistle. As this was a deciding contest, the teams were given a 5 minute intermission, then returned to the ice for a game of “next goal wins”. After some early overtime heroics by the Pegs keeper Tart Stowe, the captain Armytage put one past him, thus ending a scrappy championship match, to say the least.
And so the Winnipeg Victorias win the cup, donated by T.W. Anderson, and the glory of Manitoba’s first hockey championship.
