1925-26 NHL season: Encyclopedia II - 1925-26 NHL season - Stanley Cup playoffs

1925-26 NHL season - Stanley Cup playoffs

This is the last season that saw challengers from outside of the NHL compete for the Stanley Cup. At the beginning of the season, the Western Canada Hockey League renamed itself the Western Hockey League because one of its teams, the Regina Capitals, had moved to the States to play in Portland, Oregon. They were renamed the Portland Rosebuds.

Once again, the Victoria Cougars finished third in their league but once again won their league championship and the right to play for the Stanley Cup. The previous season, the Cougars beat the Montreal Canadiens for the Stanley Cup with that being the only time in NHL history in which a non-NHL team won the Cup. After the 1926 playoffs, the Western Hockey League would fold leaving the Stanley Cup entirely to the NHL. The Cup would never again be challenged by a non-NHL team, despite efforts to Free Stanley during the 2004-05 NHL lockout season of 2004-2005.

All dates 1926

1925-26 NHL season - Prince of Wales Trophy

The second seed Montreal Maroons beat the third seed Pittsburgh Pirates and then went on to beat first place Ottawa Senators 2 goals to 1 in a two game total goals series, thus capturing the Prince of Wales Trophy and the right to play the Victoria Cougars for the Stanley Cup.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Montreal Maroons

Montreal wins total goals series 6 goals to 4

Montreal Maroons vs. Ottawa Senators

Montreal wins total goals series 2 goals to 1

1925-26 NHL season - Stanley Cup Final

Victoria Cougars vs. Montreal Maroons

Montreal Maroons win best-of-five series 3 games to 1 for the Stanley Cup

1925-26 NHL season - NHL Playoff leading scorer

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Stanley Cup playoffs", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki