March 22
STANLEY CUP DAY
In 1894, play-off competition for the coveted hockey award known as Lord Stanley’s Cup began. Montreal and Ottawa played for the first championship honors on this day. Montreal took home the trophy.
The original trophy cost $48.67 and was purchased the previous year by Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston. He then donated it to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The inaugural champion was the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association.
From 1894 on, the winner of the Stanley Cup has had to win a series of playoff games first. In 1926, the playoff format took the order that remains in place today. The National Hockey League has been the permanent forum.
The teams with the most Stanley Cup titles since 1927 include the Detroit Red Wings (11) and Toronto Maple Leafs (13), with the Montreal Canadiens outdistancing the rest of the NHL.
The Stanley Cup competition remains the oldest in professional sports in North America.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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