The ’44-’45 season was McCool’s first season and was named rookie of the year. (Photo via hockeygods.com)

First off, here is the entire tournament bracket!

The opening game of the series was tied 2-2 after two periods. Then, after a goal from each team in the third, John McCreedy scored with just over a minute left in regulation to give the 8th-seeded ’44-’45 Maple Leafs a 4-3 win. The 3rd-seeded ’47-’48 Maple Leafs rebounded from the loss with a dominating 9-0 win in Game 2. 14 players registered a point in the win and seven of them posted more than one point. Syl Apps and Max Bentley both posted three-point nights. Then, in Game 3, with the ’47-’48 Maple Leafs trailing 2-1 late in the third, they pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and defenseman Jimmy Thomson tied it with just 46 seconds left. However, they would lose shortly into overtime when Sweeney Schriner potted a PP marker a little over three minutes into OT to give the ’44-’45 Maple Leafs a 2-1 series lead. The ’44-’45 Maple Leafs took a 3-1 series lead with a 3-0 win in Game 4 as goaltender Frank McCool stopped all 34 shots against. The ’47-’48 Maple Leafs needed a late-winner from Bentley to stave off elimination in Game 5 with a 3-2 win. McCool then stopped 29 of 30 shots against in Game 6 to lead the ’44-’45 Maple Leafs to a 2-1 win and their first appearance in the Ultimate NHL Playoff.

GAME 1:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’44-’45 TOR – 4   ’47-’48 TOR – 3   (1-0   ’44-’45 TOR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: C – Ted Kennedy (’44-’45 TOR) – 1 G   3 A   4 P   +3   9 S

2nd Star: RW – Mel Hill (’44-’45 TOR) – 1 G   1 A   2 P   +2   3 S   2 PIM

3rd Star: C – Syl Apps (’47-’48 TOR) – 1 G   1 A   2 P   Even   10 S

GAME 2:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’47-’48 TOR – 9   ’44-’45 TOR – 0   (1-1)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Turk Broda (’47-’48 TOR) – W   0.00 GAA   1.000 SV% (38 SV’s)   SO

2nd Star: C – Max Bentley (’47-’48 TOR) – 2 G   1 A   3 P   +3   5 S

3rd Star: C – Syl Apps (’47-’48 TOR) – 1 G   2 A   3 P   +4   7 S

GAME 3:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’44-’45 TOR – 3   ’47-’48 TOR – 2   (OT)   (2-1   ’44-’45 TOR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Frank McCool (’44-’45 TOR) – W   2.00 GAA   .957 SV% (45 SV’s)

2nd Star: G – Turk Broda (’47-’48 TOR) – OTL   3.00 GAA   .925 SV% (37 SV”s)

3rd Star: C – Ted Kennedy (’44-’45 TOR) – 1 G   0 A   1 P   +2   11 S

GAME 4:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’44-’45 TOR – 3   ’47-’48 TOR – 0   (3-1   ’44-’45 TOR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Frank McCool (’44-’45 TOR) – W   0.00 GAA   1.000 SV% (34 SV’s)   SO

2nd Star: C  – Ted Kennedy (’44-’45 TOR) – 1 G   1 A   2 P   +3   11 S

3rd Star: D – Reg Hamilton (’44-’45 TOR) – 0 G   2 A   2 P   +2   0 S   2 PIM

GAME 5:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’47-’48 TOR – 3   ’44-’45 TOR – 2   (3-2   ’44-’45 TOR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Turk Broda (’47-’48 TOR) – W   2.00 GAA   .943 SV% (33 SV’s)

2nd Star: G – Frank McCool (’44-’45 TOR) – L   3.00 GAA   .925 SV% (37 SV’s)

3rd Star: C – Ted Kennedy (’44-’45 TOR) – 0 G   2 A   2 P   +1   6 S

GAME 6:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’44-’45 TOR – 2   ’47-’48 TOR – 1   (4-2   ’44-’45 TOR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Frank McCool (’44-’45 TOR) – W   1.00 GAA   .967 SV% (29 SV’s)

2nd Star: G – Turk Broda (’47-’48 TOR) – L   2.00 GAA   .947 SV% (36 SV’s)

3rd Star: D – Babe Pratt (’44-’45 TOR) – 0 G   2 A   2 P   +2   4 S   2 PIM

The ’44-’45 Toronto Maple Leafs are the 47th team to qualify for the upcoming 2015 Ultimate NHL Playoff. It will be their first trip to the tournament and they are the 24th team that will make their UNP debut. Up next is the 2015 Montreal Canadiens Qualifying Tournament!