After winning the prior two Stanley Cups, Toronto seemly was looking at the end of a short dynasty when it was outscored and lost more than it won in the regular season. The fifth-best offense in the six-team National Hockey League scored exactly three goals in eight of its nine post-season games – and won them all for a third straight title, something never done before in the NHL.

The Leafs did it by besting second-place Boston in five games, then startling all by sweeping first-place Detroit while goalie Turk Broda limited the high-scoring Red Wings to five goals.

Strat-O-Matic’s re-creation of the fascinating 1948-49 NHL gives it a complete library of the post-World War II NHL This 60-game season showcased stars on every team.

Detroit led the regular season with 75 points and 195 goals. MVP Sid Abel led the league with 28 goals, Ted Lindsay (tied for second with 26 goals and tied Abel with 54 points) and Gordie Howe (37 points in 40 games) were second-team All-Stars and joined Abel on Detroit’s famed Production Line. Future Hall of Fame defensemen Bill Quackenbush and Jack Stewart were first-team All-Stars.

Even last-place Chicago had a line worthy of three stars: Doug Bentley lead the NHL with 43 assists, Roy Conacher led the league with 68 points (26 goals, 42 assists) and Jim Conacher was fifth with 49 points.

Toronto had Hall-of-Fame skaters Harry Watson (26 goals), Max Bentley (19) and Ted Kennedy (18). For Montreal, center Billy Reay (22 goals, 45 points) and right winger Maurice “Rocket” Richard (20 goals, 38 points) were 1-2 in scoring. Ken Reardon and Glen Harmon were second-team All-Star defensemen and the Canadiens had the league’s top goaltender.

The top goalies were Vezina Trophy winner Bill Durnan of Montreal, who led with 10 shutouts and a 2.10 goals-against average. He was one of four goalies to play every minute of every game. The others were Detroit’s Harry Lumley (first with 34 wins, second with a 2.42 GAA), Broda (2.68 GAA) and Chicago’s embattled Jim Henry. Chuck Raymer absorbed 31 losses for fifth-place New York, but was second to Durnan with seven shutouts.

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