1928 - 29 NHL season The 1928 - 29 NHL season was the twelfth season of the National Hockey League . Ten teams played 44 games each . This was the first Stanley Cup playoffs ever that saw two United States based teams compete for the cup . The Boston Bruins won over the New York Rangers two games to none in a best - of - three final . League Business . Notable Rule Changes . Forward passing was permitted from the neutral zone across the blue line into the attacking zone , as long as no offensive player preceded the puck into the attacking zone ; forward passing within the attacking zone was still forbidden . Regular season overtime was changed to a 10 - minute , non - sudden - death format , to be played in its entirety . Playoff Format . The playoff format was revised to match first - place teams in a best - of - five series for the NHL championship , second - place teams and third - place teams in a two - game total - goals series to determine the participants for a best - of - three semi - final and the semi - final winner against the NHL Champion in a best - of - three series for the Cup . Regular season . Ottawa continued in financial trouble and sold Punch Broadbent to the New York Americans . They continued to erode , and at one point , rumour had it that they would be sold to a Chicago group . Frank Ahearn , the Senators owner , denied this , but admitted that the team was for sale to the highest bidder . The New York Americans , last place finishers in 1927 - 28 , surprised everyone by reclining in first place for much of the season in the Canadian Division . They were held up by the great play of defenceman Lionel Conacher and goaltender Roy Worters . However , the Montreal Canadiens dislodged the Americans and finished first . George Hainsworth , Canadiens goaltender , set an unprecedented record of 22 shutouts and a . 98 goals against average . Boston , led by rookie Tiny Thompson in goal , led the American Division . Bruins ' player George Owen was the first NHL player to regularly wear head gear for protective purposes . Prior to this , the only time protective head gear was worn was to temporarly protect injuries . Fifty - one years later the NHL would mandate the use of helmets . Craig MacTavish was the last NHL player to not wear a helmet in 1997 . Final standings . " Note : W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , Pts = Points , GF = Goals For , GA = Goals Against , PIM = Penalties in minutes " " Note : Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold " Scoring leaders . " Note : GP = Games played , G = Goals , A = Assists , PTS = Points , PIM = Penalties in minutes " Stanley Cup playoffs . The playoffs were now between division finishers of each division , rather than a division champion from each division . The Boston Bruins knocked off the Montreal Canadiens , the New York Rangers beat the New York Americans , and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Cougars . The Rangers beat Toronto and then the Bruins won their first Stanley Cup defeating the Rangers . In the process , Boston became one of the few Cup winners in history to not lose a single game in the playoffs , and the last team until 1952 to win every playoff game they had . Debuts . The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1928 - 29 ( listed with their first team , asterisk ( * ) marks debut in playoffs ) : Last games . The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1928 - 29 ( listed with their last team ) :