1945–46 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1945–46 Chicago Black Hawks season was the teams 20th season in the NHL. The Black Hawks finished in 3rd and were swept in the Semi-finals by the Montreal Canadiens 4 games to 0.
==Regular Season==
With Doug Bentley, Max Bentley, and Red Hamill returning to the team after World War II, the Black Hawks would set a team record by scoring 200 goals, which also led the NHL. The Hawks allowed 178, which ranked them 4th. The Hawks would finish the season with a 23–20–7 record, good for 53 points, which was their highest total since the 1934–35 season, and they would finish in 3rd place in the NHL.
Offensively, the Hawks were led by Max Bentley, who scored a team high 31 goals, and had an NHL high 61 points, while winning the Hart Trophy. Clint Smith had a solid season, registering 50 points, while Bill Mosienko would have 48. Doug Bentley missed 14 games due to injuries, but still finished with 40 points. Team captain John Mariucci would lead the Hawks defensemen with 11 points, and have a team high 58 penalty minutes.
In goal, Mike Karakas would get a majority of the action, earning a career high 22 wins, while posting a 3.46 GAA and a shutout along the way.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 24 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–4 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	1–0–0 	2
2 	October 27 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–8 	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	1–1–0 	2
3 	October 31 	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	1–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–1–0 	4
4 	November 4 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46) 	4–7 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–1–0 	6
5 	November 8 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–4 	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	4–1–0 	8
6 	November 10	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46)	4–2–0 	8
7 	November 11	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46) 	3–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–2–0 	10
8 	November 15	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–5 	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	5–3–0 	10
9 	November 18	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	5–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–4–0 	10
10	November 22	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	3–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–4–1 	11
11	November 25	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	1–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	6–4–1 	13
12	December 1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	8–2 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46)	7–4–1 	15
13	December 2 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46) 	5–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7–5–1 	15
14	December 5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–6 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	7–6–1 	15
15	December 9 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	3–8 	Chicago Black Hawks 	8–6–1 	17
16	December 13	Chicago Black Hawks 	7–4 	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	9–6–1 	19
17	December 16	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	4–6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–6–1 	21
18	December 19	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–6–2 	22
19	December 22	Chicago Black Hawks 	6–4 	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	11–6–2 	24
20	December 23	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) (1945–46)	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	11–6–3 	25
21	December 29	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–4 	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	12–6–3 	27
22	December 30	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–3 	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	12–7–3 	27
23	January 1 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46) 	1–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	13–7–3 	29
24	January 5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–0 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46)	14–7–3 	31
25	January 6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–3 	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	14–8–3 	31
26	January 12 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–4 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	14–9–3 	31
27	January 13 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–3 	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	14–10–3	31
28	January 16 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–1 	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	15–10–3	33
29	January 20 	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	1–9 	Chicago Black Hawks 	16–10–3	35
30	January 23 	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	2–7 	Chicago Black Hawks 	17–10–3	37
31	January 26 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–6 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46)	17–11–3	37
32	January 27 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	1–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	18–11–3	39
33	January 30 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–4 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	18–12–3	39
34	February 3 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	1–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	19–12–3	41
35	February 6 	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	2–6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	20–12–3	43
36	February 9 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–6 	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	20–13–3	43
37	February 10	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–2 	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	20–13–4	44
38	February 13	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	5–1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	20–14–4	44
39	February 16	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–3 	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	20–14–5	45
40	February 17	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	2–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	20–14–6	46
41	February 20	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	3–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	21–14–6	48
42	February 24	New York Rangers (1945–46) 	2–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	21–14–7	49
43	March 2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–9 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46)	21–15–7	49
44	March 3 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	3–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	22–15–7	51
45	March 6 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1945–46) 	5–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	22–16–7	51
46	March 10 	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	3–1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	22–17–7	51
47	March 13 	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	4–9 	Chicago Black Hawks 	23–17–7	53
48	March 14 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–7 	Detroit Red Wings (1945–46) 	23–18–7	53
49	March 16 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–6 	Montreal Canadiens (1945–46) 	23–19–7	53
50	March 17 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–5 	Boston Bruins (1945–46) 	23–20–7	53
==Playoffs==
=== Montreal Canadiens 4, Chicago Black Hawks 0 ===
The 3rd seeded Hawks would face the 1st place team, the Montreal Canadiens, in a best of 7 series in the opening round of the playoffs. Montreal finished 8 points ahead of the Hawks, and had recently swept Chicago in the 1944 Stanley Cup Finals. The Canadiens once again proved to be too much for the Hawks to handle, as they blew out the Hawks in each of the 4 games they played to sweep the series.
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record
1	March 19	Chicago Black Hawks	2–6 	Montreal Canadiens 	0–1
2	March 21	Chicago Black Hawks	1–5 	Montreal Canadiens 	0–2
3	March 24	Montreal Canadiens 	8–2 	Chicago Black Hawks	0–3
4	March 26	Montreal Canadiens 	7–2 	Chicago Black Hawks	0–4
==Player Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Max Bentley 	47	31	30	61 	6
Clint Smith 	50	26	24	50 	2
Bill Mosienko	40	18	30	48 	12
Alex Kaleta 	49	19	27	46 	17
Pete Horeck 	50	20	21	41 	34
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	T	GA 	SO	GAA
Mike Karakas 	48	2880	22	19	7	166	1 	3.46
Doug Stevenson	2 	120 	1 	1 	0	12 	0 	6.00
==Playoff Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Clint Smith 	4 	2	1	3 	0
Bill Mosienko	4 	2	0	2 	2
Hully Gee 	4 	1	1	2 	4
Doug Bentley 	4 	0	2	2 	0
Red Hamill 	4 	1	0	1 	7
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	GAA
Mike Karakas	4 	240	0	4	26	0 	6.50
==Awards and Records==
*Hart Memorial Trophy: Max Bentley
*NHL Scoring Leader: Max Bentley
*Max Bentley, Left Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
*Bill Mosienko, Right Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
*Johnny Gottselig, Coach, NHL Second Team All-Star
==Farm Teams==
*Kansas City Pla-Mors, United States Hockey League
==Gallery==
10Feb1946-Mosienko_MBentley.jpg|Bill Mosienko and Max Bentley wear the "number" second jerseys against the Rangers, February 10, 1946.
10Feb1946-NYR_Hawks.jpg|Rangers-Black Hawks action, February 10, 1946.
1945-46-Bruce-Cain-Chi.jpg|Don Gallinger and Herb Cain of the Bruins battle Chicago goalie Mike Karakas, March 17, 1946.
1945-46-Richard-Mariucci-Karakas.jpg|John Mariucci and Mike Karakas fend off Maurice Richard in 1945-46 season action.
==See Also==
*1945–46 NHL season
==References==
*SHRP Sports
*The Internet Hockey Database
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
Category:Chicago Blackhawks seasons
Chicago Black Hawks season, 1945–46
Chicago Black Hawks season, 1945–46