1888–89 AHAC season

The 1888–89 AHAC season was the third season of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada. Play was in challenges and started on December 15, 1888. The Montreal Hockey Club would win the final challenge of the season to win the Canadian championship for the second season in a row.
==League business==
The annual meeting of the Amateur Hockey Association was held in the Victoria Skating Rink, Montreal, on November 16, 1888. Representatives from most of the hockey clubs were present. The election for the ensuing year resulted as follows:
* President, Mr. J. Stewart;
* first vice-president, A. Shearer;
* second vice-president, D. B. Holden;
* secretary-treasurer, A. Hodgson.
* Council — H. Kinghorn (McGill), S. Lee (Crystal), T. Arnton (Victoria), A. C. Higginson (Montreal).
===Rule changes===
The league reverted to the challenge system, hoping to attract teams from outside Montreal. Quebec would return to play in the AHAC. The number of games was reduced to only four.
The league adopted a rule where the placement of the 'bully' or faceoff, could be played at the point of infringement, or at the point of play stoppage, at the choice of the captain of the offended team after a rules infraction.
==Regular season==
This season saw two teams from outside of Montreal and Ottawa to make challenges. Halifax(Dartmouth) had not challenged for the national championships before, while Quebec had played in the Montreal tournaments. McGill did not return to mount a challenge this year. Ottawa did not play a challenge, but did play an exhibition against the Montreal Hockey Club in Ottawa.
Dartmouth Chebuctos would play two games in Montreal, both played half under "Montreal rules", half under "Halifax rules". Dartmouth would lose 6–1 to Montreal and 4–1 to Crystals. Both games were played at the Crystal Palace skating rink. The two games are recorded in the overall record.
The Chebuctos would play two games against Quebec, losing 8–0 and 5–1.
===Overall record===
Team 	Games Played	Wins	Losses	Ties	Goals For	Goals Against
Montreal Hockey Club	5 	4 	1 	0 	18 	7
Montreal Crystals 	3 	1 	2 	0 	5 	11
Montreal Victorias 	3 	1 	2 	0 	5 	11
Quebec Hockey Club 	1 	0 	1 	0 	2 	3
==Schedule and results==
Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	Score 	Location
Exhibition play 	Exhibition play 	Exhibition play 	Exhibition play 	Exhibition play 	Exhibition play
January 11 	Montreal Crystals 	8 	McGill 	4 	Crystal Rink
January 18 	Montreal HC 	2 	Montreal Crystals 	1 	Crystal Rink
January 31 	Montreal Victorias 	5 	Montreal Crystals 	2 	Crystal Rink
February 26 	Montreal HC 	6 	Dartmouth Chebuctos 	1 	Crystal Rink
February 27 	Montreal Crystals 	4 	Dartmouth Chebuctos 	1 	Crystal Rink
AHAC Challenge play 	AHAC Challenge play 	AHAC Challenge play 	AHAC Challenge play 	AHAC Challenge play 	AHAC Challenge play
December 15 	Montreal HC 	3 	Montreal Victorias 	1 	Victoria Rink
February 2 	Montreal Crystals 	3 	Montreal HC 	2 	Crystal Rink
No challenges during Montreal Tournament (February 4–18)	No challenges during Montreal Tournament (February 4–18)	No challenges during Montreal Tournament (February 4–18)	No challenges during Montreal Tournament (February 4–18)	No challenges during Montreal Tournament (February 4–18)	No challenges during Montreal Tournament (February 4–18)
March 1 	Montreal HC 	4 	Montreal Crystals 	0 	Crystal Rink
March 7 	Montreal HC 	3 	Quebec 	2 	Crystal Rink
March 12 	Montreal HC 	6 	Montreal Victorias 	1 	Crystal Rink
March 18 	Montreal Victorias 	3 	Montreal Crystals 	2 	
==Player statistics==
===Scoring leaders===
Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals scored
Name 	Club 	GP	G
Archie McNaughton	Montreal 	5 	7
Archie Hodgson 	Montreal 	5 	6
Sam Lee 	Crystals 	4 	5
Jack Findlay 	Montreal 	5 	5
William Virtue 	Victorias	2 	2
Dave Brown 	Crystals 	4 	2
George Lowe 	Montreal 	4 	2
===Goaltending averages===
Note: GP = Games played, GA = Goals against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals against average
Name 	Club 	GP	GA	SO	GAA
Paton, Tom 	Montreal 	5 	7 	0 	1.17
Norris, Jack 	Crystals 	3 	6 	0 	2.0
Arnton, Tom 	Victorias	1 	2 	1 	2.0
Laurie, A. 	Quebec 	1 	3 	0 	3.0
Scanlan, Robert	Crystals 	1 	4 	0 	4.0
Brown, J. 	Chebuctos	2 	10	0 	5.0
Jones, Robert 	Victorias	1 	6 	0 	6.0
==References==
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===Notes===
Category:1888-89 in ice hockey
Category:Amateur Hockey Association of Canada seasons