[Dion]

This Day in Hockey History – February 10, 1942 – Kraut Line Goes Big and Leaves Home

During the 1930s and 1940s, the Boston Bruins sent out onto the ice three young men of German heritage – center Milt Schmidt (No. 15), left winger Woody Dumart (No. 14), and right winger Bobby Bauer (No. 17). They hailed from Kitchener, Ontario, where they had played together for the Kitchener Greenshirts. For the 1936-37 season, all three played on one line for the Providence Reds, the Bruins’ farm team. Coach Albert Leduc dubbed this line of Germans the “Sauerkraut Line,” and that was soon shortened to “Kraut Line.” The nickname followed the three to Boston, where they were so close they shared an apartment.

The Kraut Line was so successful that by the 1939-40 season, Schmidt, Dumart, and Bauer became 1-2-3, respectively, leading the NHL in scoring. That was the first time three from the same team ranked in the top three. Together, they won the Stanley Cup championships in 1939 and 1941.

The last game before the Kraut Line reported for duty was held on February 10, 1942 before a crowd of 10,400 at Boston Garden. It was the last home appearance of the Bruins, who would be traveling for two weeks, and the final regular-season visit of the Montreal Canadiens. At the end of the first period, the Bruins already led 2-1 with Toe Blake scoring the only Canadiens goal. Dumart scored the Bruins’ third goal (with both linemates assisting) at 16:52 of the second session. Schmidt assisted Jack Shewchuk in scoring only eleven seconds later. Within the first seven minutes of the third period, the Bruins doubled their score. Bauer scored the first two back-to-back at 1:15 and 1:29. Dumart assisted on both and Schmidt on the second. At 6:19, both Bauer and Dumart assisted Des Smith on the final goal of the game. According to the Boston Globe, “The trio worked like fury to set up Schmidty in the closing minutes and once succeeded only to have the play ruled offside.” All told, the Kraut Line wings each had four points while their center had three. Their combined 11 points accounted for exactly half of the Bruins’ total points in their 8-1 victory.

After the game, the three RCAF men were feted on the ice and off. In the midst of “terrific ovations,” they were placed at center ice. Bruins management presented them each with full-season paychecks and bonuses. General manager Art Ross, presented by his sons (John Ross and Pilot Officer Arthur Ross Jr. of the RCAF), gave them chronograph watches. Ross called them “the most loyal and courageous players in the Bruins history.” The Boston Globe reported, “Farewell messages from Lieut. Adams and Ross were read by Secretary Frank Ryan. Both stressed the loyalty of the Krauts to the Bruins, confidence they will perform even more brilliantly in the greater conflict and hope that the trio will soon return to the hockey wars.” Finally, their Bruins teammates gave them engraved bracelets, “solid gold identification tags.” Bauer said over the loudspeakers, “I have never been more speechless in my life. You will all be proud of us.”

As the organ played and the crowd sang “Auld Lang Syne,” both the Bruins and the Canadiens shouldered the Kraut Line and carried them off the ice. Schmidt never forgot what that night meant to them. “It just goes to show that you can have pretty bitter enemies out on that ice, but after the game is over, we’re all friends, and I think that has a lot to say about the people who play the game.”

https://thepinkpuck.com/2019/02/10/t...d-leaves-home/