Syl Apps Final Game

When Toronto hammered Detroit 7-2 in the fourth and final game of the Stanley Cup finals in 1948, the great Syl Apps knew he was going to retire as a champion.

"In that final game we were ahead 3-0, and then Detroit scored a goal. That always gives the other team a bit of impetus, they starting coming at you. What you need is a quicky goal right away. It cools them down. About a minute or so later out Jimmy Thomson went into the corner and dug out the puck. He threw it out into the center. I was on a breakaway when I caught the puck on my stick. I split between the two defensemen and I was sort of home free, only the goaltender to b eat. I beat him for a goal that made the score 4-1, and after that we had an easy time, winning 7-2, I believe.

I was 33 years old and I had played ten years and enjoyed every minute of it, but I thought it was time to call it quits and that was it . . . the last goal I scored in the National Hockey League.