Bauer made splash in one-night comeback with Bruins

Legendary hockey reporter and analyst Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," shares his knowledge, humor and insight with readers each Wednesday.

This week, Stan looks at the comeback by future Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Bauer, who came out of retirement for one night and was reunited with longtime Boston Bruins linemates Milt Schmidt and Woody Dumart on March 18, 1952.

Any discussion of the best lines in NHL history has to include the "Kraut Line" of the Boston Bruins in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The line was comprised of three players who grew up together in Kitchener, Ontario -- center Milt Schmidt, left wing Woody Dumart and right wing Bobby Bauer. All three have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. They were major contributors to Boston's Stanley Cup championship teams in 1939 and 1941, and Schmidt won the NHL scoring title in 1939-40, with his linemates tied for second place.

While all this was going on, Canada had entered World War II. By the 1941-42 season, all three had decided to join Canada's military, so they simultaneously enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Their patriotic move was hailed when they made their last appearance at Boston Garden on Feb. 10, 1942. All three were showered with gifts before the Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 8-1, with the line combining for 11 points, including two goals and two assists by Bauer.

In Chris McDonell's anthology, "The Game I'll Never Forget," Schmidt recalled being touched not only by the crowd's game-ending ovation but by an unusual episode after the final buzzer.

"When the game was over," Schmidt said, "the players from both teams picked us up and carried us off the ice while the organist played 'Auld Lang Syne.'"

All three eventually were sent overseas to an RCAF base in Great Britain for the duration of the war. Posted to Bomber Command, they occasionally entertained the troops with hockey games against other service teams that were sprinkled with NHL players.

They returned to the NHL after the war ended in 1945. Bauer played two seasons (1945-46 and 1946-47, when he had NHL career highs of 30 goals and 54 points) before opting to retire at age 32. He headed back to the Kitchener area and became a coach, leaving his buddies to carry on.

"We missed Bobby," Schmidt said, "and I especially missed him. He was my right arm."

Schmidt and Dumart continued to excel, with Schmidt winning the Hart Trophy as League MVP in 1950-51. On March 18, 1952, the Bruins decided to honor the two with what it called "Schmidt-Dumart Night." The highlight was to be the return of Bauer, who signed a one-game contract as an active player to be reunited with his longtime linemates.

Because Bauer hadn't played in the NHL for nearly five years, he didn't know what to expect of himself. A lot of onlookers figured he would skate out for a photo opportunity with Schmidt and Dumart, and perhaps take a shift or two in the game against the Chicago Black Hawks. Some were skeptical, or even worried, that Bauer would look foolish trying to keep up, especially since this was not an exhibition game.

The game meant a lot to the Bruins, who were trying to clinch the final berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and could do so with a victory.

"We needed that game," Schmidt said. "One other thing; I had 199 career goals going into that game."

But Bauer had other ideas, and neither Bruins coach Lynn Patrick nor any of his players planned to intervene when he decided to take a regular turn with his old linemates. And at first, the crowd, as well as his former linemates, could tell Bauer was rusty.

"Still," Schmidt told reporter George Vass, "I knew Bobby would give his best."

Rusty or not, Bauer's return gave the Bruins a spark, and late in the first period Schmidt set up defenseman Ed Kryzanowski for a power-play goal and a 1-0 lead.

Bauer had found his legs by the second period and was meshing with his old linemates like he had in the good old days. Then it happened: Bauer skimmed a pass to Dumart, sending him in alone on Chicago goalie Harry Lumley, who made the save but couldn't control the rebound. Schmidt swooped in and put the puck in the net for a 2-0 lead.

"With Lumley down, I fired the puck into the net over his sprawling body," Schmidt said. "Bobby retrieved the puck and gave it to me as a souvenir. It was my 200th goal, but the real thrill came with the announcement."

That public address announcement -- "Boston goal by Schmidt; assists from Dumart and Bauer" -- rocked the Garden.

Schmidt's goal was a prelude to the melodrama that followed. Just like old times, early in the third period Schmidt fed Bauer, who broke free on right wing. After a now-you-see-it-now-you-don't deke on Lumley, Bauer brought down the house when he scored at 6:40 for a 3-0 lead.

"How could I ever forget that game," Schmidt said after the 4-0 win. "Bobby comes back, I get my 200th; Bobby scores and we clinch a playoff berth."

Bauer retired for good after the game. He and everyone at Boston Garden that night knew there could be no encore to follow a last act like that.