"Hockey captures the essence of Canadian experience in the New World . In a land so inescapably and inhospitably cold, hockey is the chance of life, and an affirmation that despite the deathly chill of winter we are alive."
-Stephen Leacock
Hockey was brought to Canada by James Creighton from Nova Scotia when he moved to Montreal and organized the first game in North America on March 3, 1875. The game took place at the Victorian Skating Rink, when a group of players got together. This game was also where the puck originated. Originally, the game was played with a ball, but when played inside, the dangers of a ball flying around was unappealing; so they solved the problem by using a flat circular piece of wood. This game was placed under the "Halifax Rule," but as the game took off, the rules changed, called the Montreal Rules, in 1877. Teams began to pop up all over the country; McGill University had created the first college team in 1877, and a national league was created in he mid 1880s. In 1885, the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada was created, being marked as the first hockey organization in Canada. The Ontario Hockey Association was created in 1890, with the help of Sir Arthur Stanley, the General Governor of Canada. In 1893, the Stanley Hockey Championship Cup was introduced, donated by Stanley and his family. By this time, hockey had began to spread through the classes; middle and lower classes also began to partake in the sport, as well as the creation of professional hockey teams. By 1900, hockey had reached all corners of the USA.
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