The 1923–24 season began with tragedy, as Tigers' forward Foley Martin died of blood poisoning during the team's season opening road trip to the pacific coast. The Tigers played on despite Martin's death, winning two of three games against their PCHA rivals. The Tigers finished atop the league standings with 37 points. They met the Regina Capitals in the league championship in a two-game, total goals series. After battling Regina to a 2–2 draw in the Saskatchewan capital, the Tigers returned home to Calgary, capturing the championship on home ice in a 2–0 victory. They then moved on to face the Vancouver Maroons of the PCHA in the best-of-three Western Canadian final. After dropping the first game in Vancouver, the Tigers came back to defeat the Maroons 6–3 at home, and again 3–1 at a neutral site game in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The victory earned the Tigers the right to play for the Stanley Cup, the first such opportunity for a Calgary-based club.