From all accounts, the second season of the Maritime Professional league was a very successful one with a few exceptions along the way.  One ongoing problem that arose early in the season was the need for an official set of rules to attempt to curb much of the violence taking place on the ice. The following, from a local newspaper, was an excerpt from a Halifax Socials vs. Halifax Crescents game which took place early in the 1912 season:

It was early in the game that the clash calling for the referee’s and police interference occurred, with Patsy Seguin the victim, and Dey, of Ottawa, the Socials ‘imported man, the offender. It happened at the west end of the ice and just what really did occur could not be seen from the press box.  All that was seen from that point was the diminutive “Patsy,” out of business, being carried to the dressing room by other players, and a sergeant and two police officers going on the ice and escorting Dey to the boards after Referee Bauld had ordered him thither for five minutes.  Prominent professional men and others near the end of the ice where the trouble occurred, gentlemen thoroughly unbiased in sport matters, said however that Dey’ offence was clear and that he struck “Patsy” with his hockey stick two or three blows, even after Seguin was down.

President Lithgow and league management were under pressure to adopt a set of rules.  They were however waiting for these rules to arrive from the president of the NHA, Emmitt Quinn.  The holdup occurred because Mr. Quinn asked officials of the Maritime league to affiliate with the NHA in order to obtain these rules.  The Maritime League was resisting this affiliation because of the cost involved.  The absence of rules created several delays in each of the games and many of the officials were worried that it would impact on fan interest.