His chief claim to fame was when he replaced Mike Karakas in the Chicago Black Hawks net in game one of the 1938 Stanley Cup Finals when replacement goaltender Paul Goodman did not arrive in Toronto on time. Alfie held the Toronto Maple Leafs to one goal as Chicago won 3–1. After this game, he was declared ineligible by NHL president Frank Calder after Goodman arrived in Toronto. As the result of the Black Hawks Stanley Cup win, he was given a gold watch and $300 by Hawks management. He then wandered the minor pros for ten seasons until getting a chance with the New York Americans in 1936-37.