Devils Stick A Fork In ‘Em Sweep Wings To Win Cup

Hell froze over Saturday night. The Devils won the Stanley Cup.

This woebegone NHL franchise created in 1974-75 as the Kansas City Scouts, transferred and renamed the Colorado Rockies in 1976-77, and rescued by Montclair, N.J., native John McMullen on June 30, 1982 - captured the first professional sports title ever for a team under the aegis of New Jersey.

Regardless of where the banner is raised on Opening Night ‘95, it was won in the Garden State. A season that began with the agony of a lockout ended with the ecstasy of the Cup being hoisted by captain Scott Stevens. The Devils completed a stunning four-game sweep of the favored, President’s Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings with a 5-2 victory at the Meadowlands to complete a postseason in which they won 16 games and lost only four.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Stevens. “It hasn’t sunk in. We stuck it out, we believed in each other.”

The abrasive Claude Lemieux would turn emotional in accepting the Conn Smythe Trophy. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for these guys,” Lemieux said. “I played well, but these guys played unbelievable.

“In 1986 (when he won with Montreal) it was a dream come true,” Lemieux said. “I’m going to enjoy this one because it took me nine years to get it back.”

Also getting their turns at hoisting the hardware were McMullen and Governor Christine Todd Whitman, who were both jeered as the crowd was reminded this could have been the last game in New Jersey history.

The most joyous noise was reserved for goalie Martin Brodeur, the last defense of this stifling squad.

Neal Broten, the 35-year-old center and 1980 U.S. Olympian who was a broken player when he was acquired from Dallas on Feb. 27 for Corey Millen, scored two goals, including the winner at 7:56 of the second period. Broten became the second player in NHL history Ken Morrow was the first in ‘80 - to win an Olympic gold medal and a Stanley Cup.

Sean Chambers insured the festivities would follow with his second of the game, at 12:32 of the third.

Coach Jacques Lemaire’s disciplined band of defensive aces completed a crusade that crystallized three days short of 13 months ago, when the Devils lost a seven-game semifinal to the Hudson River-rival and eventual Stanley Cup-champion Rangers, on Stephane Matteau’s goal at 4:24 of double overtime.

By ignoring the memory of Matteau’s goal, by ignoring the distinct possibility that this franchise will be moved to Nashville, Tenn., next month, and by ignoring the legion of NHL critics who criticize their trapping system, this underrated collection of overachievers remained singularly focused upon proving their 22-18-8 regular season a fluke.

The Devils were the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed when the playoffs began. But they defeated the fourthseeded Bruins in five games, the third-seeded Penguins in five games, and the second-seeded Flyers in six games to reach the finals. Then they whipped Detroit, which finished first overall with a 33-11-4 record.

Lou Lamoriello, the third general manager in Devils history and fifth in franchise history, won his first Cup in his eighth season with the club. Lemaire, the eighth head coach in Devils history and 18th in franchise history, won his first Cup as a coach (he won eight as a player) in only his second season with the team.

The Devils became the sixth expansion team to win the Cup since the NHL doubled in size in 1967-68. They joined Philadelphia (‘74 and ‘75), the Islanders (‘80, ‘81, ‘82, ‘83), Edmonton (‘84, ‘85, ‘87, ‘88, ‘90), Calgary (‘89) and Pittsburgh (‘91, ‘92) as newcomers etched on Lord Stanley’s goblet.

And they completed a trilogy of metropolitan Stanley Cup success that began when the Isles won the first of their four straight Cups in 1980. Not since the 1899 Montreal Victorias and 1900 Montreal Shamrocks each won - 26 years before the NHL assumed control of the Cup had two teams from the same region won in successive years.

With the Cup in the house, the Meadowlands rocked as if it was a night with Bruce Springsteen.

“We Want the Cup” the 19,040 began chanting even before Game 4 began.

The place went nuts at 1:08 of the first period, when Broten was credited with a lucky goal that bounced in off his skate.

Devils 5, Red Wings 2

Detroit 2 0 0 - 2

New Jersey 2 1 2 - 5

First Period-1, New Jersey, Broten 6 (Richer, Chorske), 1:08. 2, Detroit, Fedorov 7 (Lapointe, Fetisov), 2:03. 3, Detroit, Coffey 6 (Brown, Fedorov), 13:01 (sh). 4, New Jersey, Chambers 3 (Driver, MacLean), 17:45.

Second Period-5, New Jersey, Broten 7 (Niedermayer, Guerin), 7:56.

Third Period-6, New Jersey, Brylin 1 (Rolston, Guerin), 7:46. 7, New Jersey, Chambers 4 (Brylin, Guerin), 12:32.

Shots on goal-Detroit 8-7-1-16. New Jersey 8-8-10-26.Power-play opp.-Detroit 0 of 3; New Jersey 0 of 4.Goalies-Detroit, Vernon 12-6 (26 shots-21 saves). New Jersey, Brodeur 16-4 (16-14).A-19,040 (19,040).