Yzerman, Ilitch Finally Celebrate
Finally, Steve Yzerman could smile.
It didn’t come until the closing seconds. He threw his stick in the air, skated toward goalie Mike Vernon, the playoff MVP, and within seconds the two were engulfed in a sea of Red Wings.
The captain had kept the team focused throughout these playoffs with his businesslike demeanor and his work ethic and he kept it up until the final shift. Only then did he celebrate the Stanley Cup coming back to Detroit.
It had been 42 years since Detroit won the Cup and Yzerman had been with the Red Wings for a third of those years.
He was there when the Wings lost a team-record 57 games during the 1985-86 season. He was there for six losing seasons. He was there when the team went to the finals two years ago and was swept by the New Jersey Devils, and for the rumors the ensuing summer that he would be traded to Ottawa. And he was there when the Wings won a league-record 62 games.
He had been through it all. Except this.
Three years ago, when the Red Wings won the President’s Trophy, he said he wasn’t sure what to do with it. When commisioner Gary Bettman presented the Cup to Yzerman on Saturday night he knew exactly what to do.
He took the Cup and hoisted it over his head and took a lone victory lap as the crowd let out a resounding roar. His teammates stood and watched. And cheered.
Then he skated over and handed the Cup to owner Mike Ilitch. It was only fitting. After all, Ilitch bought the Wings in 1982, and a year later in the first draft of his ownership, Yzerman was the team’s first pick, fourth overall.
Motown celebrates
Victory-starved Detroit fans celebrated across the city.
City streets turned into a sea of red and white along with Red Wings flags and brooms - symbolizing Detroit’s four-game sweep of Philadelphia in the best-of-7 finals.
“I’m so proud I don’t know what to do,” said mayor Dennis Archer, who said a victory parade is set for Tuesday from the Fox Theatre to Hart Plaza.
Before Saturday night’s game, city officials dressed their star City Hall statue, the Spirit of Detroit, in a size 360 Red Wings jersey. But workers removed the giant sweater with a few minutes left in the Red Wings’ 2-1 victory, trying to head off a possible rush by the thousands of screaming fans already filling the streets.
Missing men
The Flyers played without forward Dale Hawerchuk, who suffered a concussion when he was hit by Vladimir Konstantinov in the third period of Game 3.
Paul Coffey, who suffered a concussion in Game 2, returned to the team, but only to lend moral support.