Shutout spurs Devils
to Stanley Cup
By Phil Coffey | NHL.com
June 9, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Home Sweet Home.
Unbeatable on home ice during the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, the New Jersey Devils captured the Stanley Cup Monday night with a 3-0 shutout victory over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the climatic seventh game of the series.
The Devils soared to their third Stanley Cup in the past nine years on the strength of two goals by former Mighty Duck Jeff Friesen, a single goal by rookie Mike Rupp and the strong goaltending of Martin Brodeur, who notched his third shutout of the Finals.
The Devils set an NHL record with their 12th home win of these Playoffs, posting a 12-1 record at Continental Airlines Arena.
Mighty Ducks vs. Devils
Series Schedule/Recaps
Game 6 Notebook
Game 7: It all comes down to this
Wigge: Expect Kariya's best
Feature: One-game showdown
Libero: Sympathy for Devils fans
Wigge: Langenbrunner does it all
Game 6: Anaheim rolls to Game 7
Feature: Kariya rallies Ducks
Feature: Rucchin to the rescue
Stats Machine: Compare the teams
Playoff Stats: ANA | NJ
Season Stats: ANA | NJ
Audio: Kariya | Niedermayer
Video: NHL Highlight Machine
Video: ANA/MIN Series Highlights 300K | 56K
Video: NJ/OTT Series Highlights 300K | 56K
Analysis: Complete Series Preview
Mighty Ducks official web site
Devils official web site
Friesen's second of the game at 16:16 made it 3-0 and started the party at Exit 16W off the New Jersey Turnpike as the Devils recorded their 16th win of the Playoffs against a true Cinderella story. The Mighty Ducks posted upset victories over Detroit, Dallas and Minnesota only to fall one game short against the Eastern Conference champs.
Anaheim goaltender J.S. Giguere was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.
The Devils have been a solid second-period team throughout these Playoffs and it was very apparent in this, the last game of the postseason, when everything was on the line. The middle 20 minutes produced two goals that triggered another daunting stat for the Devils who entered Game 7 with a 28-0 record in Stanley Cup competition when leading after two periods. New Jersey also entered the game with a 10-0 record when scoring first in a game.
Rookie Mike Rupp, who has assumed a huge amount of responsibility since being inserted into the lineup in Game 4 to help stem Anaheim's faceoff dominance, scored the first goal of the game at 2:22 of the period. Rupp, stationed in front of the Anaheim net, deflected a Scott Niedermayer shot from the blue line between the legs of Giguere. It was Rupp's first career Playoff goal and couldn't have come at a better time for the Devils.
Anaheim didn't slink away after Rupp's goal. In fact, the Mighty Ducks turned up the heat in a big way in the New Jersey zone. Fourth-line winger Dan Bylsma nearly tied it at 8:45 when he came around the New Jersey net and tired to ram the puck past Brodeur.
Martin Brodeur became just the third goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Brodeur came up with a huge save at 9:04 when Steve Thomas broke in down the right wing, cut to the net and put a shot on Brodeur through traffic that was punched wide of the net.
Adam Oates got into the act at 10:15 and may have been too selfless, dishing a pass across the slot to a covered linemate when he probably had a better shot himself.
Seconds later Brodeur was called upon to make another strong save on a point drive from Niclas Havelid that he steered away from the New Jersey net. But the Ducks weren't done as Brodeur was forced to make another stop on Steve Rucchin from the slot with 8:52 left.
The Devils gave themselves some breathing room at 12:18 when former Mighty Duck Jeff Friesen scored his ninth goal of the Playoffs, slamming the rebound of a shot by Rupp past Giguere. Scott Niedermayer also assisted on the goal, getting another point shot caroming around the Anaheim end.
Pascal Rheaume nearly made it a three-goal game at 16:15 when his shot along the goal line to Giguere's left snuck through the goalie and hung on the goal line. New Jersey's Turner Stevenson was unable to push the puck across the line and Giguere covered up.
Rookie Mike Rupp, who has assumed a huge amount of responsibility since being inserted into the lineup in Game 4 to help stem Anaheim's faceoff dominance, scored the first goal of the game at 2:22 of the period.
The first period reverted to the earlier script of the Finals, ending without a goal, but not without some solid scoring chances.
New Jersey had the edge in shots, 7-5, and a slight margin in scoring chances, with two jumping immediately to mind. After some sustained pressure in the Anaheim end, Sergei Brylin had a terrific opportunity when he broke free of Mighty Ducks checkers and got a shot off from the slot that Giguere was able to steer aside.
Anaheim received the first power-play opportunity at 17:31 when Turner Stevenson was whistled for boarding Mike Leclerc. New Jersey held Anaheim without a shot in the power play and actually came away with the best scoring chance when Patrik Elias broke in alone on Giguere, but was denied when the goalie kept his left leg down and stuffed Elias' shot from in close.
to Stanley Cup
By Phil Coffey | NHL.com
June 9, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Home Sweet Home.
Unbeatable on home ice during the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, the New Jersey Devils captured the Stanley Cup Monday night with a 3-0 shutout victory over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the climatic seventh game of the series.
The Devils soared to their third Stanley Cup in the past nine years on the strength of two goals by former Mighty Duck Jeff Friesen, a single goal by rookie Mike Rupp and the strong goaltending of Martin Brodeur, who notched his third shutout of the Finals.
The Devils set an NHL record with their 12th home win of these Playoffs, posting a 12-1 record at Continental Airlines Arena.
Mighty Ducks vs. Devils
Series Schedule/Recaps
Game 6 Notebook
Game 7: It all comes down to this
Wigge: Expect Kariya's best
Feature: One-game showdown
Libero: Sympathy for Devils fans
Wigge: Langenbrunner does it all
Game 6: Anaheim rolls to Game 7
Feature: Kariya rallies Ducks
Feature: Rucchin to the rescue
Stats Machine: Compare the teams
Playoff Stats: ANA | NJ
Season Stats: ANA | NJ
Audio: Kariya | Niedermayer
Video: NHL Highlight Machine
Video: ANA/MIN Series Highlights 300K | 56K
Video: NJ/OTT Series Highlights 300K | 56K
Analysis: Complete Series Preview
Mighty Ducks official web site
Devils official web site
Friesen's second of the game at 16:16 made it 3-0 and started the party at Exit 16W off the New Jersey Turnpike as the Devils recorded their 16th win of the Playoffs against a true Cinderella story. The Mighty Ducks posted upset victories over Detroit, Dallas and Minnesota only to fall one game short against the Eastern Conference champs.
Anaheim goaltender J.S. Giguere was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.
The Devils have been a solid second-period team throughout these Playoffs and it was very apparent in this, the last game of the postseason, when everything was on the line. The middle 20 minutes produced two goals that triggered another daunting stat for the Devils who entered Game 7 with a 28-0 record in Stanley Cup competition when leading after two periods. New Jersey also entered the game with a 10-0 record when scoring first in a game.
Rookie Mike Rupp, who has assumed a huge amount of responsibility since being inserted into the lineup in Game 4 to help stem Anaheim's faceoff dominance, scored the first goal of the game at 2:22 of the period. Rupp, stationed in front of the Anaheim net, deflected a Scott Niedermayer shot from the blue line between the legs of Giguere. It was Rupp's first career Playoff goal and couldn't have come at a better time for the Devils.
Anaheim didn't slink away after Rupp's goal. In fact, the Mighty Ducks turned up the heat in a big way in the New Jersey zone. Fourth-line winger Dan Bylsma nearly tied it at 8:45 when he came around the New Jersey net and tired to ram the puck past Brodeur.
Martin Brodeur became just the third goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Brodeur came up with a huge save at 9:04 when Steve Thomas broke in down the right wing, cut to the net and put a shot on Brodeur through traffic that was punched wide of the net.
Adam Oates got into the act at 10:15 and may have been too selfless, dishing a pass across the slot to a covered linemate when he probably had a better shot himself.
Seconds later Brodeur was called upon to make another strong save on a point drive from Niclas Havelid that he steered away from the New Jersey net. But the Ducks weren't done as Brodeur was forced to make another stop on Steve Rucchin from the slot with 8:52 left.
The Devils gave themselves some breathing room at 12:18 when former Mighty Duck Jeff Friesen scored his ninth goal of the Playoffs, slamming the rebound of a shot by Rupp past Giguere. Scott Niedermayer also assisted on the goal, getting another point shot caroming around the Anaheim end.
Pascal Rheaume nearly made it a three-goal game at 16:15 when his shot along the goal line to Giguere's left snuck through the goalie and hung on the goal line. New Jersey's Turner Stevenson was unable to push the puck across the line and Giguere covered up.
Rookie Mike Rupp, who has assumed a huge amount of responsibility since being inserted into the lineup in Game 4 to help stem Anaheim's faceoff dominance, scored the first goal of the game at 2:22 of the period.
The first period reverted to the earlier script of the Finals, ending without a goal, but not without some solid scoring chances.
New Jersey had the edge in shots, 7-5, and a slight margin in scoring chances, with two jumping immediately to mind. After some sustained pressure in the Anaheim end, Sergei Brylin had a terrific opportunity when he broke free of Mighty Ducks checkers and got a shot off from the slot that Giguere was able to steer aside.
Anaheim received the first power-play opportunity at 17:31 when Turner Stevenson was whistled for boarding Mike Leclerc. New Jersey held Anaheim without a shot in the power play and actually came away with the best scoring chance when Patrik Elias broke in alone on Giguere, but was denied when the goalie kept his left leg down and stuffed Elias' shot from in close.
