Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 25, 1995 TAG: 9506260123
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. LENGTH: Medium
The Devils again overpowered the Detroit Red Wings to win their first NHL title, completing a four-game sweep with a 5-2 victory Saturday night.
For Detroit fans, the suffering continues. They thought the Red Wings would win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 40 years after going a league-best 33-11-4 during the season and 12-2 in the first three rounds of the playoffs. But New Jersey was simply too tough, disciplined and determined.
``It's unbelievable,'' said defenseman Scott Stevens, the Devils' captain. ``It hasn't sunk in. We stuck it out, we believed in each other.''
Neal Broten and Shawn Chambers each scored twice and forward Claude Lemieux received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for the Devils, who held Detroit to one shot in the third period and three over the final 35 minutes to complete the 17th sweep in championship series history.
Lemieux led all postseason scorers with 13 goals. Stevens, anchor of the Devils' nearly flawless offense-from-defense system, and New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur (1.67 goals-against average) also excelled throughout the playoffs.
``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 the cup 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.''
Disappointed with his lease at the Meadowlands Arena, Devils owner John McMullen is contemplating a move to Nashville, Tenn.
If this was the final NHL game in New Jersey history, the Devils gave their fans something to cherish.
At the final horn, 19,040 stood on their seats and cheered wildly as the Devils raced off the bench, mobbed a delirious Brodeur and engaged in a giant group hug.
Fireworks exploded in the arena rafters and several players began crying.
When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman went on the ice, the fans booed. Bettman has said there isn't enough room in the metropolitan area for the Devils, New York Rangers and New York Islanders.
But after Bettman announced Lemieux as the Conn Smythe winner, the boos turned to cheers. The cheers got even louder when Bettman handed the Stanley Cup to Stevens, as more fireworks exploded.
Stevens gave the Cup to John MacLean, who in turn passed it to Bruce Driver. He handed it to Ken Daneyko, who kissed it. MacLean, Driver and Daneyko have been with the team since 1983, its second season in New Jersey.
It was the ultimate triumph for New Jersey coach Jacques Lemaire, who got the best of his former Montreal coach, Scotty Bowman.
Bowman came to Detroit last year but, like his predecessors in the past four decades, has been unable to produce a championship.
On one occasion during the second period, the boisterous fans chided the Red Wings with the chant of: ``19-55! 19-55!'' - the last year Detroit won the Cup.
The Devils arrived in New Jersey in 1982 after two seasons in Kansas City and six in Denver.
After either missing the playoffs or failing to get past the opening round in 10 of their first 11 seasons in New Jersey, the Devils reached the Eastern Conference finals last year but lost to the Rangers in a grueling seven-game series.
New Jersey, which finished tied for ninth overall in the regular-season standings - 18 points behind No.1 Detroit - became the first team since the NHL expanded in 1967 to win the Stanley Cup without having home-ice advantage in any playoff round.
by CNB