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Devils Playoffs Flashback: 1997 1st Round


devilsrule33

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Leaving the Brendan Byrne Arena in 1994 after we lost game 6 was the worst feeling I've ever had leaving a sporting event.  We choked away that game, plain and simple.

 

Leaving game 6 in 2001 was almost as bad, but we were coming off a Stanley Cup the season before so, for me, it didn't have the same feeling.  I actually watched Game 7 from a small TV at il Vagabundo in NYC (great restaurant by the way - with a bocce court in the middle of it).  A bunch of people were crowded around watching the game and, after the final horn sounded, the woman standing next to me said "I'm glad Ray Bourque finally won a cup" to which I replied "I hope he chokes on that fvcking cup."  Every time my friends and I go back there for dinner, that line inevitably gets thrown around more often than a baseball.  

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I have to say 2009 has pretty much surpassed 1994 now as 2012 helped remedy it a bit. At least we got adequate revenge on the Rags, but the Hurricanes have pulled too much miracle sh!t on us over the years (game 2 2006, 2002, and then 09) You can't allow 2 goals at home in the waning seconds of a game 7. That was unforgivable.

 

It's interesting watching highlights of 2001, Roy was so absurdly padded up that he rarely moves on some of his save attempts. Just glides a bit to the right...a bit to the left

 

Still can't believe the weaksauce BS goals Marty allowed in game 6. Foote and Drury. Those were atrocious goals.

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Also, maybe I am reading too much into this, but also listen to that call of the goal from Friesen in game 7 in 2003 against Ottawa.  I have never heard a supposed neutral announcer wanting a goal to not count as much as him on that call.

 

I'll never forget that!!!! He was so excited to incorrectly announce the goal not counting.

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NO!!! NO GOAL!! THE GOAL LIGHT DID NOT GO ON!!

fvck you Gary Thorne

I'd love to ask him what he was thinking on that. So what, the light didn't go on? The puck went in the net clearly and the only signal the ref made was for a goal. I don't know why the light never came on either, unless the goal judge was too busy punching something lmao.
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I'll never forget that!!!! He was so excited to incorrectly announce the goal not counting.

 

Like I said earlier, he just really fvcked it up. No one in that big of a spot, no matter the grudge or dislike, is going to purposely hate on one team.

 

He correctly called it a goal but for whatever reason, goal light not going on or something else, quickly thought he made a mistake. At that point, it's the announcers job to make it very clear that it's not a goal. Only problem was that he was right the 1st time and wrong with his loud correction.

 

Thorne is pretty lucky that was before the Internet, Twitter, Deadspin day. A mistake like that today in such a big spot, and he would never live that one down. In the end, probably something only a few thousand Devils fans remember.

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Like I said earlier, he just really fvcked it up. No one in that big of a spot, no matter the grudge or dislike, is going to purposely hate on one team.

 

He correctly called it a goal but for whatever reason, goal light not going on or something else, quickly thought he made a mistake. At that point, it's the announcers job to make it very clear that it's not a goal. Only problem was that he was right the 1st time and wrong with his loud correction.

 

Thorne is pretty lucky that was before the Internet, Twitter, Deadspin day. A mistake like that today in such a big spot, and he would never live that one down. In the end, probably something only a few thousand Devils fans remember.

 

I know you are trying to be diplomatic and giving Gary the benefit of a doubt, but I am not pulling my observations out of my ass either.  Gary always seems to have something against the Devils when he calls their games.  I am coming to this conclusion after hearing his announcing of the 2001 ECF against the Pens when he couldn't stop kissing Lemiuex's ass, after the 2001 SCF where he couldn't stop kissing Sakic's, Roy's and Ray Pork's ass, in 2003 against the Sens with that call and then later in the finals when he wanted the Ducks to win it all and gushing all over about Giguere.

 

When he called Devils games, I swear you would think he was a paid shill for the other team.

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I'd love to ask him what he was thinking on that. So what, the light didn't go on? The puck went in the net clearly and the only signal the ref made was for a goal. I don't know why the light never came on either, unless the goal judge was too busy punching something lmao.

 

Doc would have pointed everything out and covered his bases before announcing a correction.  He almost never announces goals, especially big goals like that, willy-nilly.

 

Gary just really really wanted that goal to not count.  He called the mistaken no goal LOUDER than the actual goal itself.  That speaks for itself.

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I know you are trying to be diplomatic and giving Gary the benefit of a doubt, but I am not pulling my observations out of my ass either.  Gary always seems to have something against the Devils when he calls their games.  I am coming to this conclusion after hearing his announcing of the 2001 ECF against the Pens when he couldn't stop kissing Lemiuex's ass, after the 2001 SCF where he couldn't stop kissing Sakic's, Roy's and Ray Pork's ass, in 2003 against the Sens with that call and then later in the finals when he wanted the Ducks to win it all and gushing all over about Giguere.

 

When he called Devils games, I swear you would think he was a paid shill for the other team.

 

Mind you, I'm not a fan of Gary Thorne but he sure didn't sound like a shill for the opposition when he made this call...

 

 

Edited by Chuck the Duck
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Like I said earlier, he just really fvcked it up. No one in that big of a spot, no matter the grudge or dislike, is going to purposely hate on one team.

 

He correctly called it a goal but for whatever reason, goal light not going on or something else, quickly thought he made a mistake. At that point, it's the announcers job to make it very clear that it's not a goal. Only problem was that he was right the 1st time and wrong with his loud correction.

 

Thorne is pretty lucky that was before the Internet, Twitter, Deadspin day. A mistake like that today in such a big spot, and he would never live that one down. In the end, probably something only a few thousand Devils fans remember.

 

Yeah, pretty much, and you also have to remember that Thorne comes from a time when the goal light not being on really meant something.  Now no one cares about the goal light because of replay and the fact that the goal judges have been moved away from the back of the net.  Used to be if the goal light wasn't on, it wasn't a goal.

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I have to say 2009 has pretty much surpassed 1994 now as 2012 helped remedy it a bit. At least we got adequate revenge on the Rags, but the Hurricanes have pulled too much miracle sh!t on us over the years (game 2 2006, 2002, and then 09) You can't allow 2 goals at home in the waning seconds of a game 7. That was unforgivable.

I had wiped that game from my mind until I read your post, that is certainly an awful awful result, carolina was skarting around like maniacs and the Devs just seemed to be traffic cones in the waning minutes of that game....
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Mind you, I'm not a fan of Gary Thorne but he sure didn't sound like a shill for the opposition when he made this call...

 

 

 

That was of course before he was subsequently fired by the Devils, or rather replaced by Doc.  Granted if you're going to be replaced by Doc that's not exactly an insult but still.

 

I don't know if he had a personal bias in his calls, but ESPN sure had a station bias against us because we wore our 'no stars, no attention' like a badge of honor, which doesn't cowtow to the networks.  Neither did our local market for that matter.  But I'd seriously rather listen to Sam and JD call a Devils game than pretty much any of the main ESPN crews back in the day, JD in particular always had a lot of respect for the Devils.

Edited by NJDevs4978
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I had wiped that game from my mind until I read your post, that is certainly an awful awful result, carolina was skarting around like maniacs and the Devs just seemed to be traffic cones in the waning minutes of that game....

Ugh... 1A in terms of worst game I've ever attended after 01 game 6.
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Mind you, I'm not a fan of Gary Thorne but he sure didn't sound like a shill for the opposition when he made this call...

 

 

 

That video was from a time when he was a paid employee of the Devils.  Of course he wouldn't speak out against them.

 

His true colors showed in the late 90's and early 2000's.

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This thread got depressing fast. 

 

I have a pretty different outlook. While I sometimes wonder about players that have come and gone, I really don't dwell on any losses with the Devils. 2001 Game 7. Never think about it. 2009 Game 7, Was a tough day, but moved on and don't look back (unless I do a DEVILS PLAYOFF FLASHBACK!)

 

There has been so much good that has come with being a Devils fan that I don't have to think about many "what ifs". Like someone said in another thread, the Devils have made the Finals more times than they've missed the playoffs in the last 20 years. Too many great moments.

 

People talk about some losses like the Devils are Sens fans not letting go of Game 7 in 2003. They got nothing else.

Edited by devilsrule33
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This thread got depressing fast.

I have a pretty different outlook. While I sometimes wonder about players that have come and gone, I really don't dwell on any losses with the Devils. 2001 Game 7. Never think about it. 2009 Game 7, Was a tough day, but moved on and don't look back (unless I do a DEVILS PLAYOFF FLASHBACK!)

There has been so much good that has come with being a Devils fan that I don't have to think about many "what ifs". Like someone said in another thread, the Devils have made the Finals more times than they've missed the playoffs in the last 20 years. Too many great moments.

People talk about some losses like the Devils are Sens fans not letting go of Game 7 in 2003.

See, the reason 2001 stings so much is because you don't get many shots to go back-to-back- that would've been something VERY special for the franchise to achieve, and it would've stamped the Devils as a true dynasty. And to illustrate just how hard it is to win back-to-back Cups, still no one has done it since the '97-'98 Red Wings.
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See, the reason 2001 stings so much is because you don't get many shots to go back-to-back- that would've been something VERY special for the franchise to achieve, and it would've stamped the Devils as a true dynasty. And to illustrate just how hard it is to win back-to-back Cups, still no one has done it since the '97-'98 Red Wings.

I really do hate playing the "what if" game because who knows if NJ would've dealt Sykora and Arnott if we won in 01. Maybe Lou gives them a mulligan in 02 and we don't get Langenbrunner and other key guys

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That video was from a time when he was a paid employee of the Devils.  Of course he wouldn't speak out against them.

 

His true colors showed in the late 90's and early 2000's.

The 2003 ECF call was horrible, but it was a mistake. You guys are reading too much into it. I remember him being very complementary of the organization and players such as Stevens, Nieds, and Brodeur during those same broadcasts. He did his bidding for ESPN/ABC and pumped up their BS story lines, which was his job. I don't think he had some personal vendetta against the team.

BTW, he was the only announcer that I can recall who ever described the feeling of the upper deck swaying at the CAA when he called Game 7 in 2003.

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Yeah, I don't really get upset by 2001 - the Avs were without Forsberg and beat us.  The Devils didn't really face anyone fearsome up to that point.  Brodeur had played 192 games in two years for some reason.  Sometimes you don't get the breaks.

 

Pittsburgh was the odd team in that run...I don't know what happened with them, but they didn't even seem like they wanted to compete against the Devils.  Shut out back-to-back in their own building. 

 

After the first three games against the 'Canes, where the Devils outscored them 11-1 (which meant the Devils had won an absurd 22 out of 24 games), they seemed to lose something.  In eventually closing out the series against the 'Canes and having to fight to beat the Leafs in seven, through the second game of the Penguins series, the Devils went 6-6 and were looking very up-and-down (part of this was sudden offensive inconsistency, and Marty was up-and-down throughout the entire playoffs).  Then suddenly, they reeled off three straight against the Pens in seemingly dominating fashion, but like I said, that team just seemed disinterested (Carolina at least seemed like they were trying, even though they were clearly the inferior team). 

 

After Game 5 in the SCF, it felt like Colorado just said "The Devils aren't really playing their best and somehow they're up 3-2, what are we doing here, let's quit fvcking around!" and took charge.  Marty's game being a mess at that point (he was awful in those finals...not killing him for it, sh!t happens, he was awesome in the three Cup-winning runs) made it that much easier for them to do it. 

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Pittsburgh was the odd team in that run...I don't know what happened with them, but they didn't even seem like they wanted to compete against the Devils.  Shut out back-to-back in their own building. 

 

After the first three games against the 'Canes, where the Devils outscored them 11-1 (which meant the Devils had won an absurd 22 out of 24 games), they seemed to lose something.  In eventually closing out the series against the 'Canes and having to fight to beat the Leafs in seven, through the second game of the Penguins series, the Devils went 6-6 and were looking very up-and-down (part of this was sudden offensive inconsistency, and Marty was up-and-down throughout the entire playoffs).  Then suddenly, they reeled off three straight against the Pens in seemingly dominating fashion, but like I said, that team just seemed disinterested (Carolina at least seemed like they were trying, even though they were clearly the inferior team). 

 

After Game 5 in the SCF, it felt like Colorado just said "The Devils aren't really playing their best and somehow they're up 3-2, what are we doing here, let's quit fvcking around!" and took charge.  Marty's game being a mess at that point (he was awful in those finals...not killing him for it, sh!t happens, he was awesome in the three Cup-winning runs) made it that much easier for them to do it. 

 

Add in there that Mogilny decided to disappear completely from about halfway through the Leafs series on to the end of the playoffs.

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Pittsburgh was the odd team in that run...I don't know what happened with them, but they didn't even seem like they wanted to compete against the Devils.  Shut out back-to-back in their own building. 

 

After the first three games against the 'Canes, where the Devils outscored them 11-1 (which meant the Devils had won an absurd 22 out of 24 games), they seemed to lose something.  In eventually closing out the series against the 'Canes and having to fight to beat the Leafs in seven, through the second game of the Penguins series, the Devils went 6-6 and were looking very up-and-down (part of this was sudden offensive inconsistency, and Marty was up-and-down throughout the entire playoffs).  Then suddenly, they reeled off three straight against the Pens in seemingly dominating fashion, but like I said, that team just seemed disinterested (Carolina at least seemed like they were trying, even though they were clearly the inferior team). 

 

After Game 5 in the SCF, it felt like Colorado just said "The Devils aren't really playing their best and somehow they're up 3-2, what are we doing here, let's quit fvcking around!" and took charge.  Marty's game being a mess at that point (he was awful in those finals...not killing him for it, sh!t happens, he was awesome in the three Cup-winning runs) made it that much easier for them to do it. 

 

Devils outshot Pittsburgh in every game that series, even though they led handily in 3 of them.  They were just awful on defense and I imagine the Devils more than any team could exploit that.

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