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Unsentimental journey


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http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=e...2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2

Sunday, April 8, 2007

By TOM GULITTI

STAFF WRITER

EAST RUTHERFORD -- The old Boston Garden was cozy with its smaller ice surface and Chicago Stadium was loud with its organ and that foghorn.

No building, however, topped Montreal's old Forum, which was more like a cathedral haunted by ghosts of hockey legends and filled with all those Stanley Cup banners.

Of course, Continental Arena will never be confused with those legendary extinct hockey barns. In fact, there isn't much about the structure itself to make those who played there or attended NHL games there look back and fondly remember the good old days when the Meadowlands was the Devils' home.

As one Devil said, "The building doesn't have a lot of character."

This afternoon the Devils will host the Islanders for their 957th and, most likely, final regular-season game at Continental Arena. They plan to move into the new Prudential Center in Newark next season and, even if construction isn't completed in time to open in October, owner Jeff Vanderbeek has no plans to bring his team back to the Meadowlands.

"You never say never and you never say always, but that being said, we haven't had any discussions with Continental, they're not holding any dates for us, and I expect [today's] game to be the last regular-season game at the Meadowlands," he said.

Of course, the playoffs are still to come and that's where most of the Devils' great memories were made during their 25 years in the Meadowlands. Twice they raised the Stanley Cup there. Three times they held championship celebrations in the arena parking lot -- another reminder of its lack of charm.

"I still have some pretty good memories here," Jay Pandolfo said. "We accomplished a lot of things here, winning two Stanley Cups. You obviously think about that. It's been the Devils' home rink for a long time, so regardless of if it has the historic features of the old Boston Garden or buildings like that, there's still something there for the guys that have played here."

When the Devils moved in, the building was called Brendan Byrne Arena. From the beginning, its size was the most noticeable feature. Capacity originally was 19,023 and was later upped to 19,040 -- a suspected dig at the rival Rangers' Cup curse -- though no seats were added.

All the seats were -- and still are -- the same color, creating a generic, sanitized feel.

"It was a rink that was very tough to warm up," original Devil Glenn "Chico" Resch said. "Even now I think the players will tell you that you don't get the sense that it's a warm building. The noise didn't reverberate very well. It never got to be a cozy, warm building. It's sort of like when you see these mammoth homes with two people living in them."

Most games it wasn't full. In fact, this season the Devils haven't sold out any games. So, despite the best efforts of their hardcore fans, it will be hard to forget all of those empty seats.

"It's such a big building. You get lost in it," goaltender Martin Brodeur said. "I love the atmosphere when we do pack it up, when we get in certain games in the playoffs. I remember last year in the playoffs against the Rangers, it was fun playing here, as fun as it is playing in the Garden when it's packed. It's just not packed often enough to really appreciate it."

Whether the Prudential Center will be packed more often remains to be seen. And, though the Devils will take their championship banners and the retired numbers of Scott Stevens and Ken Danekyo with them to Newark, there are moments and memories that will always belong to the Meadowlands.

There was Jim Schoenfeld yelling, "Have another doughnut you fat pig!" at referee Don Koharski in the hallway outside the Devils' locker room following Game 3 of the 1988 conference finals against Boston.

Larry Robinson's assault on a garbage can in the Devils' locker room after Game 4 of the 2000 conference finals sparked a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against Philadelphia and sent the Devils on their way to their second Cup.

And, who could forget Danekyo, on the ice for the final shift of his career, looking for someone to hug as the final seconds wound down in Game 7 of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals?

That night, as in 1995, Stevens took the Stanley Cup from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and hoisted it.

Inside the Meadowlands' walls, Stevens became a symbol of the organization and Brodeur matured from a wide-eyed teenager into one of the best to ever stand between the pipes.

"That's the only thing I know as a home rink," Brodeur said. "I've looked around and we've played in different places and sometimes you envy other barns. But this is what it's been for me forever. You just get so used to coming here, knowing my way and the people. Now, it's going to be all brand new."

E-mail: gulitti@northjersey.com

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The memories are what make the place so special, and they should realize that when they market the new place. I went to a game last week and walked up to the season ticket people to see the price info for Newark and stuff. It looks nice and all, and the guy might have had a shot at talking to me about a plan, until he referred to the arena as "this dump". I looked at him, said thanks very much but some of us have had very good times at "this dump", and walked away.

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Well, it is a dump, but a sentimental dump. Loads of great memories.

And I'd rather have a parking lot celebration then one in downtown Newark.

I am 1000% for the Newark Arena, always have been, but I can't picture a parade there.

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