smelly Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Sympathy for the Devil (fan) June 8, 2003 ANAHEIM -- It was Game 6 of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals and the home of the New Jersey Devils was electric. Fans arrived in the parking lot at the Meadowlands far in advance of the game anticipating their second Cup party in as many years. Fans filed into the rink chanting, "We Want the Cup." But, a peculiar thing happened on the way to the Devils becoming a dynasty -- they lost at home and followed that up with a Game 7 loss in Denver. End of dreams. End of dynasty. Fast forward to 2003. The Devils were poised Saturday night to join an elite group of teams who have dominated the NHL since 1995. Playing in their fourth final in nine years, the Devils were on the cusp of capturing their third Cup in nine seasons. In fact, the same fans that chanted "We Want the Cup" on the way into Game 6 in 2001, were chanting the same thing on the way out of Game 5 in 2003. And again, the Devils failed to clinch a championship in Game 6. "It seems like we're always finding a way to make it difficult," said Devils forward Sergei Brylin. While there are those around the NHL who envy the Devils, their fans deserve at least a little sympathy because this team rarely takes the easy route and occasionally disappoints. So when the Meadowlands fills to capacity on Monday night for the 8 p.m. ET faceoff (ABC, CBC, RDS, NHL Radio), pardon Devils fans if they're tentative at the start of the game. That Game 7 in Denver, a lackluster 3-1 loss, will be fresh in the minds of both fans and players alike. Asked if it's going to be hard to shake the memory of that loss, Brylin said, "(I'm) trying to. It's a little different in that we're going to be home." Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur doesn't like to talk about the loss to Colorado. But when faced with the inevitable questions after the Game 6 debacle in Anaheim he said that getting over it wasn't easy. "It took the whole summer," Brodeur said. "It's not easy. It's a game seven and you have an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup." One thing that can be said about the Devils is that they seem to learn from their experiences. In 1994, they were up 3-1 on the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost Game 6 at home and dropped Game 7 in double overtime at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers went on to win their first Cup in 54 years. The Devils followed that tragedy up by not only winning the Cup in 1995, but by sweeping the favored Detroit Red Wings in the Finals. Devils fans were in their glory. But the celebration period was short. New Jersey's encore was a season in which they missed the 1996 playoffs by losing to the then-lowly Ottawa Senators in the last game of the regular season. The Devils were home for the season finale and former Devil Tom Chorske drove the nail into the coffin with the game-winner. In 1997, the Devils made the playoffs and advanced to the second round, but again fell to their cross-river rivals, this time unraveling over officiating. For the next two seasons the Devils followed up fantastic regular seasons where they managed 100-plus points with first-round ousters. They finally got their act together in 2000 when they marched to the Finals. But even that Cup wasn't easy. The Devils were up 3-1 against Dallas and could've clinched the Cup at home, but Dallas won Game 5 in overtime and the Devils needed a Jason Arnott OT goal in Dallas to take home the prize. When you look at what the Devils have done since 1994, they are an organization that stands on the edge of joining of historic greatness. Since 1993-94 New Jersey has recorded seven regular seasons with 100 or more points. They had a great opportunity to win the Cup in '94 and they darn-near put together back-to-back Cups in 2000 and '01. "This is the second time in three years," Brodeur said. "It's an exciting time for us, but it will only be exciting if we can come through this time. We're 0-1 in Game 7's." In Montreal, the city that serves as the ultimate measuring stick for success, they only hang Stanley Cup banners from the roof of their arena. The Devils are all-too familiar with the concept of coming up short and feeling empty. The only people who know that better than the players are the fans. Rich Libero is NHL.com's Vice President of Content and Production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHICO IS GOD Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Oh so true, god knows what I'll do over there if they lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyshrouds Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 I don't want to think about not winning tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHICO IS GOD Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Jiggy= French for bootleg Russel Crowe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetReal Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 The history book on the Devils willl be written tonight, game 7 vs the Ducks and the Devils fans will love it. "3 Cups in nine years" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroDOOR30 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 We don't need sympathy, nothing has been decided yet. As far as I know Ducks haven't won the cup this year, and aren't going to. Devils win the stanley cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizDevil30 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 A loss is unimaginable, unthinkable. No, no, not going down that road, the Devils WILL WIN THE CUP! I believe! LETS GO DEVILS! ONE MORE WIN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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