Mighty Devils

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- This was a white-collar celebration, with champagne bottles popping and the fruits of victory pouring, for a blue-collar group. Only the vintage was fancy among this motley crew.

What the New Jersey Devils did to collect their third Stanley Cup in nine seasons is what they have always done, at least when they have won. Their 3-0 victory in Game 7 Monday that finally ended the Mighty Ducks’ eye-opening playoff run was Exhibit A.

This was won in grind-’em-down Devil fashion. They pushed and pursued, creating opportunities and getting a few rewards for the effort.

Former Duck Jeff Friesen scored two goals, giving him five in the series. Michael Rupp, who had not played in a playoff game until last week, scored the key first one.

Goalie Martin Brodeur made 24 saves for his record seventh playoff shutout this spring.

A delirious crowd of 19,040 at Continental Airlines Arena booed the announcement that Duck goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere was the MVP.

Giguere, tears running onto a two-month growth of beard from two months of work, accepted the Conn Smythe Trophy and skated off, becoming the fifth player to be named playoff MVP playing for the losing team in the final.

About half an hour later, he reappeared to talk to the media, shorn of the mountain man look, but still teary eyed.

“This is over,” Giguere said when asked about his quick shave. “We start on next season now. Our first game in training camp is the most important game for us.”

A little personal grooming and a lot of pain were all that was left for the Ducks. Their climb to the mountaintop was finally halted after a seven-game tussle.

“It’s terrible,” Duck forward Dan Bylsma said. “I know we had a great playoff run and guys were stepping up through the whole thing. This went down to the last game, with so much emotion. To come up short in the last game, it’s hard.”

About as hard as trying to beat the Devils in New Jersey.

This series was a vindication for playing a standout 82-game regular season. The Devils, the second-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, had the home-ice advantage.

How important was that?

The Ducks were 3-0 down the street from Disneyland. The Devils were 4-0 playing in their arena that sits on top of a swamp. It was the third time that the home team has won every game in a seven-game final.

The Ducks had rolled over some of the NHL elite, Detroit and Dallas during the playoffs, having no trouble playing in hostile arenas. They had a 6-1 record on the road in the playoffs heading into the Cup final.

That changed in New Jersey.

It was made perfectly clear in the style of consecutive games. The Ducks were free skaters Saturday in Anaheim, cruising to 5-2 victory. The Devils reveled in their muck-and-grind ways Monday.

“We felt we beat ourselves over there,” Brodeur said. “We definitely had more confidence playing in our own building.”

The Devils were 12-1 at home during the playoffs, setting an NHL record for home victories in the postseason. They outscored the Ducks, 15-3, in four home games, which included three 3-0 victories.

They gave another exhibition why, controlling the game from the start Monday.

“We really thought we were going to be better in Game 7,” Duck center Steve Rucchin said. “They play their system so well, and have so many great players, it is difficult to break through. When we did, Martin made some good saves.”

Giguere did, as well, stopping 22 of 25 shots. He had propped the Ducks up through dicey moments throughout the playoffs.

“He deserved [the Conn Smythe Trophy],” Duck captain Paul Kariya said. “He was incredible. We wouldn’t be here without him.”

Giguere wasn’t enough to get the Ducks through Game 7.

Things unraveled in the second period, starting with a good defensive play by the Ducks.

Rob Niedermayer blocked a Colin White shot from the point. The puck nearly cleared the Duck zone, but Scott Niedermayer, Rob’s brother, managed to keep it in. He fired a shot that Rupp redirected halfway to the net and the puck slipped neatly between Giguere’s legs for a 1-0 lead 2 minutes 22 seconds into the period.

It was Rupp’s first playoff goal. He had not played in the NHL playoffs until Game 4 of the Cup final. He came up with a goal and two assists in the clincher.

“I don’t know what to say,” Rupp said. “Two weeks ago, I never would have thought this could happen.

“Honestly, I was probably the most calm today as I’ve been in an NHL game this year. The leadership and veterans on this team kept us calm. They just keep you laughing all the way up until game time.”

The Ducks were not amused.

Rupp’s goal was a bad sign for the Ducks. Going in, the Devils were 10-0 when scoring first this postseason.

Friesen’s first goal was a worse sign. It left the Devils up, 2-0, after two periods. They have won their last 29 playoff games when leading going into the last period.

When Friesen added another goal with 3:44 left in the game, knocking in a pass from Rupp, all that was left to do for the Devils was celebrate with the Big Silver Thing.

All that was left to the Ducks was the Conn Smythe Trophy for Giguere and exhaustion for all. Other things will come later.

“This is a big-time disappointment, obviously,” Kariya said. “But I think when we look back and see what our team accomplished, it was definitely a great run. We didn’t finish the job.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Fork in the Road

The Ducks failed to continue their winning ways on the road in the playoffs:

*--* Ducks on the road Previous Series at New Jersey Record 6-1 0-4 Goals (per game) 16 (2.28) 3 (0.75) Goals allowed 12 (1.71) 15 (3.75) The Ducks played the first round against Detroit, the conference semifinals vs. Dallas and conference finals against Minnesota. --Roy Jurgens

*--*

*

Leading the Flock

History of Mighty Duck coaches

*--* COACH YEARS RECORD WIN % PLAYOFF APP COMMENT RON WILSON 1993-97 120-145-31 458 1 (4-7, 1997) Frequent squabbli ng with the front office cost the popular Wilson his job PIERRE PAGE 1997-98 26-43-13 396 0 Took what was a playoff contende r straight down the drain CRAIG HARTSBURG 1998-01 80-88-29 480 1 (0-4, 1999) Players tired of his act after some initial success GUY CHARRON 2001 14-28-7 357 0 Interim coach never received serious consider ation BRYAN MURRAY 2001-02 29-42-8-3 426 0 Saw weakness es first-ha nd before handing the reins to Babcock MIKE BABCOCK 2002-03 40-27-9-6 543 1 (15-6, 2003) Fiery no-nonse nse attitude has players willing to go the extra distance

*--*

-- Roy Jurgens

Seventh Sojourns

Since the NHL expanded from the Original Six teams in 1967, the championship round has gone the distance five times. There were seven Game 7s between 1942 and 1965.

*--* SEASON WINNER LOSER WH AT HA PP EN ED 1971 Montreal Chicago* Wi th ro ok ie Ke n Dr yd en in go al , He nr i Ri ch ar d sc or ed th e ty in g an d wi nn in g go al s, le ad in g th e Ca na di en s to th ei r th ir d Cu p in fo ur ye ar s 1987 Edmonton* Philadelphia Wa yn e Gr et zk y’ s Oi le rs pu ll ed to ge th er an d wo n th e se ve nt h ga me , 3- 1, af te r su cc um bi ng to Ro n He xt al l’ s he ro ic s in Ga me s 5 an d 6 1994 N.Y. Rangers* Vancouver Ma rk Me ss ie r de li ve re d as pr om is ed , sc or in g th e wi nn in g go al as Ne w Yo rk en de d a 54 -y ea r dr ou gh t 2001 Colorado* New Jersey Th e Av al an ch e ca pp ed Ra ym on d Bo ur qu e’ s ma gn if ic en t ca re er by be at in g Ne w Je rs ey , 3- 1 2003 New Jersey* Ducks Ma rt in Br od eu r’ s th ir d sh ut ou t of th e se ri es ea rn ed th e De vi ls th ei r th ir d St an le y Cu p (*-denotes home team) -- Roy Jurgens

*--*