One for the money

Stanley Cup quest goes right down to Game 7

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Reuters) -- After nine months of slap shots, bruising checks and timely saves, the quest for the Stanley Cup comes down to one game, winner take all.

The Devils hope to win the Cup in front of their fans Monday night when they play host to the Mighty Ducks in the final game of the best-of-seven series.

Game time is 8 p.m. at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J.

The Devils have won 11 of 12 playoff games there, including all three so far against Anaheim. In those three games, New Jersey has outscored the Mighty Ducks 12-3.

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"For us to win in their building," Anaheim right winger Steve Thomas said, "we have to play for 60 minutes and leave everything on the ice every shift."

But the Devils face reliving their collapse in the 2001 Stanley Cup finals. New Jersey held a 3-2 lead after five games against the Colorado Avalanche but lost the last two contests.

Devils goalie Martin Brodeur hopes his team mates will settle down after a poor performance in Saturday night's Game 6, a 5-2 loss in Anaheim.

"I think we were out of control," Brodeur said. "Defensively, we ran after guys and tried to make some hits.

"Every time we get on the road, we seem to be like that. At home, we don't seem to have that problem."

For his team mates to maintain control, however, Brodeur believes they must score first.

"I think it's important for us to try to get the lead," he said. "Whenever we're trailing, we have a hard time competing with these guys."

Regardless of which team gets the lead, each minute promises to be intense.

"As much as the poise level is supposed to be so good by the veteran team," Anaheim coach Mike Babcock said of New Jersey, "I think both teams have shown a lot of fluctuating emotion."

Thomas has an explanation for such passion.

"You're on the driveway playing hockey as a kid thinking of this moment," Thomas said. "We're definitely going to bring our best bottle to the party."

Devils center Joe Nieuwendyk, a veteran of two Cup champions, is questionable for Monday night because of a chronic hip injury.

Nieuwendyk, who excels in faceoffs, skated in pre-game warmups Saturday night but was scratched for the game.

 

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