A tale of two
cities
Sports Illustrated staff writer Kostya Kennedy checks in
after each game of the Stanley Cup
finals.
Posted: Mon June 15,
1998
GAME 3: RED WINGS 2, CAPITALS
1
All of the games in this series so far have been decided by
one goal, as those who would like to suggest the evenness
of the teams point out. But it hasn't been close. By the
second period of Game 3, Washington had had no shots on
either of its two
power plays and it was clear to anyone watching that the Caps
had no shot in the series, either. The disparity so evident
in these games extends to the cities and the fans and the
arenas. In the sterile MCI Center, there were more people
wearing Red Wings
sweaters than Capitals. And the Detroiters—thousands
strong—were
loud.
They come from Hockeytown, where this game matters and
where the ups and downs of 20 hockey players has often
quickened the pulse of the city. In Washington there are
Wizards to consider, and in the early rounds you could hear
fans outside the
new-smelling downtown arena commenting on how excited they were to
actually see this hockey they had heard about. Want proof
that Caps fans don't know hockey? Late in Game 3, a few
sections began sing-songing "Red Wings suck."
Those folks will never be NHL
scouts.
Even Joe Louis Arena's entertainment coordinators operate
on a higher plane. In Detroit songs that come over the PA
are amusingly apt—Phil Collins sings "There Must
Be Some Misunderstanding" when a Wing gets whistled
for a penalty; Ray Charles' "Hit the
Road Jack" comes on when a Capital is sent to the box;
Barney the Dinosaur's "I love you, you love
me..." blares out during a skirmish. In Washington the
pregame tribute to goalie Olie "Godzilla" Kolzig
shows a video Godzilla looming large and angrily
pawing the air. But the soundtrack to the montage is
hopelessly, ironically miscast. The song is Black Sabbath's
"Iron Man," sung by Ozzy Osbourne. A few Wings
picked up on this: They started chanting "Ozzy!
Ozzy!"—cheering their own goalie, Chris Osgood,
during this salute to
Kolzig.
On Saturday a local television crew in D.C. went out to ask
fans what they thought of the Stanley Cup itself, on gaudy
display at a posh hotel nearby. Apparently there were no
Caps fans to be found. Or those there were had nothing to
say. The station
ran an interview with a fan decked in Detroit garb. He talked
about the Cup's history and significance, and how the Red
Wings were going to win
it.
And of course they will. Scotty Bowman will still fret
until his team completes the only task that matters. Yet
before Game 3 a circle of Red Wings, celebrating perhaps
the unfolding of soccer's World Cup, stood outside the
locker room juggling a soccer
ball at their feet. Nations were well represented: Sweden
(Anders Eriksson), Canada (Kris Draper, Joey Kocur), Russia
(Igor Larionov). They juggled calmly, laughing. You
wouldn't know a Cup game would begin within the
hour.
The game did begin and the Red Wings won it. Maybe they win
Game 4 in D.C. on Tuesday—for security's sake it's
better to win on the road than risk a joyous riot at home.
Or maybe it goes to Game 5. Whatever. The Wings will soon
hoist the Cup, and
Detroit will dance in collective glee. Washington will wrap up a
fine, fine season of hockey—a season the organization
should be proud of—and, sadly, all but the hardcore
faithful will soon forget about
it.
| 
NHL Finals
