Juneau ends Hasek's golden season
Posted: Friday June 05, 1998 01:55 AM
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After the game Kolzig (left) and Hasek showed their mutual respect for one another's performances in goal (AP) |
BUFFALO, New York (AP) -- Just like that, the ride ended for Dominik Hasek. It
was one rebound he could not control, one scramble in front of the net he
did not win.
The all-world goaltender who led the Czech Republic to the Olympic gold
medal and brought the Buffalo
Sabres one series victory away from the Stanley Cup Finals skated off
the ice defeated and exhausted Thursday night after the Washington Capitals' 3-2
overtime win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.
"Always if you lose the last game of the season, it's disappointing,"
said Hasek after Joe
Juneau scored in overtime to give the Capitals a 4-2 series victory.
"We were close, but I have to give the Capitals credit."
Brian Bellows
moved around Darryl
Shannon and set up the game-winner when he tried stuffing the puck past
Hasek. Once, twice, three times, the puck stayed in the crease before
Juneau picked it up and sent it under the fallen goaltender's glove.
"I saw Juneau sneak in," Hasek said. "I had a feeling he had lots of time
so I put my catching glove a little bit up. He put it in under my glove. I
knew right away it was over."
Also gone was Hasek's opportunity for a rare double -- an Olympic gold
medal and a Stanley Cup. Former New York Islanders
defenseman Ken Morrow remains the only player in history to accomplish the
feat.
After establishing a team record with 13 shutouts during the regular
season, Hasek did so only once in the playoffs. He still is the favorite to
become the first goaltender in history to be named most valuable player in
consecutive years. He's also expected to be named top goalie for the fourth
time in five years.
"I was awfully nervous about Game 7 if we lost," Capitals coach Ron
Wilson said. "If you had to pick a goalie for a Game 7, it would probably
be pretty unanimous that Dominik would be the choice."
Hasek played well, but was beatable against the Capitals. Washington's
top line of Peter
Bondra, Richard
Zednik, and Andrei
Nikolishin combined for seven of Washington's 13 goals in the series.
Bondra's goal Thursday night with 5:59 remaining in the third period sent
the game to overtime.
"They were probably the best line in the series," said Hasek, who allowed
three overtime goals in the series after giving up none in the regular
season. "You play 60 minutes, it's a tie game, you come in the locker room
and think if you get a goal you win the game. Unfortunately, three times
they won the overtime game.
Buffalo had taken a 2-1 lead 7:40 into the third on Paul Kruse's first
playoff goal. In the second period, Michael Peca gave
the Sabres a 1-0 lead with 5:56 to go with his third playoff goal. Esa Tikkanen tied
the game 22 seconds later with his third.
"You can't fault [Hasek] for any of the goals," said Sabres coach Lindy
Ruff. "I'm extra proud of the way we played. It wasn't meant to be."
Hasek was the guy who many thought caused the offseason problems
surrounding the Sabres. He denounced former coach Ted Nolan, who was given
a one-year contract that he immediately rejected, and was booed at home to
start the season, returning a hero after the Olympics. Almost everybody
understands the Sabres would not have been in the conference finals without
Hasek.
"It was a long season for me," Hasek said. "It was very difficult in the
beginning, but during the season our team played great hockey. The fans
probably enjoyed the way we played. Everyone in the locker room enjoyed
it."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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