Historic night
Bowman wins record-tying 8th Cup
Posted: Wednesday June 17, 1998 02:24 AM
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Bowman has a 1,057-484-277 mark in 26 seasons and a 194-112 record in the playoffs (AP) |
WASHINGTON (CNN/SI) -- Scotty Bowman has quite a knack at winning the Stanley Cup.
The Detroit Red Wings beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 Tuesday night to complete a four-game sweep and help Bowman tie mentor Toe Blake for most Cup championship wins with eight.
The Red Wings, who prior to last year won the Stanley Cup since 1955, have now won back-to-back titles.
Stanley Cup No. 8 ranked high on Bowman's expansive list of
accomplishments.
"This is right at the top. We lost a great player and everyone else
stepped up," Bowman said, referring to defenseman Vladimir
Konstantinov, who was injured in a limousine accident just six days
after winning the title last season. "There wasn't one player on the team
that didn't fit into the role we needed."
But it all started at the top -- with Bowman.
"He teaches things that make you a winner," Red Wings associate coach
Barry Smith said. "You learn details, the defensive side of the puck, don't
cheat the game, play hard both ways, short shifts, a team mentality, and
those kinds of things, Things that will help you win because that takes
care of almost all situations."
Bowman's record is all about winning. The Hall of Fame coach has a
1,057-484-277 mark in 26 seasons and a 194-112 record in the playoffs,
winning five titles with Montreal, two with Detroit and one with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"It's quite a remarkable accomplishment, especially in this day and age,"
added Dave Lewis, Bowman's other top assistant. "He is such a student of
the game and such a student of the history of the game. He has his finger
into every aspect of the game, that's just his nature."
While Capitals coach Ron Wilson has gotten most of the credit in this
series for his ability to motivate, Bowman's players said their 64-year-old
coach knows how to get the most out of his players.
"I think he goes his own way," young Swedish defenseman Anders Eriksson
said. "He has his own ideas and he really makes players be on the edge all
the time, so they do their best and play as a team. He would rather have a
lot of guys contribute rather than a few individuals. That's our strength."
Veteran defenseman Jamie Macoun said
that when Bowman speaks, players listen.
"He has an overview of the game that many of the coaches don't have or
haven't acquired yet," Macoun said. "He knows what he is doing and whether
you agree with him or not, you know Scotty knows what he is doing."
Bowman has one year left on his contract. During the past week, he has
hinted that he might consider his coaching future after the season, but he
said the same things before Detroit won the Cup last year.
"I have no idea," Smith said when asked if Bowman would return. "Every
year is a different story."
This story has the same ending though -- another championship.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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NHL Finals
