Home fires burning

Hardened Devils poised to win another Cup

As a rule, playoff teams build up contempt for each other and the play generally becomes more intense as postseason showdowns drag on, but the 2003 Stanley Cup finals have been the Sybil series. After four robotic and achingly dull games during which the Devils and Ducks barely exchanged love taps, the personality of the matchup swiveled 180 degrees in Game 5. New Jersey's 6-3 win at home was sloppier, more physical and more entertaining than the previous four meetings combined. The Ducks' 5-2 victory in Game 6 was highlighted by Scott Stevens' ferocious hit on Paul Kariya -- from which followed the Anaheim captain's return from the cobwebs to score his first goal of the series -- and stretches of exciting, fast-paced, up-and-down hockey that created scoring chance after scoring chance for both teams.

So, Game 7 Monday night should be taut, physical and frenetic. All the ingredients are there for a Stanley Cup classic. For starters, the teams have developed a genuine dislike for each other; the Stevens-Kariya affair merely accelerated a hatred that had already been brewing. During Games 5 and 6, puck battles in the corners and along the boards began to take on the intensity of mini-jihads. And there has been much more clutching, grabbing, stick-swinging and rabbit punching behind the play than we saw in the gentlemanly opening games of the series.

Players on both teams will struggle in Game 7 to keep their concentration amid chaos on the ice. Failure to do so will create scoring chances for the other team and, in a series that is suddenly hard-hitting, might get you hurt. As Martin Brodeur said, referring to Kariya not having seen Stevens steaming toward him, "If you want to play with your head down, you'll pay the price."

The Ducks' complaints about Stevens' check -- which, though vicious, was legal -- are misguided. It wasn't late; Kariya had barely gotten rid of the puck when Stevens clocked him. It wasn't dirty; Stevens kept his elbow tucked and led with his shoulder. It was classic Stevens. He's one of the NHL's biggest hitters, but his checks rarely draw whistles. "Did I get a penalty?" he asked when the cleanliness of his hit was questioned. "There are two referees out there. It was a great hit."

It's foolish to make any predictions for a Game 7. (Who would have predicted we'd be at this point after the Ducks' uninspired play in Games 1 and 2?) Still, two factors favor the Devils. One, they're at home. We all know how big the home-ice advantage has been in this series. The visiting team hasn't won a game, and the Devils are 11-1 in the playoffs at the Meadowlands. The crowd there will be crazed, especially if the game is as body-crunching as Game 6 was. The Devils also have history on their side: The home team has won eight of the last nine Game 7s in the finals.

Two, the Devils are more suited for physical warfare than the Ducks. Yes, Anaheim won handily in Game 6. But, especially at home, the Devils will do a better job of keeping their wits about them while dishing out punishment. "Defensively we ran after some guys and tried to make hits," Brodeur said after Game 6. "Whenever we're on the road we seem to do that."

The Ducks' ideal game is a controlled one. They excel when they play airtight defense without giving the other team reason to dislike them. They frustrated their earlier playoff opponents by being lovable -- it's tough to work up the ire against a team that is so patient and never instigates trouble. But the emotional intensity of this series is at a fever pitch heading into Game 7, and the bad blood coursing through the game should favor the Devils.

Stevens, who was quiet for most of the series before he belted Kariya, now has a taste for blood. That should frighten Anaheim's forwards. It should also deliver the Stanley Cup to New Jersey for the third time.

Sports Illustrated staff writer Stephen Cannella covers the NHL for the magazine and contributes frequently to SI.com.

 

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