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Reactions: Stanley Cup, Game 7 Devils-Avs series ranks with the best of themPosted: Monday June 11, 2001 6:53 PMUpdated: Monday June 11, 2001 6:53 PM The Avs did it -- and Ray Bourque finally has his championship. Colorado defeated New Jersey 3-1 in Game 7 to win its second Stanley Cup in its franchise history. Patrick Roy was the Conn Smythe trophy winner for a record-third time. Most CNNSI.com users we heard from felt this series was one of the best Cup finals in recent hockey history. It was a mised bag, though, if this was Colorado's last hurrah before enduring an important off-season. A sample of the responses we received follows: As for the possible dismantling of the Avs, to the possible loss of Forsberg, to judging how this Stanley Cup finals rank in the annals of history, let's save that for later. For right now, lets just savor watching Ray Bourque finally hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. Lord (Stanley) knows he deserves it.
Give me a break! It takes more than going to seven to make a series great! Sure the Bourque-emotion factor will cloud many hockey-challenged minds but remember, the only reason it went to seven was that each team took nights off. Game 1... HELLO do you remember the blowout! Game 6 --- HELLO Did Jersey show up? Nah. If you want to wax poetic and say it was a 'good series', then sure. But even the Rangers-Canucks tilt in '94 was better, more competitive and more even than this. Best ever? Not even top 10.
This was one of the best Stanley Cup finals ever. One team had the best record during the regular season and the other scored the most goals. They both were the top seeds from their conferences and the Devils were the defending champions! The series went seven games for only the fourth time since 1965. We saw outstanding goaltending, spectacular goals, non-stop hitting and resiliency by both teams. The Avs rebounded from a 3-2 deficit, the first team to do so in 30 years. In the end, Ray Bourque, a player universally recognized for excellence in every way and who toiled for 21 seasons without having ever touched the Stanley Cup, lifted it over his head in victory and wept. It was one of the greatest moments in the history of the Stanley Cup finals!
I don't think it was the best finals ('93 and '94 were great), but it was the most memorable. Out of all the truly great players of the last two decades, Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Yzerman, Coffey etc., it was as if the hockey world was pulling for Ray to get his cup. Seeing the joy on his face is a wonderful reminder of the importance of the game, not the money, to the guys who truly excel in this game. Way to go Ray, nobody deserves it more!
Not the best CUP but certainly hard, hard fought. I am sure the Cup seemed heavier than he thought compared to what the Cup was 22 years ago when he started. A lot of names have been placed on it and now finally his.
I will look back at this series with great fondness. There were momentum swings throughout the series (most of the games weren't very close). These swings show how great a series this was (the character of both teams really came to the fore). That character is the essence of what hockey really is all out. That, and Ray Bourque winning the Stanley Cup. He was my boyhood idol growing up (I've watched and followed his career) and to see him winning the Stanley Cup is the greatest feeling. That's the next best feeling as a fan (to having your home team win Lord Stanley's Mug). Congratulations Ray, you deserve this.
This year's final was easily one of the most dramatic in recent memory. There were so many compelling story lines and competing emotions, all of which were intensified by the fact that it went seven games. It was as if all the storybook stars were aligned for the sport of hockey this playoff year.
I am an avid Colorado avalanche fan and not simply a fair-weather friend. I am ecstatic right at this moment. The Avs are true champions and defeated a team most thought invincible. My concern for the future is the future of the Avalanche as a team. Will Sakic, Bourque, Roy, and Blake be returning? What exactly are the odds for each one potentially leaving? I hope to see them all, along with the rest of the players of this truly great team.
The highlight of game seven was, the fan that had a sign that read "Keep the Avs, Sell the Nuggets!"
Is Chris Drury living the charmed life, or what? Little League World Series Championship, NCAA championship, Hobey Baker award (aka the Hockey Heisman), four Beanpots, Calder Trophy, and now, he helps Raymond Bourque win a Stanley Cup. Here's hoping this isn't their last.
I, and I'm sure everyone else who was watching outside of New Jersey, cried tears of joy at the sight of Ray Bourque finally winning what was long-overdue. You don't see too many happy endings nowadays, so it's nice to see one happening like that. Lesson of the day: Never quit on your dreams, no matter how long it takes.
The series itself was involving enough, especially considering the number of sweeps in recent years. The individual games were pretty lousy though, only two of them were even close and no OT at all. It's hard to believe that in the finals you end up with efforts that are so inconsistent. Blake and Bourque have probably played their last games for the Avs, but there is no way that management would let Sakic or Roy leave town.
How often do you see the two best teams in the league go head-to-head in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals? Practically never, if ever at all. This was the most exciting series I've ever watched. Talk about coming down to the wire. The Devils had a great season and played a great series. But the Avalanche came out strong and proved to everyone that they are the best team in hockey.
This was a pathetic Game 7. The referees were horrible. Do they even know what 'icing' means? Or 'dive'? You wouldn't know it from their judgments. I guess they were just doing what the league wanted-getting Bourque his Stanley Cup. But I've lost all faith and respect for the refs of the NHL. I hope they felt proud when they saw the Devils with tears in their eyes as the Avalanche made them wait to shake hands in a rude manner. And here's one thing for sure: Eddie's a better person than Roy is.
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