GAME RECAPS

Devils lead series 1-0           Final Score: Devils 3, Mighty Ducks 0

It had been ten days since the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim had completed their four game sweep of the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference Finals. The ten day vacation was the second longest break any team has ever had between playoff series in NHL history, and it showed. The Ducks came out unprepared for what the Devils had to offer and if it were not for the surprise goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere New Jersey could have easily had a 10-0 victory in Game 1. The Ducks came into their first Stanley Cup Finals ever with an outstanding 12-2 record in the playoffs and Giguere had become the first goaltender in history to win twelve of his first fourteen career playoff games. The Devils were all over Anaheim in the first period when it seemed as if they were still alive and Giguere had kept it a scoreless tie into the second period but when the former Duck and Eastern Conference Final hero Jeff Friesen scored in the second period to give the Devils their 1-0 lead. Thanks to Giguere things stayed that way. At the other side of the rink New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur must have been quite bored as the Devils outshot the Ducks 9-2 in the second period alone and held them to only eight shots through the first two periods. Going into the third period not much changed. The Ducks still acted like they have never played before and the Devils continued to dominate while Giguere played decent enough to hold the Devils to just one goal. Early in the period Grant Marshall scored to give New Jersey the insurance goal and put them up 2-0 as the Martin Brodeur and the Devils defeated the Mighty Ducks 3-0 in Game 1. Friesen added an empty net goal with twenty seconds remaining in the game. It was Brodeur's first career shutout in a Stanley Cup Finals game and eighteenth career playoff shutout overall in any round.

Devils lead series 2-0           Final Score: Devils 3, Mighty Ducks 0

The Devils once again dominated the Mighty Ducks as Martin Brodeur led them to victory with another 3-0 shutout. The shutout was Brodeur's second of the series and sixth of the 2003 playoffs. Bordeur became the first goaltender in NHL history to shutout the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals and tied Dominik Hasek's record for most shutouts in a playoff year with six. The Mighty Ducks who only allowed one goal against in their four game third round series against the Minnesota Wild gave up six goals by the end of the second game and scored ZERO. The Ducks for the second game in the row only had 16 shots and only two in the second period. The Devils outshot Anaheim after the first two games 55-32. The Devils will travel to Game 3 on Saturday night which will be played in Anaheim and will be a must win situation for the Ducks. Once the Devils score the first goal Saturday, it's over. Two more wins and the Devils are the 2003 Stanley Cup Champions. The Devils found goals from Patrik Elias, Scott Gomez, and once again the hero and former Duck Jeff Friesen.

Devils lead series 2-1           Final Score: Mighty Ducks 3, Devils 2 (OT)

Ducks celebrate after their Game 3 OT win

Martin Brodeur played one of his worst playoff games ever and gave up one of the worst goals in the history of the Stanley Cup Finals as the Mighty Ducks defeated the Devils 3-2 in overtime to avoid going down 3-0 in the series. Brodeur gave up two bad goals including one that was not even an intended shot where Brodeur dropped his stick and the puck deflected off the stick into the goal. The Ducks scored their first goal of the series in the first Stanley Cup Final game ever played in Anaheim when they ended Brodeur's shutout streak that ended in the second period of Game 3. It was the second longest shutout streak from the start of a Stanley Cup Final series. With Anaheim's victory they gave themselves the opportunity to come back and cancel out the Devils victories in Games 1 and 2 and turn this into an exciting series. They forced a Game 5 to be played in New Jersey on June 5th and put a little more pressure on New Jersey. The overtime game winning goal came at 6:59 of the OT period from Ruslan Salei (pictured). His shot came off a faceoff.

Steve Thomas scored the OT game winner for the Mighty Ducks in Game 4-

The Mighty Ducks proved the only thing about them to laugh about is their stupid name. They defeated the Devils for a second game in a row and on home ice to tie the series once led by New Jersey 2-0 two games a piece. After another overtime game the Ducks are now the ones with all the confidence in the world as they travel back to New Jersey for Game 5. The Devils are now the ones in the must win situation as they are now in a big hole that can get bigger with a Game 5 loss that would put them down in the series 3-2. This is the first time since 1978 that the home team won the first four games of the series and Anaheim has won the second most OT games by one team in one playoff year. The Devils need to do something, but what they need to do only they can figure out. Let's hope Game 4 was the end of what Anaheim players called "Duck hockey" or else the Devils will be in a for a big surprise. 

Devils lead series 3-2                  Final Score: Devils 6, Mighty Ducks 3

-Jamie Langenbrunner picked up two goals in Game 5. 

In what was the most exciting game of the series up to that point, the Devils out skated the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to become just one victory away from the Stanley Cup. With their 6-3 Game 5 win, the Devils put themselves in a position to win their third championship Saturday night in Anaheim. Jamie Langenbrunner had two goals in this shootout unlike any other game we had seen before this in this series. Two Devils goals were reviewed one didn't count as the other turned out to be the eventual game winner. It was the Devils best offensive performance and the Ducks worst defensive performance of the 2003 postseason as it set quite an uncertain tone for Game 6. 

Game 6: Arrowhead Pond Anaheim, California

Saturday, June 7, 2003        Series tied 3-3                       Final Score: Mighty Ducks 5, Devils 2

The Devils played perhaps their worst game of the series in Game 6 of the finals in California despite their chance to win the Stanley Cup in six games. The Mighty Ducks took an early lead and were ahead 3-0 by the end of the first period. In the second, Scott Stevens gave the Devils hope when he put a huge hit on Ducks captain Paul Kariya and knocked him out. Kariya left the game and was thought to be out for the series but he made a surprise return and even scored a goal to raise his teams morale. Kariya and the Ducks defeated the Devils 5-2 to force a Game 7 in New Jersey.  

STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS SINCE 1990

1990-The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Boston Bruins

1991-The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Minnesota North Stars

1992-The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Chicago Black Hawks

1993-The Montreal Canadians defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-1

1994-The New York Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 *Devils lost conference final to Rangers 4-3

1995-The New Jersey Devils defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-0 *Devils won 1st ever Cup as #5 seed in East

1996-The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Florida Panthers 4-0

1997-The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 *Devils were #1 seed in East for 1st time

1998-The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 4-0 *Devils were #1 seed in East

1999-The Dallas Stars defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 *Devils were #1 seed in East

2000-The New Jersey Devils defeated the Dallas Stars 4-2 *Devils won Cup as #4 seed in East (4 games with Florida, 7 games with Toronto, 7 games with Philadelphia, 6 games with Dallas) Final playoff record of 16-8

2001-The Colorado Avalanche defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-3 *Devils lost game 7, 3-1. 2001 Finals were first since 1989 that the two top seeded teams played each other in the Finals. The Devils & Avalanche were both #1 in their conferences (6 games with Carolina, 7 games with Toronto, 7 games with Pittsburgh, 7 games with Colorado)

2002-The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 *Devils had worst season since 1996 & were #6 seed in East defeated by #3 Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 in first round.

2003-The New Jersey Devils defeated the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 4-3 *Devils win 3rd Cup and do it at home as #2 seed. Final playoff record of 16-8 (5 games with #7 Boston, 5 games with #3 Tampa Bay, 7 games with #1 Ottawa, 7 games with #7(W) Anaheim)