1995 Stanley Cup Finals

Infobox Stanley Cup Final
year=1995
team1=New Jersey Devils
team1_short=New Jersey
team1_1=2
team1_2=4
team1_3=5
team1_4=5
team1_tot=4
team2=Detroit Red Wings
team2_short=Detroit
team2_1=1
team2_2=1
team2_3=2
team2_4=2
team2_tot=0
mvp=Claude Lemieux (New Jersey)
location2=Detroit (Joe Louis Arena) (1,2)
location1=East Rutherford, New Jersey (Meadowlands) (3,4)
dates=June 17–June 24
team1_coach=Jacques Lemaire
team2_coach=Scotty Bowman
team1_captain=Scott Stevens
team2_captain=Steve Yzerman
series_winner=Neal Broten (7:56, 2nd, G4)The 1995 Stanley Cup Finals determined the winner of the Stanley Cup and the champion of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 1994–95 NHL season. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4 games to 0. It was the second sweep in the Finals in four years.

Despite the fact that the regular season was cut severely short by the players strike, both the season, and the finals were saved at the eleventh hour and the playoffs were held despite many fans and sports writers insistence that the such a short season did not adequately reflect a proper hockey season and should have been aborted. The win by the Devils marked their first Stanley Cup title, after 21 seasons and two franchise relocations. It was also the first of three for the Devils in less than a decade.

Paths to the Final

To get to the finals New Jersey defeated the Boston Bruins 4–1, the Pittsburgh Penguins 4–1, and the Philadelphia Flyers 4–2.

Detroit defeated the Dallas Stars 4–1, the San Jose Sharks 4–0 and the Chicago Blackhawks 4–1.

The series

Game one

NHLPlayoffs
team1 = New Jersey Devils
team2 = Detroit Red Wings
stadium1 = Joe Louis Arena
date1 = Saturday, June 17
score1 = 2 – 1
won1 = 1The series opened on Saturday, June 17 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Few gave New Jersey much of a chance against the NHL’s best team. Going into the game, Detroit was a perfect 8–0 at home in the playoffs, and had outscored their opponents 30–11 in their eight home games. Detroit fans even chanted after every Devils name was read during introductions "Who Cares"?"

After a scoreless first period, the underdog Devils got on the board first, when Stephane Richer blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle that just squeezed through Detroit goaltender Mike Vernon. The power-play goal came at 9:41 of the second period and gave New Jersey a 1–0 lead. The Red Wings responded less than four minutes later and tied the game on a power-play goal by Dino Ciccarelli at 13:08. The Devils would regain the lead on a goal by Claude Lemieux, a slapper from the slot at 3:17 of the third period. New Jersey would go on to win the game 2–1 and take a one-game-to-none series lead. They played a solid defensive game, frustrating the Red Wings and holding them to just 17 shots. The win was their ninth road win of the playoffs.

Game two

NHLPlayoffs
team1 = New Jersey Devils
team2 = Detroit Red Wings
stadium1 = Joe Louis Arena
date1 = Tuesday, June 20
score1 = 4 – 2
won1 = 1In game two, Detroit played with a sense of urgency. Vyacheslav Kozlov scored on the power play at 7:17 of the second period to make the score 1–0 in favor of the Red Wings. Devils forward John MacLean would tie the game at 1–1 less than two and a half minutes later with a goal at 9:40. Then, on a Detroit breakaway, New Jersey defenceman and captain Scott Stevens laid a thundering body check on Kozlov as he made a move to the inside past the New Jersey blue line. Although the Red Wings regained the lead on Sergei Fedorov's goal at 1:36 of the third period, the Stevens hit seemed to inspire the Devils. With the midway point of the third period approaching, New Jersey defenceman Scott Niedermayer picked up the puck in his own zone and skated up the ice. Once over the Detroit blue line, he got a step on defenceman Paul Coffey and fired a shot towards the Detroit net. Although the puck missed the net, it bounced off the end boards and came right back to Niedermayer who shot it past Mike Vernon to tie the game at 2–2. The game remained tied until late in the third period. Devils defenceman Shawn Chambers fired a shot from the point and the rebound came right to Jim Dowd who backhanded the puck into the net to give the Devils a 3–2 lead. Stephane Richer would add an empty-net goal as New Jersey won, 4-2.

Game three

NHLPlayoffs
team2 = New Jersey Devils
team1 = Detroit Red Wings
stadium1 = Meadowlands
date1 = Thursday, June 22
score1 = 2 – 5
won1 = 2In game three, held at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Devils dominated the Red Wings, scoring five consecutive goals. Bruce Driver, Claude Lemieux, Neal Broten, Randy McKay and Bobby Holik all scored to give the Devils a 5–0 lead with 11:46 remaining in the game. Detroit scored twice on power-play goals by Sergei Fedorov and Steve Yzerman at 16:57 and 18:27 of the third period, as New Jersey won 5–2. They now had a commanding three-games-to-none lead in the series.

Game four

NHLPlayoffs
team2 = New Jersey Devils
team1 = Detroit Red Wings
stadium1 = Meadowlands
date1 = Saturday, June 24
score1 = 2 – 5
won1 = 2The Devils jumped out to a 1–0 lead on Neal Broten’s goal just 68 seconds into the game. However, the Red Wings were fighting to stay alive and tied the game on Sergei Fedorov's goal just 55 seconds later. Coffey scored a shorthanded goal at 13:01 to give Detroit a 2–1 lead. New Jersey responded less than five minutes later, at 17:45 on a slap-shot goal by Shawn Chambers that beat Mike Vernon glove side. Then in the second period, Scott Niedermayer fed Broten in front of the net who chipped the puck over Vernon’s glove. The goal was Broten’s second of the game and it gave the Devils a 3–2 lead. New Jersey would increase its lead with goals by Sergei Brylin and Chambers (his second of the game) at 7:46 and 12:32 of the third period. The Devils won the game 5–2 and the series four games to none. It was New Jersey's first Stanley Cup Championship in team history. Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur allowed just seven goals against the Red Wings in the series and Devils forward Claude Lemieux was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP, having led all skaters in playoff goals with 13.

New Jersey Devils 1995 Stanley Cup Champions

Stanley Cup champion
defence=*4 Scott Stevens (Captain)
*3 Ken Daneyko
*6 Tommy Albelin
*7 Chris McAlpine
*23 Bruce Driver (A. Capt)
*27 Scott Niedermayer
*28 Kevin Dean
*29 Shawn Chambers
goaltenders=*30 Martin Brodeur
*31 Chris Terreri
centers=*9 Neal Broten
*11 Jim Dowd
*14 Brian Rolston
*18 Sergei Brylin
*21 Randy McKay(also played wing)
wingers=*8 Mike Peluso
*12 Bill Guerin
*15 John MacLean (A. Capt)
*16 Bobby Holik
*17 Tom Chorske
*19 Bob Carpenter Jr.
*20 Danton Cole
*22 Claude Lemieux
*25 Valeri Zelepukin
*44 Stephane Richer
non-players=
*John J. McMullen (Owner/Chairman/Governor), Peter McMullen (Vice President)
*Lou Lamoriello (President/General Manager), Jacques Lemaire (Head Coach), Jacques Caron (Goaltender Coach)
*Dennis Gendron, Larry Robinson (Ass’t Coaches), Robbie Ftorek (AHL Coach)
*Alex Abasto (Ass’t Equipment Manager), Bob Huddleston (Massage Therapist), Dave Nichols (Equipment Manager)
*Ted Schuch (Medical Trainer), Mike Vasalani (Strength-Conditioning Coach), David Conte (Director of Scouting), Milt Fisher (Scout)
*Claude Carrie, Dan Labraaten, Marcel Pronovost (Scouts)

References

*
* Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books, 12, 50. ISBN 1–55168–261–3.

ee also

*1994–95 NHL season
* List of Stanley Cup champions