Devils rise to the occasion in Game 7

By Kara Yorio
For The Sporting News

Stanley Cup Keepsake cover

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Devils stood on the brink of becoming a dynasty or the big team that couldn't. Despite their two Stanley Cups since 1995, a loss in Game 7 would have solidified them as the team that couldn't close it out. Won two chances, lost two -- and blowing series leads in the latter two.

But that didn't happen. Instead, the Devils beat the Ducks 3-0 on Monday night and tied the Red Wings with three Stanley Cups in the past nine years. They did it by finally cracking down and playing the way they were supposed to. This is a team that will be remembered as one of the best of its time, but Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur -- who backstopped all three Cup teams -- didn't think this was the moment to think about anyone's place in history.

"Right now is not the time to call us a dynasty," Brodeur said. "That's for when we start slumping or not making the playoffs, but right now it doesn't look like any time soon that is going to happen for us. Knock on wood. I have lots more years on my contract and I want to win."

The Devils used a tried and tested method for getting that win in Game 7. They got traffic in front of Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere and put two in off shots from Scott Niedermayer. Despite the emotional difficulty of playing against his brother Rob, Scott Niedermayer was the Devils' best player in Game 7 and throughout much of the playoffs. If Giguere hadn't won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, it should have and likely would have been Niedermayer.

Instead, Giguere sat sadly at the podium with a big silver trophy next to him, talking about how he thought about his mom all game.

"She's been home watching every game," Giguere said. "She's not doing too well right now. It was in the back of my mind the whole time, but I'm sure she'll be happy anyway. Tomorrow is a new day and we'll get up and we'll be happy again."

The smiles, champagne, cigars and locker room dangerously packed with families and whatever media members could fit in belonged to the Devils. They played the better game on the night it most mattered after wasting the opportunity to get it done a game earlier on the road.

Although Jeff Friesen scored twice for the Devils, it once again was a new offensive guy that got them going, a rookie who ended up with the game-winning goal. Mike Rupp, who didn't play a playoff game until Game 4, tipped a Niedermayer shot past Giguere in the second period.

"I don't know what to say," Rupp said. "I'm caught up in everything going on."

Who could blame him, really? He was asked to step in for injured veteran center Joe Nieuwendyk, and he played well.

"I, by no means, filled his shoes," said Rupp when asked how that felt. "This guy has been talking to us before the game. You could tell it was just eating him alive that he couldn't play. For me not to give it that much more … He inspired me. He was always there with a helping hand."

If not for Nieuwendyk's talk to the team between periods in Game 7 against the Senators during the Eastern Conference finals, the Ducks might have faced the Senators in the Cup finals. Instead, they went out against the Devils and pushed them to seven games. On Monday night, the Ducks couldn't get enough shots through to test Brodeur significantly. They had done enough in the series and particularly in Game 6, though, to be remembered as a team that wasn't a fluke, a team with a lot of heart and enough skill to win with determination.

Faceoff wins were key to the Ducks , but during Game 7, the Devils finally adjusted in the faceoff circle. They didn't necessarily win them, but the New Jersey wingers freed themselves and got out fast on the shooters. Instead of getting shots through, the Ducks were sending the pucks into various Devils' body parts.

Once the Devils got the lead, they shut it down. Goaltender Martin Brodeur had four guys in front of him at all times, clearing away rebounds of the few shots that got through. Brodeur made the saves when he had to, and that was all that mattered.

When it was over, Niedermayer, Brodeur, Sergei Brylin, Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko had the third Cups of their careers -- and none was more impressive than this season. This team didn't have a great roster, but in Game 7, the Devils showed character. Niedermayer took over, and the game-winner came from a rookie in his fourth career playoff game.

For Brodeur, the dynasty question must have to wait, but there is no question the Devils cemented their place in history with a tough Game 7 victory over the Ducks. The team is, at the very least, even with the Red Wings as the best of the last decade. And if Brodeur has anything to say about it, they'll pull away and stand alone in a season coming soon.

Kara Yorio covers the NHL for Sporting News. Email her at kyorio@sportingnews.com.