The New Jersey Devils enter their second straight elimination game having twice played a game on this date in the calendar year, both in each of their previous two Cup Finals.
Three of their active players will remember it all well enough. Two of them, Martin Brodeur and Patrik Elias, have a mixed bag of memories while the other carries a double-dose of vinegar. Although second-time Devils forward Petr Sykora also had a more triumphant moment in an elimination game on June 9, 2009.
But on June 9, 2001, all three brooked bitter defeat together as the Devils missed their chance to repeat as champions, conceding a 3-1 decision in Game 7 to the Colorado Avalanche. Precisely two years later, in the exact same situation, they returned to the summit of the NHL with a 3-0 triumph over Sykora and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
This year, there is only one way the Cup can be doled out on June 9 yet again, namely if the host Devils drop Game 5 to the Los Angeles Kings at Newark’s Prudential Center.
In the 20 years since the NHL first starting spilling its postseason into June, the Cup has been clinched on the ninth day of the month four times.
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Al Daniel
Stanley Cup Finals 2012: June 9 a Mixed Date in NJ Devils Franchise History
June 9th, 2012 by Al Daniel Leave a reply »
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