This was the longest and most exciting week I've ever been through as a fan.
This is the only time in history for me that two games really bleed together as one.
It all started on a Thursday night live from the CAA. The Devils had a 3-1 series lead and it looked like it was going to be an easy path to the Cup. Well the defending champs thought otherwise, and this was the first real time I realized that Devils fandom is NEVER easy.
Also this game had landed in the middle of Finals week at school so Gary couldn't join me & my dad for this one like he had for many games this playoff run. That being said, what I didn't realize was that a long night was about to begin.
The game as a whole flew by. It was an old school goalie duel between Marty and Eddie Belfour. I've seen my share of goal duels and scoreless games but never one to ths magnitude. Suddenly regulation time ended and overtime started.
At this point my dad went to bed because he had work in the morning so I moved from my computer chair to the couch. I'm glad I got comfortable.
Overtime flew by, then so did the second overtime. Entering the third overtime, the only thing that kept me awake was the fact that if the Devils scored, they would win the Cup. ABC, to their credit, kept reminding us of that throughout the overtimes showing the Cup getting polished over and over again.
Then it suddenly ended. Mike Modano scored just over six minutes into the sixth period of play, the defending champs survived another day. Suddenly I realized it was 1:30am.
The next morning, well a few hours later, it was obvious who stayed up and who didn't. Luckily it was only a half day.
Finally it was Saturday night, Gary's birthday and game six was ready to start. Me, my dad and Gary were back together hoping to celebrate a championship.
Well it took till early in the 2nd to finally score aganist Belfour, but we barely had a chance to celebrate before Dallas tied it and suddenly we were right back where it felt like we were for the last three days. Tied in a goalie duel deadlock.
Then nothing really happened in the third period. After the craziness and injuries, it was slower and again regulation had come to an end.
Again my dad was tired and didn't want to sit through what he felt was going to be a long night. So with that, overtime started and me and Gary were in our seats sitting back for the ride.
One overtime over and panic started setting in in the room because we didn't want a game seven. We were literally both pacing back and forth for the 15 minute intermission geting pumped up and hoping for the best. Then the 2nd overtime started.
It was quiet. There was no music from the computer, no talking to each other or yelling at the TV, the only noise in the whole house was the living room TV and my mom's bedroom radio. It was past midnight. Gary's birthday had officially passed. Then it happened.
*This is part where I actually discribe the above video clip, I'm not going to bother. Watch the clip then continue on.*
The puck hadn't even hit the back of the net and we had jumped up and look at each other, hugged and then the celebration began! Screaming and cheering and by the time I got into the kicthen my dad was already in the hallway wondering what was going on and he literally slid down the hallway to join the celebration. We all go back into or spots and watched Scott Stevens win the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP and then it was time.
I started jamming We Are The Champions, Glory Days and Running With The Devil and then my mom came down the hall to remind us what time it was.
It didn't matter, it was one in the morning, we were exhausted but the Devils had become Stanley Cup Champions!
