Oral History of the 2003 Cup | BIG READ

Jamie Langenbrunner has the puck on his stick and skates behind Martin Brodeur's net.

Patrik Elias, skating from the blue line through the center of the ice, raises his hands in the air.

With 5.5 seconds left on the clock and Gary Thorne takes it away with the call of the game:

"The celebration starts…! The New Jersey Devils, for the third time in their history have won the Stanley Cup! The Devils three, the Ducks nothing! Devils! Stanley Cup Champions!"

- Gary Thorne, ESPN

And with that begins the pileup of players on top of one another by Brodeur's crease and the 2003 New Jersey Devils are, indeed, Stanley Cup champions.

It was a moment of pure elation, satisfaction, ultimate sacrifice and glory.

But first and foremost, like all championships, it was a journey. And it's one, 20 years on, worth

revisiting through the eyes of those who were there, who experienced the blood, sweat and tears, for those who will forever be Stanley Cup champions. 

Piecing together the journey through reunions, media reports from the time and catalogued play-by-play, the following few pages take you along the journey to the Cup through the eyes, ears and play of the 2003 New Jersey Devils.

The Leadup

The Devils weren't going to have an easy path to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final for a third time in four years. 

Finishing the season with 108 points set New Jersey up for a first round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. The Devils were winners of the then-Atlantic Division and were second in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins meanwhile finished the year with just 87 points. New Jersey took just five games to move on after Martin Brodeur pitched two shutouts during the series (Game 3 and 5). 

Next up were the Tampa bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Once again the Devils needed just five games, the decisive Game 5 ending in triple overtime with Grant Marshall scoring the winner at 11:12 of triple OT, a game that lasted four hours and 22 minutes. 

So there they were, ready for a showdown with the Beast of the East. 

The top two teams were set to battle it out for a trip to the Final.

Ottawa

The Eastern Conference Final

There are so many stories that can be told of the lead-up to Game 7 against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

But if the Devils wanted to get even a taste of the Stanley Cup Final, they'd have to go through the Presidents' Trophy winners, the top of the class, the best in the league, the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference Final.

Ottawa finished the regular season with 113 points, the Devils right behind them with 108.

JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER: We've got the advantage of guys who have been in this situation a little more, they've got the advantage of being the No. 1 team and having home ice. They're the best team in the league and we're kind of the underdog in that. That's fine with us.  

KEN DANEYKO: Going into that series I know we were very worried, in a good way. We were scared, scared to lose because we knew if we didn't play our best, Ottawa could manhandle us as good as they were playing.

The Devils were up 3-1 after four games. The Senators won the next two.

PAT BURNS: We were surprised to be up 3-1. You had that feeling in the back of your mind that this club was a very, extremely talented hockey club. If they ever got it all together during certain games we were going to struggle. And they did.

Ottawa beat the Devils in Game 5, 3-1.

Then they won again, in OT, in Game 6, 2-1.

On to Game 7.

"Good play be Freisen, Rechunick pushes it off to get it out to center. Marshall will hold it in near side. A pass in front…scores! Freisen's got it! It's a goal! The light never came on but the official pointed immediately and the Devils have a 3-2 lead! What a play by Grant Marshall, but what a gap by the Senators, two men went to Grant Mashall and he threaded the needle to Jeff Freisen with 2:14 to go."

- Gary Thorne, ESPN

GRANT MARSHALL: It was a goal that people ask me about, that goal was probably my biggest highlight. Mainly because I was on the bench, and Freis was my roommate at the time, he was on the bench and he can get a little overbearing, he freaks out over the littlest things at times, and you know in that game we were up and he lost the puck off the blue line and Radek Bonk and then it's 2-2. And he's on the bench freaking out, swearing and I'm looking at him and he's like, I just cost us and I'm like, you made a mistake, let's just go do something about it.

BRIAN GIONTA: I was on the ice when Freis had that turnover. And I think we all kind of slumped our shoulders and thought to ourselves, I mean, it's the Presidents' Trophy team and Ottawa is pretty dangerous. And we just gave them a chance to get back in the game, You know it was tense at first and then you could see Friesen's reaction after the goal. He was just kind of relieved. He was like, Hey, I made up for my mistake. And then we just kind of kept going from there.

Watch the replay again and you'll see why Marshall is asked about it. His pass went right through Ottawa defenseman Wade Redden's legs.

MARSHALL: I fed it right through his legs. Honestly, it was a great pass but it wasn't something that I was trying to do, it was just a hope pass, I just saw (Friesen) going and hoping I could get it to him any way possible. And it went through his legs and it was very lucky it worked.

SCOTT STEVENS: There's no question, Jeff Friesen's was a huge goal and that's why everyone is so important on a hockey club. To score the big goal at the right time. And that was a huge goal for that line.  

MARTIN BRODEUR: Having a goal scored late in the game like that, you quiet the crowd. It's a rewarding feeling. You sit there and you just hear your teammates celebrating and knowing you're close enough to move on to the Stanley Cup Final. We did it in 2000 with the Flyers and did it again in Ottawa. It was pretty cool to be part of those games.

STEVENS: They were the top team in the league. But we were ready to play them. Ottawa was a team that we were a little worried about. They were a really good hockey club when they were at their prime. I don't know if we were the underdogs or not, but Ottawa was a heck of a hockey club and for us to get up 3-1 and then have to go as far as we did to win the game the way we had to do it, I think we had some injuries, we had some sickness, we had the bus break down, but you've got to fight through the adversity and we got it done against a really good hockey club.

The Final

And with that, the Devils were on to the Stanley Cup Final for a date with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

COREY SCHWAB: One feeling I got from the team, and it came from Scott (Stevens), it was like it was their Cup. It was the Devils' Cup and somebody else had it. These guys had won it. They knew what it took to get there. They knew they wanted it back. And it was almost like somebody was borrowing it and they were going to do whatever they had to do to get it back. You just had a special feeling. It felt like that every game we went out and felt like we were going to win.  

BRODEUR: For me, it was about redemption of 2001. I really felt that being up 3-2 in the series and losing Game 7 to Colorado, I really took it personally. So my next trip to the Stanley Cup Final was really important for me to be able to close it down and once again it was 3-2 and we lost Game 6 to push that Game 7. My role was to backstop everybody when there was a mistake. But you know for the most part guys played well, we were committed defensively and that's how we made our success.

But there is no real success without adversity. And the Devils had their fair share as they watched the Ducks climb back into the series, having gone up 2-0 and 3-2.

And of course, there was that infamous moment in Game 3 of the Final. A moment, all these years later, that Brodeur still can't watch or stomach.

The 'Own-Goal.'

"Cleared down the ice, Ozolinsh was upended. And the Ducks start back up to center, down across the line, Ozolinsh again…. Oh look out, it's in the net! Brodeur came out and lost his stick and it hit his stick and it snuck behind him and it's in the goal. That's the weirdest goal I've seen in the Stanley Cup championship series. Oh baby."

- Bob Cole, Hockey Night in Canada

BRODEUR: It was just one of those once-in-a-lifetime things.

SCHWAB: You know what though, Marty didn't let in too many bad goals, but if he let in a bad goal, it was almost like alright, that's enough. Nobody else is scoring today. It's one of the things that made Marty great. If he was anything, he was unflappable. It wasn't going to bother him. If we gave up a goal early in the game, it was almost like alright, we only need two because Marty is going to shut it down from here on out. So yeah, Marty doesn't like to look at (the video of the own-goal) but when that happened, it was almost like alright guys, I'm embarrassed, that's it. Nobody gets anything from here on out. That's why he's the best in the game.

BRODEUR: I just tried to play the puck like I always do. I kind of just lost my stick and I looked at the puck, looked at my stick and was like Oh my god, this is no good. I didn't have the cheaters like the goalies have now between their legs. So even though I went down on my knees, it went straight through my legs. For a moment I didn't feel too big, lets put it this way.

Game 3 would go to overtime. Ruslan Salei would score the OT winner and the Mighty Ducks had their first win of the series.

BRODEUR: These guys are there to live a dream also, they weren't going to just roll over because they were down 2-0. They showed us what kind of team they were and the character they have.

Anaheim sent the series back to New Jersey - tied 2-2 after their Game 4 win.

SCOTT GOMEZ: It's just about getting the bounce and the break. We had our chances, they had their chances. It was a good hockey game and it came down to the end.

The Devils won Game 5. The Ducks won Game 6.

The teams were headed back to the Meadowlands for the decisive game.

BRODEUR: It's definitely a position we didn't want to be in, but we're facing this now and we're going to try and make the best of it. 

It was June 9, 2003.

It was Game 7.

PATRIK ELIAS: It's a Game 7. You've just got to tell yourself that this is it. There is no tomorrow for us.

BURNS: The biggest fear I had was not losing that game because you have no control once you send your players out, that's it, there's nothing we could have said more different. But the fear of disappointing people, your family, your friends…That was my biggest fear.

Mike Rupp's Goal

It's a historic goal that still stands today. As a rookie, Mike Rupp was on the ride of a lifetime. There he was in Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Final, a dream for any kid growing up playing hockey. But the ultimate dream, when you're out there on the road playing street hockey, pretending to be your favorite player, is scoring the Stanley Cup-clinching goal.

For Rupp, the dream became a reality.

"Friesen.. Rupp picks it up, trying to go back to the point. In, White's shot. Blocked by Niedermayer. Scott Niedermayer… Scores! Mike Rupp deflected it!"

- Gary Thorne, ESPN

RUPP: I remember the shift pretty distinctively. I remember (Jeff Friesen), kind of getting shot out of a cannon on the forecheck, just getting in there, and just started creating some havoc. I think that you know, obviously, I was filling in for (Joe Neiwendyk) who was unable to play and our line was good, just playing in the corners and just kind of holding on to pucks. I don't think that we were a line that was going to tic-tac-toe you to death or anything like that.

So we were just hanging onto pucks and kind of cycling it in the corner. And I always knew just getting the puck out to the point and just try to beat my defender to the net. That was basically all we tried to do. And I remember I threw it back out there on my backhand to Whitey (Colin White) and Whitey, he got his first shot kind of blocked, and then went to Neids (Scott Niedermayer) and Neids, one of the best at it, just saw some pucks through, and gave me one that it was really easy to tip.

I was just kind of going in front of the net and just got a piece of it. Nothing extravagant. But you just got to get a piece of the puck and it just snuck through the legs of (J.S. Giguere) so that goal, that moment, is pretty easy to say, that's the highlight of my hockey playing career.

Ask Sergei Brylin about it, and he takes a playfull dig at Rupp, now a broadcaster with the NHL Network.  

SERGEI BRYLIN: The good thing about the (Covid) quarantine was that they had all those old games on TV. So I was able to rewatch some of (Game 7). Honestly, if you watched the NHL Network you know Rupper's goal pretty good because they play it every time he's on. He didn't score many goals, but he scored all the highlight goals!

It was a whirl-wind year for Mike Rupp and what a way for it to come to a conclusion.

RUPP: That was my rookie year. I was just trying to find my way. I wanted to see if I could play in the league. So I didn't play all that much in the regular season. And I certainly wasn't on the playoff roster.I remember before the Final started, just with geographically, we're playing against Anaheim. They asked me and Christian Berglund to travel with the team and practice with the team. And in my mind, I just wanted to kind of soak everything in and watch. It was an experience that you just don't want to be the guy that messes up. I had all these veterans that kept me down, kepy my pulse down, and just go out there and play some hockey. It was an unbelievable experience.

A scratch to begin the playoffs, Rupp was eventually called upon on April 2, 2003, in Game 4 against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Head coach Pat Burns played one of his infamous mind games.

RUPP: I remember before Game 4, I had no indications I was going to play. We're in Anaheim and say it was around 5 o'clock when you get there before the game starts. One of the trainers goes 'Pat wants to see you.' I go in the training room and Pat comes up to me and he gets like really close to my face. And he goes 'were you out last night?' I go 'No, no I wasn't out last night.'

He goes, 'you weren't out last night?' And I'm like, 'Nope I was not out last night.' And he goes 'If I find out that you were out last night, you'll never play in this league again.' I was like 'I was in bed at 10:30, I'm a rookie.' He just made me so nervous. Like, I don't know why this guy thinks I went out last night.

He goes 'Alright, go get ready. You're playing.' Looking back at it, the guy is a genius, because I was so scared not to play hard and well because he would think that I was out, that I didn't even think about the magnitude of getting thrown into the Stanley Cup Final. It was one of those head games that the great Pat Burns played.

Mr. Devil Says Goodbye

Everybody, so it seems, has a Pat Burns story from the 2003 playoff run. And perhaps none quite as dramatic as Ken Daneyko.

The journey this time around, to his third Stanley Cup, was different for the man accurately named Mr. Devil.

His role this time around was limited to the point where he spent more games watching than he did playing. Daneyko was at the end of his career.

DANEYKO: Him and I almost killed each other a few times during the playoffs, as my role was diminishing. You're still a competitor. Man, did we battle. I don't get in the Final, I know I'm in and out, and I just want to win now. I mean, there's guys like (Turner Stevenson) and a bunch of guys like (Mike Rupp) and (Brian Gionta) have never won a Cup, even though they're young, it's still you may only get one opportunity. So I just want to win but you're frustrated. So when we fly back after Game 6 from Anaheim, I'm already resigned to the fact that, you've been part of it, you've had a long career, let's just win the Cup. (Burns) takes me aside as we go to the hotel, pulls me out as we're ready to go in and says, 'You're in tomorrow tonight, and don't tell anybody.' Now I'm shocked. I'm like a rookie. I'm like a little kid. Now I'm calling up my buddy, calling my family saying this guy's nuts, he's whacked, because I think he's making the wrong decision, he really is. I hadn't played in two weeks. I just didn't want to screw it up either. That's how I felt.

Daneyko also remembers that captain Scott Stevens played a part as well.

DANEYKO: When (Burns) told me I was going to play and not to tell anyone, he walked away from me. Well (Scott Stevens) was a part of that because apparently he went to Scotty and said 'What do you think of putting Dano in, will it give us a little lift for Game 7?' So, thank you for supporting that decision, Scotty. Scotty gave it the OK.

STEVENS: I didn't realize, I don't think that you hadn't played in that series yet. I mean, it was a no-brainer for me, it was a no-brainer for our teammates to have you in the lineup. You know, you're very important to our team and we knew what you bring to the table. You're the guy that plays hard, makes the right plays and simple and that's what we needed. We needed a guy who was steady back there and making the simple play, and add some physicality. That's what you brought, so I wasn't worried about the way you were going to perform. We know you're a big game player and I know our teammates wanted you in the lineup.

Daneyko, of course, did not 'screw it up' as he was afraid he might do. In fact, Daneyko playing his first game of the 2003 Final, at home in front of his home crowd would provide one of the great moments of the playoff run.

"One minute left to go, clock running. Marty Brodeur, trying to become just the third goaltender to pitch a shutout here in a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. And the Devils that close to their third Stanley Cup. Rucchin a shot, had it blocked, played by Brylin."

- Gary Thorne, ESPN

"And you notice Pat Burns has Ken Daneyko out on the ice for this last shift."

- Bill Clement, ESPN

"The Devil who has been here for all three of the Stanley Cup wins. He's on the ice to end this game. He's playing in his first game of this Final series."

- Gary Thorne, ESPN

The crowd went wild.

SCHWAB: One thing I remember from watching that, I think just from the fan perspective and the atmosphere that it brought every time you stepped on the ice, the crowd was chanting Dano! Dano! It gave the team a lift. But watching Dano sprint out on the ice and sprint off the ice quicker than he was going on the ice, you knew you were getting out there and getting the puck in there.

DANEYKO: I was going to tell the fans to be quiet, Schwaby. They're making me more nervous! I felt like it was my first game, but I was 39-years-old, an old fart, just happy to be part of Game 7.

COLIN WHITE: I'd like to say something, boys. I remember Dano was put out the last minute of the game. We were all on the bench going nuts and nobody wanted Marty to have his shutout ruined. And Dano was skating around with no stick for like 35 seconds, just scrambling out there.

DANEYKO: You're right Schwaby, I was going to make sure I got (the puck) out and make the right play. I didn't want to be the one that made the one bad pass, or the play that would cost us. I don't think I could have lived it down. And you're right, every time I did touch the puck, the fans went nuts. I was like please temper it down a little bit here. I'm getting nervous out there.

Champions

As the clock ticked down, Daneyko was on the ice, helping to preserve Brodeur's shutout. The crowd was erupting. 

They were champions - again. 

"The celebration starts…! The New Jersey Devils, for the third time in their history have won the Stanley Cup! The Devils three, the Ducks nothing! Devils!"

- Gary Thorne, ESPN

Piled onto the ice, the Devils celebrated. They were the 2003 Stanley Cup Champions.

Out came the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe trophy.

Boos rained down as Anaheim goaltender J.S. Giguere was awarded the Playoff MVP.

BRODEUR: If it wasn't for him, Anaheim would never have been in the Finals anyways. But you know, regardless for myself, so many guys, all of us chipped in. Look, it was unfortunate that you win the Cup and don't win the most valuable player on your team, but we would trade that in a heartbeat to have your name on the Stanley Cup.

Brodeur, at the moment on the ice, pretended to raise the Stanley Cup, signifying in that moment, that was far more important.

BRODEUR: That's what I did. I think the fans started chanting Marty's better. I think that's where it came from. So I think the fans, they came here for one thing, to see us winning the Stanley Cup and we did it. It was all good.

And then it was time for the Cup.

COMMISSIONER BETTMAN: Scott Stevens, you and I have done this before, come get the Stanley Cup.

Stevens raised it over his head for the third time.

He then passed it off to Scott Niedermayer, and from there, with a big toothless grin, Daneyko was third to receive the Cup.

Daneyko could be seen slamming his hands along the glass, celebrating with the fans who were lucky enough to sit that close. He was also seen on camera pointing to the crowd, clearly acknowledging what they meant to him.

DANEYKO: When I came out, the fans gave me an incredible ovation. That gave me goosebumps. I knew this could be it for me and I was just showing them my appreciation and thanks for the support they've given me and my family over the years.

ELIAS: It's a lot better the second time. It's even sweeter because we did it for the fans, here at home.

GOMEZ: When you win it at home, you can see your name on the Cup already. You realize how special this thing is. Not only for yourself, but for everyone in your family, your friends.

STEVENS: We could play any way you wanted to play. If you want to score some goals, we'll score some goals. Obviously, we could defend very well and that was our bread and butter if you wanted to play physical, if you wanted to fight we could do that. And I think that was what wins Stanley Cups: depth. It's even more important in this day and age, but back then we had depth and we had so many players participate in the Cup wins, you know it wasn't just 22 guys. Twenty-six guys played, they were all guys that were important. They came in from sitting out, coming into games and I think that's key.

We make the sacrifices out there that other teams didn't want to make. We were committed to playing the right way, we had roles to play and we were content with our roles because we knew it was going to give us an opportunity to win championships and win playoff rounds.

And that's what we did.

FOOTNOTES

This article used an array of different archived video interviews and broadcasts involving the 2003 Cup run. Special thanks to: 

• ESPN/ABC Broadcast

• Hockey Night in Canada Broadcast

• 2003 Reunion Video, NJD.TV 2020
• New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup 2002-2003 Champions DVD, NHL, Warner Video