2002 Hurricanes-Stars Stanley Cup Final

Lore & Background

The Hurricanes finished the regular season with 91 points, clinching the Southeast Division and the third seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round, the Hurricanes defeated the two-time defending Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils in six games. In the second round, the Hurricanes dispatched the eighth seeded Montreal Canadiens in six games to reach their first Eastern Conference Final since moving from Hartford. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hurricanes defeated the fourth seeded Toronto Maple Leafs in six games apiece to advance to the Finals for the first time in franchise history, becoming the first team from North Carolina to ever play for a major professional sports championship. The Red Wings finished with the league's best record at 116 points, clinching the Presidents' Trophy and the overall #1 seed in the playoffs. In the first round, the Red Wings survived an early scare against the eighth-seeded Vancouver Canucks as they lost the first two games at home, but recovered to win four straight games and advance to the next round, where they defeated the fourth seed St. Louis Blues in five quick games. In the Western Conference Finals, the Red Wings faced the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. After dropping Game 5 at home in overtime, it was felt that the Red Wings would be eliminated headed to Denver for Game 6. However, Hasek posted two shutouts in Games 6 and 7, including a 7–0 blowout win in Game 7 at home, to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the fourth time in eight years.

Reader's Guide

The Hurricanes stunned the Red Wings in the first game on the strength of Ron Francis's overtime goal. It was the first time the team had won a game in Detroit since 1989. That would be Carolina's only win in the series as the Red Wings won four straight, including a triple overtime win in game three. The Cup win was the first for many veterans on the team, including goaltender Dominik Hasek, forward Luc Robitaille, and defencemen Steve Duchesne (who retired after this season) and Fredrik Olausson. It was the second Cup win for Chris Chelios, sixteen years after he first won the Cup as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

Did You Know?

• The 25-point differential between the Red Wings (116 points) and the Hurricanes (91 points) was the largest between two teams in a Stanley Cup Final since 1994.
• Scotty Bowman won his ninth Cup as a head coach in 2002, surpassing the mark he held jointly with Montreal coach Toe Blake.