1998 Stanley Cup Finals vs Washington Capitals

Lore & Background

Just six days after sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1997 Finals, Red Wings defenceman Vladimir Konstantinov and masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov sustained serious brain injuries when the limousine in which they were riding crashed. Viacheslav Fetisov was also in the limousine but was not seriously injured. The Red Wings subsequently dedicated their 1997–98 season to the two injured members and wore a patch on their jerseys bearing the players' initials. When the Red Wings were presented with the Stanley Cup, they wheeled Konstantinov onto the ice and placed the Cup in his lap. They also took him for a victory lap around the rink.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Joe Louis Arena hummed with a tension only a championship series can create. As the final buzzer sounded on Game 4, the roar of the crowd was not just noise; it was a collective exhale of forty-three years of longing. Steve Yzerman skated toward the bench, his face a mask of exhaustion and triumph, while the red lights flashed above the ice, signaling that Detroit had finally conquered the mountain.

Reader's Guide

Detroit advanced to the Finals by defeating the Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and Dallas Stars in six games each. Washington defeated the Boston Bruins 4–2, the Ottawa Senators 4–1, and the Buffalo Sabres 4–2. In game one, Detroit took an early lead and won 2–1. In game two, the Capitals led 4–2 in the third period, but Detroit tied it and won 5–4 in overtime on a goal by Kris Draper. In game three, Detroit scored in the first 35 seconds and won 3–2 after Sergei Fedorov's goal. In game four, Detroit won 4–1 to sweep the series. Steve Yzerman was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Did You Know?

• This marked the fourth consecutive, but remains to date the last Stanley Cup Final to end in a sweep.
• The Red Wings became the fourth franchise to win the Stanley Cup in back-to-back sweeps, joining the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and New York Islanders, and remain the most recent team to accomplish this fea
• Detroit coach Scotty Bowman won his eighth Stanley Cup in that capacity, tying him with former Canadiens coach Toe Blake for the record of most Cups won by a coach.
• Capitals head coach Ron Wilson became the first person to head coach in both an Olympics and a Stanley Cup Final in the same year, having coached team USA at the Nagano Olympics.
• Vladimir Konstantinov's name was engraved on the Stanley Cup despite his career-ending injury, after Detroit requested an exemption.