4 4 Champion Detroit Red Wings MVP Steve Yzerman | 4 1 Start date June 9, 1998 | |
 | ||
Location(s) Detroit (Joe Louis Arena) (1,2)
Washington (MCI Center) (3,4) Coaches Detroit: Scotty Bowman
Washington: Ron Wilson Captains Detroit: Steve Yzerman
Washington: Dale Hunter Referees Bill McCreary (1,4)
Don Koharski (2)
Terry Gregson (3) Similar 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, 2002 Stanley Cup Finals, 1996 Stanley Cup Finals, 1995 Stanley Cup Finals, 2000 Stanley Cup Finals | ||
1998 stanley cup finals highlights
The 1998 Stanley Cup Finals NHL championship series was contested by the Western Conference champion and defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals. It was the 105th year of the Stanley Cup being contested. It was the Capitals' first appearance in a Stanley Cup Final since the franchise's inception in 1974. The Red Wings won the series for the second year in a row, four games to none. It was the Wings' ninth Stanley Cup, and as of 2016, this is the last season in which a defending Stanley Cup champion has successfully defended and retained the Stanley Cup and is also the most recent time when a Finals concluded with a sweep. This was also the last time until 2002 that a Stanley Cup Finals ended after an NBA Finals in the same season had concluded. Detroit coach Scotty Bowman won his eighth Stanley Cup in that capacity (having previously done so with the Montreal Canadiens in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979, the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992, and the Wings the previous year), tying him with former Canadiens coach Toe Blake for the record of most Cups won by a coach (which he would break when he helped the Red Wings win the 2002 Cup).
Contents
- 1998 stanley cup finals highlights
- 1998 stanley cup finals capitals red wings game 2
- Motivation to win a second straight title
- Road to the Finals
- The series
- Game one
- Game two
- Game three
- Game four
- Stanley Cup engravings
- References
1998 stanley cup finals capitals red wings game 2
Motivation to win a second straight title
Just six days after sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1997 Finals, Red Wings defenseman 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.
Road to the Finals
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.
The series
In this series, 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. Peter Laviolette would join him in this feat in 2006 while with the Carolina Hurricanes during their championship season, having coached the American ice hockey team during the Torino Olympics.
Game one
At home, Detroit took an early lead in the first period and scored two goals within two minutes and 14 seconds of each other. The Red Wings were able to hold off a Washington assault and take the first game of the series with a score of 2–1.
Game two
It looked as if the Capitals would to tie the series with a 4–2 lead in the third period, but after a Detroit goal to make it 4–3, Capitals forward Esa Tikkanen had a shot midway through the third period that would have likely put Detroit away before the venue changed back to Washington's MCI Center, and also would have changed the entire dynamic of the series, but he missed the open net shot. Detroit then rallied late in the third period to tie the game and send it into overtime. Kris Draper scored with four minutes left in the first overtime to give the Red Wings a 5–4 victory and a 2–0 lead in the series.
Game three
Detroit scored in the first 35 seconds to take an early lead which held up until the third period. The Capitals tied the game midway through the third period, but Sergei Fedorov scored to give the Wings a three games to none lead in the series.
Game four
In game four, Detroit was dominant throughout to win the game by a score of 4–1 and sweep the series.
Stanley Cup engravings
Included on the team picture, but left off the Stanley Cup