June 4, 2002
Finals a celebration of greybeards

Actual conversation overheard at Detroit Metro Airport 12 hours after the Red Wings demolished the Colorado Avalanche Friday night:

June 3, 2002
Tobacco Road goes nuts for a sport served on ice

RALEIGH, N.C. — The firs of June in North Carolina marks the start of hurricane season. But in Raleigh, the Hurricanes have been storming the region for weeks.

June 2, 2002
Avs should be ready for another run

DETROIT — Patrick Roy did not declare it his final game in an Avalanche sweater.

June 1, 2002
Red Wings leave Avalanche shell shocked after Game 7

Sports bars around Boulder became as silent as funeral parlors Friday night as Detroit put to rest any hope Colorado Avalanche fans had at another shot at Lord Stanley's Cup.

Wings say only Cup will satisfy

DETROIT — After his finest hour in a Red Wings sweater, Luc Robitaille was asked if this moment was the reason he signed here as a free agent.

Red Wings kick some Avs

DETROIT — A beautiful young blonde woman in a tight red dress sang the national anthem on Friday night, melting the ice and patriotic hearts inside an electric Joe Louis Arena.

Red Wings move on to Stanley Cup Finals with authority

Red Wings move on to Stanley Cup Finals with authority

Avalanche notes

Dan Hinote was scratched with a broken leg. Stephane Yelle wasn't healthy enough to even give the pregame skate a try.

May 31, 2002
One more time: Game 7

DENVER — There will be one more game between Colorado and Detroit, and it will probably come down to one lucky bounce or perfect shot.

In decisive Game 7, St. Patrick a safe bet

DETROIT — If you placed a ruler to Patrick Roy's face, you likely would measure a smirk wider than allowable on the day of a win-or-golf Game 7. His record in these situations isn't the greatest, but his familiarity with the emotions and expectations makes him a great asset in the final curtain call for the Western Conference championship series.

May 30, 2002
Wings force Avs into Game 7

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche players and coaches had no trouble analyzing their Game 6 loss to the Detroit Red Wings Wednesday night.

Injuries taking toll on reeling Avalanche

DENVER — Colorado Avalanche coach Bob Hartley is fond of saying you can't win with the players you don't have.

Avalanche notes

Apparently, the Colorado Avalanche believed they had caught Detroit's Dominik Hasek in the act of playing with an illegal stick.

Red Wings hope home ice makes difference

DENVER — The good news for Colorado is it won't have to play Detroit again here this season.

May 29, 2002
Avs one victory away from Stanley Cup finals

For the third time in six years Colorado will play the pivotal game at home when leading the conference finals 3-2.

Avs' Hinote out with broken leg

ENGLEWOOD — Dan Hinote has traded in his stick and skates for crutches.

Hurricanes topple Leafs in overtime

TORONTO — When the crowd fell silent, Martin Gelinas knew he had scored the biggest goal of his career, sending the Carolina Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup finals.

May 28, 2002
Peter great once again for Avs in OT

DETROIT — Peter Forsberg added a whole new chapter to his already amazing comeback story Monday night.

As usual, Roy keeps Avs in game

DETROIT — The apprehension in Joe Louis Arena in the intermission between the third period and the start of overtime seemed to take on a life of its own.

Avalanche notes

Brian Willsie's assist in overtime came in just his second career NHL playoff game. He didn't crack the postseason lineup until Mike Keane was injured in Game 3.

May 27, 2002
Avs hope to continue mode of 'desperation'

DETROIT — The only time Colorado Avalanche players seem to play the way they're capable of playing is when they absolutely have to.

De Vries proving to be invaluable

DETROIT — When Greg de Vries was traded to the Colorado Avalanche early in the 1998-99 season, it was for a third-round draft pick.

Resilient Leafs won't quit

TORONTO — Strange, confounding and remarkable. Darcy Tucker settled on the word "weird" to describe how his never-quit Toronto Maple Leafs have endured the postseason.

May 26, 2002
Finally, third's a charm for Avs

DENVER — Their season essentially on the line, the Colorado Avalanche players knew they had 20 minutes to get their acts together or else.

Fedorov ends drought

DENVER — Since the Western Conference finals shifted to the Pepsi Center the best player on either team has been Patrick Roy.

Hartley's switches boost Avs

DENVER — With all else failing against the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche head coach Bob Hartley decided to pull a Scotty Bowman.

Avalanche notes

If either the Colorado Avalanche or the Detroit Red Wings had their power plays working in Game 4, this would probably be a different series.

Cujo shuts out Hurricanes as Maple Leafs stay alive

RALEIGH, N.C. — Could this be the start of yet another playoff comeback by the Toronto Maple Leafs?

May 25, 2002
Avs must put pressure on Red Wings' Hasek

The Red Wings erased Drury's overtime art by going to work on the Avalanche in the corners and in front of the net to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals courtesy of a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.

Leafs befuddled by Carolina's Irbe

RALEIGH, N.C. — Time is running out for the Toronto Maple Leafs to solve Arturs Irbe.

Bowman still has heart for game

Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman has called Quinn a couple of times the past few days, but has been unable to speak with him.

May 24, 2002
Hartley: Avs will redeem themselves

That was Bob Hartley's take on the Avalanche, a team making its fourth consecutive appearance in the Western Conference finals, perhaps running out of energy during Wednesday night's 2-1 overtime loss to Detroit.

Red Wings on mission to win Cup

DENVER — The Detroit Red Wings have made themselves right at home at the Pepsi Center.

Hurricanes take 3-1 lead

TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs had inspiration on their side. The Carolina Hurricanes had Arturs Irbe.

May 23, 2002
Red Wings' barrage pays off

DENVER — Patrick Roy's interview session following the Colorado Avalanche's overtime loss in Game 3 Wednesday night went something like this:

Wings keep Forsberg, Sakic quiet

DENVER — If the Detroit Red Wings have truly figured out a way to contain Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic, the Colorado Avalanche is in trouble.

Olausson returned for the Cup

DENVER — The game-winning goal was scored by a Swede without a spleen.

Avalanche notes

Colorado Avalanche center Stephane Yelle left the game in overtime after he was hit into the Detroit Red Wings bench by Kirk Maltby.

May 22, 2002
Avs vow to begin protecting lead

DENVER — The lead has been a relatively easy thing for the Colorado Avalanche to obtain in its first two games against the Detroit Red Wings.

Wings need big guns to fire

DENVER — Had the Detroit Red Wings won Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, this story might have been about how, once again, their unsung heroes have given them the kind of balanced scoring that's tough to beat.

Avalanche notes

To hear Darius Kasparaitis tell it, what transpired between him and Chris Chelios at the end of Monday's game in Detroit was nothing but civil.

O'Neill's OT goal lifts Carolina past Toronto

TORONTO — Jeff O'Neill didn't let a severely swollen right eye keep him from giving the Carolina Hurricanes another overtime victory.