ANANHEIM, California, 9 June 2003 — Steve Rucchin scored twice and Anaheim finally got their power-play clicking as the Mighty Ducks stomped New Jersey 5-2 on Saturday to set the stage for a Game Seven Stanley Cup finals showdown.
Rucchin scored two unanswered goals, just nine minutes apart, as Anaheim jumped out to a 3-0 lead at the end of the first period. “You can’t dream of anything more,” said Rucchin. “A chance to win the Stanley Cup in game seven. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Anaheim is 9-1 at home this postseason as the home team has won each of the first six games of the National Hockey League finals.
The deciding game is today in New Jersey where the Ducks will try to become the first team since the 1971 Montreal Canadiens to win a game seven in the finals on the road after the home team won the first six.
It will be just the 12th game seven in Stanley Cup finals history and the home team has a 9-2 record in the 11 previous ones.
New Jersey failed on Saturday to take advantage of a 3-2 series lead after beating the Ducks 6-3 in game five on Thursday.
The Devils are seeking their third Stanley Cup since 1995 but Saturday’s loss brought back painful memories of blowing a 3-2 series lead in 2001 against the Colorado Avalanche. New Jersey lost that series in seven.
“It has been a homer series so far,” said New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur. “You never know what is going to happen in game seven. You rely on a bounce here and there.
“We can play a lot better defensively in our building. It will be important for us to get the lead.”
Rucchin opened the scoring for Anaheim at 4:26 of first when his shot deflected off New Jersey captain Scott Stevens past a startled Brodeur.
The Ducks got a couple of lucky bounces on the play as Paul Kariya carried the puck over the Devils’ blueline and tried to make a long pass.
The puck hit a New Jersey defender and bounced right to Rucchin whose shot then deflected off Stevens’ right foot into the net.
Ducks coach Mike Babcock said the key to the win was Anaheim’s quick start.
“We had a good energy level and got ahead right away,” said Babcock. “Right now we got a one game shot at winning the cup. This is the biggest stage.”
Rucchin scored his second goal and seventh of the post-season at 13:42. Rob Niedermayer did the bulk of the work behind the net, fighting off a Devils’ defenseman and the puck squirted loose to Mike Leclerc who fed Rucchin in slot for the one-timer which he clanged off the right post.
“The biggest thing was staying patient and waiting for our opportunities,” said Kariya, who had to leave the game to see the team doctor in the second period after taking a vicious elbow in the head from Stevens.
“I didn’t know if he was alive,” said Brodeur. “He didn’t move for awhile.”
Anaheim took a commanding 3-0 lead at 15:59 of the first on a Steve Thomas powerplay goal. It was first of two powerplay markers by the Ducks on Saturday.
The Ducks had the man advantage after Devils’ leading scorer Jamie Langenbrunner was given a double minor penalty for roughing. It was Thomas’ fourth goal of the playoffs.
Jay Pandolfo pulled the Devils to within two goals early in the second period but it was one of the few times New Jersey would get to celebrate on the evening.
That set the stage for Kariya’s return late in the second and his goal which gave Anaheim a commanding 4-1 lead.
Stevens shrugged off the hit on Kariya. He didn’t receive a penalty on the play but was booed throughout the rest of the game by the Anaheim fans.
“Hey, it is a physical game,” said Stevens, who did not have one of his better games. “It just didn’t happen for us. They worked hard and didn’t quit after we beat them pretty good back home.”
