Tuesday, May 27, 2003
New Jersey will play Anaheim for the Stanley Cup trophy.
OTTAWA (AP) -- Jeff Friesen was down, shocked that his mistake in the third period might cost the New Jersey Devils a chance at another Stanley Cup.
Moments later he scored the biggest goal of his career and sent his team to the finals.
Friesen put the Devils in front for good with 2:14 left as New Jersey beat the Ottawa Senators 3-2 Friday night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.
His turnover in the opening minutes of the third period led to Radek Bonk's tying goal at 1:53. But inspirational words from coach Pat Burns and several teammates -- including injured forward Joe Nieuwendyk -- kept him focused and ready to shine.
"I made a bad play at their blue line," Friesen said. "I couldn't believe it, there was a lot going on in my mind."
Redemption
At that time there weren't too many thoughts that he would score his third game-winner of the series. But Friesen got behind the Ottawa defense, took a brilliant pass from Grant Marshall and put the puck in.
"I couldn't even react, I couldn't even describe what that was like," Friesen said. "It just happened to work out that I got a chance to get that big goal."
The Devils, champions in 2000 and finalists in 2001, led the series 3-1 before dropping consecutive games for the first time in the postseason. That got the Presidents' Trophy-winning Senators into a deciding game few thought would occur.
"We weren't disappointed when we came here for Game 7 because we knew it was a one-game series and the team we were playing was an unbelievable hockey team," Friesen said.
Ottawa took a 1-0 lead when Magnus Arvedson scored 3:33 in, but Jamie Langenbrunner scored goals 1:54 apart to put New Jersey in front. After Bonk retied it, Friesen atoned for his error.
Marshall got a pass from the left circle between the legs of Ottawa defenseman Wade Redden and onto the stick of Friesen, who was all alone in front. The goal silenced a frenzied crowd that felt destiny was in their team's hands.
"We battled back. A great year in there," Senators goalie Patrick Lalime said. "We showed a lot of character coming back."
Stanley Cup finals
But the Devils are the Eastern Conference champions for the third time in four years. They will face the Anaheim Mighty Ducks for the Stanley Cup with Game 1 in New Jersey on Tuesday night.
Friesen, traded to New Jersey from Anaheim last summer, also scored the game-winning goals in Games 2 and 4 of this series.
It was a bitter ending for the Senators, who overcame bankruptcy, late pay checks and a checkered playoff history in a stirring season.
"Our goal was to go further. It's starting to hit me now," Redden said. "It happened so quick there, it's a tough one."
Ottawa was the NHL's top team in the regular season with 113 points, and seemed poised to reach the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in its 11-year history. The Senators won Game 5 at home, the first time they ever avoided elimination, and they took Game 6 on the road on Wednesday night.