1998 Playoffs

1998 PLAYOFFS

ROUND ONE: Phoenix Coyotes

The Wings' first round opponent was the Phoenix Coyotes. The Coyotes are a strong, physical team with superstars such as Jeremy Roenick and Keith Tkachuk. The Wings' got a break when Coyotes goalie Nikolai Khabibulan--the Bulin Wall--went down with a groin injury in Game 4, but the series was by no means easy. Phoenix stretched it out to 6 games, with back-up goalie Jimmy Waite starting in Games 5 and 6. Wings were much the superior team, though, and clinched the series in Phoenix amid the Coyote fans' white-out.
Round One vs. Phoenix Coyotes Game-by-Game Summary

Wings scrappy forward Tomas Holmstrom makes himself
obnoxious in front of Coyotes' goalie Nikolai Khabibulan
and Coyotes defenseman Gerald Diduck

ROUND TWO: St. Louis Blues
The series against the Blues began poorly with a 4-2 loss at Joe Louis Arena. The Wings gave the Blues 9 power play situations. The WIngs were more disciplined in Game 2, but St. Louis had a scarry moment when captain Chris Pronger collapsed after being hit in the chest with a shot. The big defenceman was unconcious for a few minutes, and was taken to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed that he went into cardiac arrhythmia, which means he had a irregular heartbeat. Pronger recovered quickly, and was cleared to play in Game 3, which turned out to be a very exciting game!! Wings led, 2-1, with 54.4 seconds remaing, when Blues defenceman Al MacInnis let loose a vicious slap shot from center ice. The puck got past Osgood, and sent the game into overtime. Wings had a close call in the first overtime period, when a shot by Craig Conroy appeared to bounce off the right goal-post and into the goal line. But the video replay judge determined theat the puck had slid directly accrss the mouth of the goal and did not go over the goal line--Wings fans breathed a HUGE sigh of relief!!! Brendan Shanahan finally ended it halfway through the second over time with a nifty shot through Grant Fuhr's five-hole. Game 4 was a blow-out, 5-2, but the desparate and fiesty Blues managed to prolong the series with a 3-1 win in Game Five. But the champion Wings showed that they could bounce back, and headed to the conference finals with a 6-1 trompling in Game 6.
Round Two vs. St. Louis Blues Game-by-Game Summary

Wings goalie Chris Osgood and steller defenceman
Larry Murphy defend the goal
ROUND THREE: Dallas Stars
As the Conference Finals began, the hockey world knew that the Stanley Cup would be won by one of these hockey powers--the Detroit Red Wings or the Dallas Stars. Both teams pride themselves on their superb defence and deep bench. Game One was an uneventful 2-0 victory for the Wings. Game Two was a very physical 3-1 Stars victory. Wings started out strong in Game Three, four easy gaols before Dallas scored even one. Then the Wings seemed to get too comfortable with their lead, letting Dallas shorten the lead to 4-3. But Marty Lapointe got them out of the danger zone when Stars goalie Ed Belfour came behind the net to play the puck. Lapointe gave him a little bump, and Belfour flopped on the ice, hoping to draw a penalty. Referee Terry Gregson did not go for the dive, and Psycho Eddie, as many call him, was caught out of position. Lapointe sent a zoomer between the legs of Psycho Eddie, who was frantically trying to get back to the net. The biggest story of Game Four wasn't Detroit's 3-2 win, but the attendance of fallen comrades Vladdie Konstantinov and Sergei Mnatsakonov. They watched the game from the owners suite, and when Budd Lynch formally welcomed them over the PA system, the Joe exploded into cheers. The fans leaped to their feet and Vladdie and Sergei waved and smiled amidst wild applause. Game 5 was freaky--Guy Carbonneau tied it with 85 seconds left in the game with a shot from the right circle which deflected off Nick Lidstrom's stick and into the net. Then Jamie Langenbrunner won it for Dallas with a blast from center just 45 seconds overtime. Osgood's critics dragged up Al MacInnis's similar shot in Round 2 and re-emphasised their earlier statements that Osgood didn't have what it takes to be a Cup-winning goalie. Ozzie proved them all wrong with an impressive 2-0 blanking to close out the series and send Detroit to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second consecutive year!!!!
Conference Finals vs. Dallas Stars Game-by-Game Summary

Red Wings Captain Steve Yzerman shoots
ROUND FOUR: Washington Capitals
Wings were the obvious favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Their opponent, the Washington Capitals hadn't been challanged much so far in the playoffs, defeating Boston, Ottawa, and Buffalo. Game One was a tight 2-1 victory for the Wings. Ozzie proved himself against the much feared monster that was Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig.
Game Two was a tremondously exciting overtime contest. Yzerman opened the scoring int he first period, but Wahington scored 3 goals in the second. Yzerman got another and narrowed the lead to one at 6:37 of the third, but Capitals' Joey Juneau reclamied the two-goal lead 28 seconds later. At 8:08, Martin Lapointe made it 4-3 and Washington began to lose control. Finally at 15:48, Doug Brown flew in on Kolzig, and flipped the puck over his shoulder, tying the game. Wings fans went bazerk. The game went to overtime. The 2 teams battled for over 15 minutes, both goalies making miraculous saves. The puck slid along the boards and stopped by the right corner, followed by Martin Lapointe. Kris Darper came in from a line change and was alone in front of the net. Kolzig was crouched by the opposite post. Lapointe saw Draper; Washington didn't. Draper got his stick down on the ice, Lapointe passed it to him, and Draper one timed it into the open net. The fans went wild, and Capitals went back to Washington for Games 3 and 4 in disgrace.
Game 3 was another close contest. The MCI Center in the nation's capital was full of Red Wings fans; some had journeyed down from the Motor City and some were merely Hockeytown citizens in exile. Wings rewarded their faithful with a 2-1 victory. Everyone was looking ahead to Game 4, anticipating back-to-back sweeps for back-to-back Cups. But the excitment was tinged with sadness. Game 3 was played on June 13, 1998, exactly one year after the horrible car accident that severly injured Vladdie and Sergei.
Game 4 was a big win for the Wings, but the 4-1 score was not the biggest story. A few minutes into the third period, every eye turned to Section 116. Wings fans and Capitals fans alike rose to their feet in a spontaneous ovation for a very special member of the Detroit Red Wings. Vladdie Konstantinov smiled and waved to his fans, and then, supported by his wife, Irina, he rose to his feet, flashing the old Vladinator smile. The Wings and Capitals banged their sticks against the boards, and after that, there was no way that Washington could win.
Finally the horn signaled the end of the game. Chris Osgood threw his arms in the air as Martin Lapointe leaped onto him. The Wings on the bench shreiked and embraced, and then poured off the ice to pile up on top of Osgood and Murphy. Vladdie was rolled onto the ice, and the fans began to chant, "Vlad-die!! Vlad-die!! Vlad-die!!" Slava Fetisov knelt beside him and they beamed at each other. Igor Larionov hugged him from behind and kissed him on both cheeks, Russian-style. Then the cheers turned to "Stevie!! Stevie!! Stevie!!" as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman presented Wings captain Steve Yzerman with the Conn Smythe trophy for MVP of the playoffs. Stevie Wonder was congratulated by his teammates, and then the Conn Smythe was entrusted to the equipment staff, as everyone's attention turned to the ultimate prize--the Stanley Cup.
Stevie accepted Lord Stanley from Gary Bettman, and raised it above his head as the Wings fans went crazy. Then the Captain skated over to Vladdie's wheelchair and placed the cup in his lap. The team gathered around for a picture, whooping and sticking up two fingers. Eventually the party moved off he ice and into the locker room, where the Wings celebrated with their families. Ozzie was greeted by his mom with a hug and a kiss!! Finally around 6 am, the team was back in Detroit. No one got any sleep for days, because, even if we die in the attempt, we gotta party!!!!! Three days later the city of Detroit hosted a victory parade for its heores, which was attended by over a million people!!! After the parade, a rally was held in Hart Plaza to give the players a chance to speak to the fans. Vladdie and Sergei were wheeled onto the platform to take their places with the team, and there was not a dry eye in the audience as Vladdie slowly stood, and walked across the stage with the help of John Wharton and Slava Fetisov.
Hockeytown had a summer of fun and games, fully relishing the chance to completely celebrate this championship, as well as to make up for the joy we lost last year. Now the 1998-99 season is well under way, and the Wings are trying to do what none have done before--win three consecutive Stanley Cup Championships.
Conference Finals vs. Washington Capitals Game-by-Game Summary

Thanks to the Detroit Free Press, Stanleytown, and Believe; the Detroit News and Believe;
Inside Hockeytown, and the Official Red Wings Yearbook, for quotes and information on this page.

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