2001 Stanley Cup Finals

The 2001 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the defending champion New Jersey Devils and the Colorado Avalanche making the franchise's second Stanley Cup Final appearance, and first since the team won the 1996 Final. The Avalanche won the series in seven games, claiming their second Stanley Cup championship. This marked the only Stanley Cup championship for Avalanche defenseman Ray Bourque, who retired following the series. As of 2008, this is the most recent time that a defending champion had lost in the Finals. This was also the second consecutive Final series of teams that had relocated. This was the first stanley cup finals since 1994 that would go seven.
==Paths to the final==
New Jersey defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4–2, the Toronto Maple Leafs 4–3 and the Pittsburgh Penguins 4–1 to advance to the finals. Colorado defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4–0, the Los Angeles Kings 4–3 and the St. Louis Blues 4–1.
==The series==
This is the first ever Final that featured two teams playing in a city that was the previous home of one team and the present home of another. The Colorado Rockies were formerly based in Denver and were relocated and renamed the New Jersey Devils prior to the 1982-83 season. The Quebec Nordiques were relocated to Denver and renamed the Colorado Avalanche prior to the 1995-96 season. 
==Colorado Avalanche 2001 Stanley Cup champions ==
==Non-players==
*E. Stanley Kroenke (owner/governor/chairman), Pierre Lacroix (president/general manager), Bob Hartley (head coach)
*Jacques Cloutier (goaltending coach), Brian Trottier (ass’t coach), Paul Fixter (video coach), Francois Giguere (ass’t general manager)
*Jean Martineau (vice president), Pat Karns (athletic therapist), Matthew Sokolowski (ass’t athletic therapist)
*Wayne Flemming (equipment manager), Mark Miller (equipment manager), Dave Randolph (ass’t equipment manager)
*Paul Goldberg (strength-conditioning coach), Gregorio Pradera (massage therapist), Brad Smith (pro scout)
*Jim Hammett (chief scout), Garth Joy, Steve Lyons (scouts)
*Joni Lehto, Orval Tessier (scouts), Charlotte Grahame (director of hockey operations).
== Quotes ==
"Ten seconds left to go! The countdown.... cleared out.... out of the zone! THE COLORADO AVALANCHE HAVE WON THE STANLEY CUP! RAYMOND BOURQUE, A DREAM HAS COME TRUE!" - Gary Thorne calling the final seconds of Game 7
"And after 22 years... RAYMOND BOURQUE!" - Gary Thorne when Joe Sakic handed the cup off to Ray Bourque
"One team.... one goal..... THE STANLEY CUP!" - Mike Haynes, the Colorado Avalanche radio announcer, at the end of Game 7
"Joe Sakic, he immediately HANDS IT OFF TO RAY BOURQUE, WHO LIFTS IT UP AND OVER HIS HANDS!! RAY BOURQUE, 22 YEARS, HAS WAITED FOR THIS MOMENT!!!!" - Mike Haynes when Joe Sakic handed the cup off to Ray Bourque
== Aftermath ==
The next season, the Avalanche would fall short in the Conference Finals to the Red Wings, who eventually went on to capture the Stanley Cup. As for the Devils, they fell in the first round the following year to the eventual Stanley Cup runner up, the Carolina Hurricanes. The Devils would not return to the Finals until two years later, where they would defeat the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in seven games to earn their third Stanley Cup. The Avalanche, on the other hand, would not return to the Finals until 21 years later where they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games to capture their third Stanley Cup. 
==References==
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==External links==
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Category:2001 in hockey
Category:Stanley Cup
Category:Colorado Avalanche
Category:New Jersey Devils