2001 Stanley Cup playoffs


The 2001 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League, began on April 11, 2001, and ended on June 9, 2001, when the Western Conference champion Colorado Avalanche defeated the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils to win its second Stanley Cup.
Defenceman Ray Bourque, who had a 21-year tenure in Boston, won his first Stanley Cup in his final professional year. Joe Sakic, Swedish center Peter Forsberg, defenceman Rob Blake, and goalkeeper Patrick Roy claimed the Stanley Cup for the final time in their careers. Roy was also awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy, his third, the most by any player. No hat tricks were scored in the 2001 playoffs, and goaltenders combined for a record 19 shutouts. This was the first of ten consecutive seasons the Florida Panthers missed the playoffs, the longest playoff drought in NHL history.

Playoff seeds

Eastern Conference

  1. New Jersey Devils, Atlantic Division champions, Eastern Conference regular season champions – 111 points
  2. Ottawa Senators, Northeast Division champions – 109 points
  3. Washington Capitals, Southeast Division champions – 96 points
  4. Philadelphia Flyers – 100 points
  5. Buffalo Sabres – 98 points
  6. Pittsburgh Penguins – 96 points
  7. Toronto Maple Leafs – 90 points
  8. Carolina Hurricanes – 88 points

    Western Conference

  9. Colorado Avalanche, Northwest Division champions, Western Conference regular season champions, Presidents' Trophy winners – 118 points
  10. Detroit Red Wings, Central Division champions – 111 points
  11. Dallas Stars, Pacific Division champions – 106 points
  12. St. Louis Blues – 103 points
  13. San Jose Sharks – 95 points
  14. Edmonton Oilers – 93 points
  15. Los Angeles Kings – 92 points
  16. Vancouver Canucks – 90 points

    Playoff bracket

Conference Quarterfinals

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

(1) New Jersey Devils vs. (8) Carolina Hurricanes

This was Carolina's second post-season appearance since relocating from Hartford. This is to date the most recent occasion that the Hurricanes have lost a series in the first two rounds. They have gone 8-0 in these series since.

(2) Ottawa Senators vs. (7) Toronto Maple Leafs

(3) Washington Capitals vs. (6) Pittsburgh Penguins

scored the series-winning goal.

(4) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) Buffalo Sabres

In the first period of Game 1, Dominik Hasek made a save on Mark Recchi's penalty shot opportunity.

Western Conference Quarterfinals

(1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (8) Vancouver Canucks

This was Vancouver's first appearance in the playoffs since the 1995–96 season.

(2) Detroit Red Wings vs. (7) Los Angeles Kings

(3) Dallas Stars vs. (6) Edmonton Oilers

(4) St. Louis Blues vs. (5) San Jose Sharks

scored the series-winning goal.

Conference Semifinals

Eastern Conference Semifinals

(1) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Toronto Maple Leafs

In game one, Nik Antropov scored the game-winning goal in the second period, while Curtis Joseph saved all 32 shots by the Devils. In game two, the Leafs led by one goal going into the second period. The Devils scored four consecutive goals against Joseph, one each by Gomez, Rafalski, Mogilny and Madden. The Maple Leafs' Sundin scored a short-handed goal 29 seconds into the third period, and the Devils' Mogilny scored a power-play goal 38 seconds after that. The Leafs' Thomas and Sundin combined to score three goals, and the game required overtime, during which the Devils' Randy Mckay scored the game-winning goal. In game three, Rafalski scored the game-winning goal off a deflection in overtime. The Devils recorded 17 more shots than Toronto. In game four, Toronto's Corson scored in the first period, and Berezin and Mats Sundin scored in the second. The Devils' Elias scored a power-play goal in the second period. Maple Leafs' forward Tie Domi checked Devils defenceman Scott Niedermayer, who left the ice rink on a stretcher. In game five, Leafs' defenceman Cory Cross initiated scoring early in the second period, and Devils' right winger Petr Sykora and center Jason Arnott scored one goal each. In the third period, Toronto's Tomas Kaberle scored a goal. In game six, Brian Rafalski scored the game-winning goal for the Devils. In game seven, the Devils' Patrik Elias scored two goals in the second period.

(5) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) Pittsburgh Penguins

In game one, Penguins center Lemieux scored the game-winning goal in the first period. Centers Wayne Primeau and Jan Hrdina also scored. Penguins winger Jaromir Jagr, who assisted on the Lemieux goal in the first period, injured his leg in the third period and did not play in game two. In game two, the Penguins' Robert Lang, Ference and Kovalev scored goals. Sabres centre Stu Barnes scored. In game three, Sabres defenceman Jason Woolley scored the game-winning goal. His teammates Curtis Brown, Miroslav Satan and James Patrick also scored. In game four, Stu Barnes scored two goals, including the game-winning goal. Buffalo's Jean-Pierre Dumont, Curtis Brown scored also scored. The Penguins' Martin Straka and Janne Laukkanen scored. In game five, Stu Barnes scored the game-winning goal in overtime. His teammates Chris Gratton and Curtis Brown also scored goals. The Penguins' Jaromir Jagr and Aleksey Morozov scored. Martin Straka had an unsuccessful penalty shot. In game six, Martin Straka scored the game-winning goal in overtime. His teammates Mario Lemieux Alexei Kovalev also scored. Buffalo's Maxim Afinogenov and Donald Audette scored for the Sabres. In game seven, Penguins defenceman Darius Kasparaitis scored the game-winning goal in overtime. Pittsburgh's Andrew Ference and Robert Lang also scored. Buffalo's Jean-Pierre Dumont and Steve Heinze scored for the Sabres.

Western Conference Semifinals

(1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (7) Los Angeles Kings

In game one, the Avalanche took two minor penalties, one of which led to the game-winning power play goal by Kings defenceman Jaroslav Modry. In game three, Avalanche centre Joe Sakic injured his shoulder and would sit out part of the series. Game six featured 65 shots and one goal, scored by Kings winger Glen Murray in the second overtime.

(3) Dallas Stars vs. (4) St. Louis Blues

Dallas was swept for the first time since 1984, during the franchise's Minnesota North Stars era.

Conference Finals

Eastern Conference Final

(1) New Jersey Devils vs. (6) Pittsburgh Penguins

Game three was Martin Brodeur's 11th career postseason shutout, and it was also the first home shutout loss for the Penguins since 1975. In game four, Martin Brodeur recorded his 12th career playoff shutout.

Western Conference Final

(1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (4) St. Louis Blues

In game one, Joe Sakic's penalty shot goal was awarded when Blues goaltender Roman Turek was ruled to have thrown his stick.

Stanley Cup Finals

The 2001 Finals was the first and, to date, only playoff series between these two teams. Colorado made its second Finals appearance and first since defeating Florida in a four game sweep in 1996. New Jersey made its second consecutive and third overall Finals appearance after defeating Dallas the year before. It was the first Finals match-up to feature both regular season conference champions since 1989. New Jersey won both games in this year's regular season series.

Playoff statistics

Skaters

Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic led the playoffs in scoring for the second time in his career. Patrik Elias of the New Jersey Devils finished second in playoff scoring with 23 points. The table lists the top 10 point producers.
PlayerTeam
Colorado Avalanche21131326+66
New Jersey Devils2591423+1110
Colorado Avalanche2371623+86
New Jersey Devils25101222+1512
Colorado Avalanche2361521+138
Colorado Avalanche2361319+616
New Jersey Devils2571118+107
Pittsburgh Penguins1861117+44
Colorado Avalanche2311516+54
New Jersey Devils2561016+137
New Jersey Devils2551116+38

Goaltenders

The following table lists goaltenders with at least 420 minutes.
PlayerTeam
Colorado Avalanche23167622411.70.9344 1450:56
St. Louis Blues1495382312.05.9190 908:26
New Jersey Devils251510507522.07.8974 1504:43
Buffalo Sabres1376347292.09.9161 833:00
Toronto Maple Leafs1174329242.10.9273 684:56