13 Years Later...

By Adam W Parks

Last Friday night I was in Joe Louis Arena standing and cheering and banging on the glass as the Red Wings defeated the Minnesota Wild 6-2. (Check out Lamp The Light on Facebook for more pictures).

I went to the game with Catie--a friend, coworker, and avid-Wings fan--and we were able to sneak our way down to seats right on the glass. Normally I prefer to sit up in higher sections to watch the plays develop on the ice, but to witness the speed and strength of these guys just inches from my face was an entirely different experience!

Anyway, Catie reminded me of a certain annivesary before the puck drop. The date was March 26...exactly 13 years after this:



I watched that game live as well, except I was sitting in front of a television screen instead of a pane of glass.

1997 was a fantastic year to be a Red Wings fan. With the longest Stanley Cup drought in the NHL parching the throats of everyone in Hockeytown, the Wings were anxious to quench the thirst. But first, they had to get by Colorado.

Claude Lemieux knocked Kris Draper out as the Avalanche knocked the Wings out of the 1996 playoffs. And taboot (taboot), the Avs were threatening to sweep the regular season series from Detroit, having already won three previous matchups in the 96-97 season. Everything was set for an epical game.

Tragedy. Revenge. Triumph. From beginning--the hit on Kris Draper--to end--Detroit's first Stanley Cup championship in over 40 years--the rivalry was poetry.

For me, that game on March 26, 1997 offered the greatest display of camaraderie between teammates and fans I have ever been a part of. Everybody wearing red--whether they were on the ice, in the stands at the Joe, or at home watching on TV--can proudly point to that game, that moment, and say, "That is why I love the Red Wings."

My eyes still well up when I watch replays. The Stanley Cup would not have come to Detroit that season without that game.

On the ride to the Joe last Friday Catie asked me if I had seen the online McCarty/Lemieux interview. She assured me that they did indeed sit down together for the first time ever and discussed the rivalry, the brawl, and whether either would ever want to play together on the same team.

I finally got around to watching the near-20 minute interview this morning, and i have to say it is freaking awesome! And as much as I would have liked to see Mac punch Claude in the mouth one more time, it was kinda cool, in a stomch-churning sort of way, to see them shake hands.

Both guys have a great amount of respect for the game, and it seems at least for each other. To listen and watch them interact off the ice and share differing perspecetives on emotional memories is absolutely compelling.

Here is the entire interview broken up into three videos. The girth on these is too wide for my blogging format, so click on each to view the full videos. Enjoy!







Peace