Game Recap

DALLAS 1, NEW JERSEY 2 (OT) DALLAS (AP) - Five overtimes in two cities in three nights. No wonder the New Jersey Devils were almost too tired to lift the Stanley Cup. Jason Arnott ripped a shot from the left circle past Dallas goaltender Ed Belfour 8:20 into the second overtime, ending a second consecutive tension-filled overtime game -- and the Stars' Stanley Cup run -- with a 2-1 Devils victory Saturday night. Arnott one-timed Patrik Elias' no-look pass as the Devils prevented the Stars from forcing a Game 7 Monday in New Jersey and won their second Cup in six seasons. Because the Devils wouldn't lose on the road to Dallas -- they were 3-0 in Reunion Arena -- the Stanley Cup has a new home. The Stars, who won the Cup on the road in Game 6 last year in Buffalo, lost it in Game 6 at home. It was the third time in five years the Cup was won in overtime, and the fourth time in five years the Cup has been won on the road. Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur ended his record-tying seven-game overtime playoff losing streak by making 30 saves, while Belfour -- one of the heroes of the Stars' exhausting 1-0, three-overtime victory in Game 5 -- lost despite stopping 43-of-45 shots. "This is an unbelievable feeling," said Brodeur, who had been 1-5 in multiple-overtime games. "This time around, I think I realized it a little more. And what better way to stop that streak." It was the first time in the best-of-seven era there have been back-to-back multiple overtime games in the Finals. Devils defenseman Scott Stevens was named the Conn Smythe Award winner as the playoffs Most Valuable Player. Stevens joked that he was "almost too tired to lift the Cup" following five overtimes in two cities in only three nights. As the Cup was handed to Elias, he had injured linemate Petr Sykora's jersey draped over his shoulder. Sykora was carried off on a stretcher with 12:08 gone, but was not believed to be seriously injured. The Stars' fans were clearly distraught at seeing the Cup won on their ice, but most stayed to cheer the post-game presentation to Stevens by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Many fans began cheering, "Stan-ley Cup," and "Stan-ley Cup" and "Ed-die, Ed-die" in appreciation not only of two of the most stirring overtime games in recent Cup history, but the excellent goaltending. "These were two unbelievable hockey games," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Without the two goaltenders that were out there, these games could have been 9-8. Both teams put everything they had into it, and both teams knew the crises situation they were in." It was the end of one era for the Devils -- John McMullen's 18-year run as owner -- and, likely, the start of another. Larry Robinson became only the third coach to win a Stanley Cup after taking over during the season and, by succeeding Robbie Ftorek with only eight games left, became the latest to take over a Cup champion. "When I took over, there were a lot of questions around here, and I had to straighten them out," Robinson said. "But if you're focusing on the past, you're not dwelling on what you have to do." It was Robinson's eighth Stanley Cup title, six as a player and two as a coach, one as an assistant. The Devils opened a 3-1 series lead, then nearly lost it in overtime -- first in the tense goalie duel in Game 5, then in yet another multiple overtime in Game 6 -- before avoiding a Game 7. Only one team in NHL history, Detroit in 1942, has lost the Finals after leading 3-1. As might be expected, the Devils won it on the road. They are 5-0 all-time in road Stanley Cup Finals games, winning all three in Reunion Arena, where the Stars had won 11 of their last 12 playoff games before the Finals. "The games we had here were really tough," Stars center Mike Modano said. "They're a great team, outstanding. Those guys -- Brodeur, (Scott) Gomez, Arnott -- I know how they're feeling. It's a great feeling." The Devils matched their own 1995 record with 10 road victories in a single playoff year. They were 10-2 on the road this year. The road team won every game in these Finals following New Jersey's 7-3 victory in Game 1. The Stars became the first defending champion to lose in the Finals since the New York Islanders in 1984. The last four defending champs to reach the Finals all won. The Devils are the first Eastern Conference team to win the Cup since they last did so in 1995. One goal was enough for the Stars to win the three-overtime Game 5, but a one-goal lead didn't last two minutes for New Jersey this time. Scott Niedermayer ended the Devils' 145:33 scoreless streak against Belfour on a 3-on-1 break at 5:18, the Devils' second short-handed goal in as many games in Dallas. Claude Lemieux started the play by blocking Sylvain Cote at the blue line, then took Jay Pandolfo's pass to set up Niedermayer, who played junior hockey for Hitchcock. New Jersey's first lead since the third period of Game 4 lasted only 1:09 before Mike Keane tied it with only the fourth goal in four games for Dallas. Modano made a drop pass to Scott Thornton, who threaded the puck across the ice for Keane's high wrister from the right circle that sailed past Brodeur at 6:27. "Marty played unbelievable, really throughout the whole series," Robinson said. "Scottie's been a tower of strength. He's got that 'C' for a reason. This is not about me. I'm happy for those guys out there." New Jersey Devils 2, DALLAS STARS 1 (2OT) 1ST 2ND 3RD 1OT 2OT FINAL --- --- --- --- --- ----- New Jersey 0 1 0 0 1 2 Dallas 0 1 0 0 0 1 FIRST PERIOD - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Daneyko, NJ (slashing), 4:36; Sim, Dal (elbowing), 6:54; Daneyko, NJ (high-sticking), 13:45 SECOND PERIOD - SCORING: 1, New Jersey, Niedermayer 5 (Lemieux, Pandolfo), 5:18 (sh). 2, Dallas, Keane 2 (Thornton, Modano), 6:27. PENALTIES: Rafalski, NJ (holding), 3:30; Stevens, NJ (roughing), 13:48; Hatcher, Dal (roughing), 13:48; White, NJ (roughing), 19:21; Thornton, Dal (roughing), 19:21. THIRD PERIOD - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: None. FIRST OVERTIME - SCORING: None. PENALTIES: Arnott, NJ (cross-checking), 18:43. SECOND OVERTIME - SCORING: 3, New Jersey, Arnott 8 (Elias, Stevens), 8:20. PENALTIES: None. SHOTS ON GOAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 1OT 2OT TOTAL --- --- --- --- --- ----- New Jersey 11 13 7 11 3 45 Dallas 7 9 13 1 1 31 POWER PLAY: New Jersey 0 of 1; Dallas 0 of 4. GOALIES: New Jersey, Brodeur 16-7 (31 shots-30 saves). Dallas, Belfour 14-9 (45-43). Referees: Terry Gregson, Bill McCreary. Linesmen: Gord Broseker, Dan Schachte. A: 17,001 (17,001).