NHL History: Detroit Red Wings advance to 2002 Stanley Cup finals

It was today in 2002 that the Detroit Red Wings gained a berth to the Stanley Cup finals.

They closed out their conference finals series against the Colorado Avalanche today in ’02 as Dominik Hasek posted a shutout in the 7-0 statement game. Hasek, too, posted an NHL playoff record by securing his fifth shutout in those playoffs.

It all came after the Red Wings posted a league-best 51-17-10-4 record giving them 116 points. Niklas Lindstrom was awarded the Norris trophy as the league’s top defenceman scoring 59 points in 78 games logging nearly 30 minutes a night.

Luc Robitaille led the way for the Wings scoring a first-period goal and adding two assists, as Tomas Holmstrom broke open the scoring just under two minutes into the game. He later added another goal before the first frame was over.

Detroit went on to beat the Carolina Hurricanes in five games to secure their third Stanley Cup in six years.

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