Pucks and Pitchforks
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5 Worst Playoff Experiences In New Jersey Devils History

By Nick Villano

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 28: A dejected Brian Gionta #14 of the New Jersey Devils leaves the ice after losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 28, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. The Hurricanes defetaed the Devils 4-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 28: A dejected Brian Gionta #14 of the New Jersey Devils leaves the ice after losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 28, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. The Hurricanes defetaed the Devils 4-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Ray Bourque #77 of the Boston Bruins. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

5. The Team’s First Real Run

Back in 1988, the Devils were still wearing green on a regular basis, there were some very interesting stars to build around, and the team was looking to compete for the first time since the franchise moved from Colorado. Kirk Muller and Aaron Broten were the team’s top scorers in the high-powered 1980s. Pat Verbeek finally made a jump into that next level, scoring 77 points in 73 games. A 21-year-old Sean Burke ended up taking over in net in the playoffs for Bob Sauve. There was so much to like about this 1987-88 team as they looked to play spoiler in the playoffs.

They beat the Patrick Division-winning New York Islanders in the first round. Then, they took out the Washington Capitals in the second round. The Devils only made the playoffs over the Rangers thanks to percentage points, but they were making the most of it.

Then, they faced the Boston Bruins in one of the wildest series off the ice in NHL history. This was the legendary “have another donut” series, where Devils head coach Don Koharski yelled at a referee after Game 3 for how he called the game. The NHL tried to suspend Koharski, but the Devils skipped the typical appeals processes and went straight to the New Jersey State Supreme Court. They had to search the crowd for referees for Game 4.

This wild series went all the way to Game 7. The Devils were coming off a 6-3 victory to force a Game 7. However, things went off the rails in the 3rd period of Game 7.

Kirk Muller scored about three minutes into the period to make it 3-2 and officially giving the Devils a shot to tie this game. However, with less than ten minutes to go in the game, Craig Janney scored to make it 4-2. Hope was dwindling until Cam Neely put a knife into the heart of the Devils’ season. He scored to make it 5-2, which put an end to the Devils season. The hope was the Devils could build off of this, but they didn’t and missed the playoffs the next season. That one Cinderella run ended with a whimper thanks to Boston’s third period dominance.

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