Pucks and Pitchforks
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New Jersey Devils: Best Game 7 Wins In Franchise History

By Nick Villano

The New Jersey Devils pose with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in game seven of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals at Continental Airlines Arena on June 9, 2003 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Ducks 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)
The New Jersey Devils pose with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in game seven of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals at Continental Airlines Arena on June 9, 2003 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Ducks 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI) /
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New Jersey Devils
Dave Christian #25 of the Washington Capitals. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

5. 1988 VS. Washington Capitals

The first time the Devils made a run in the playoffs was the first time they made the playoffs. The team wasn’t very good in Kansas City and Colorado, so there was a losing history for the franchise overall. That didn’t change when the team first came to the Garden State. They went the first five seasons without making the playoffs at all despite only having 21 teams in the league. The Devils finally made the playoffs in 1988, and they went on an amazing run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

After beating the New York Islanders in the Patrick Division Semi-Finals, the Devils had the Washington Capitals on the schedule. The Caps just went through one of the most exciting seven-game series’ against the Philadelphia Flyers. They were ready to make a run. That is until this high-powered Devils team got a hold of them.

The series was wild. There was a game where the Devils scored 10 goals. The Capitals scored six goals in Game 6 when they were facing elimination. The away team won five of the seven games. In Game 7, it was an epic matchup with each team trading chances to win.

Devils star Kirk Muller started the scoring just 14 seconds into the game. He set the tone early, and Claude Loiselle made it 2-0 12 minutes later. The Devils finished the period up two, but the Capitals would respond. They scored two goals in the second period thanks to the unlikely tandem of Grant Ledyard and Garry Galley.

The game went into the third period tied 2-2. It stayed that way for 13 minutes before a 23-year-old John MacLean puts the Devils up for good. It was the first great Game 7 moment in Devils history, and it kicked off a series of great playoff runs.

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