Twenty-five years ago, on this date (June 10th), the New Jersey Devils won Game 6 of the 2000 Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars. Jason Arnott scored the famous goal that ended up being the series winner. Patrik Elias sent one of the great passes in NHL history to Arnott's stick, who pushed it past Ed Belfour. To celebrate the occasion, we asked fans on social media to share their memories yesterday, and people on Facebook shared some with me.
It all started when Jennifer Kern of the New Jersey Devils Facebook group posted this comment: “In our Devils Den, too nervous to move off the bar seats. Brylin crashed into the boards and got shaken up. Then Pearl Jam's "Even Flow" is playing on the arena PA before the faceoff. Big faceoff win, and how Stevens wouldn't allow the puck to leave the zone. Then the puck went into the corner, where Elias retrieved it, and it was over. It happened so fast. Then, yelling, screaming, and tears. Sorry to the neighbors.”
In that same group, Kyle Fatzinger posted about his reaction when he was at a sleepover with a friend: “had just gotten into hockey a few years earlier. Teenage years. I was at my friend's house for a sleepover, and we stayed up so I could watch. He isn't a hockey fan, but he let me watch the game. I was silent screaming, and jumping as hard as I could as a teen. I went to bed feeling very happy that night.”
Marc Asarous said his memory occurred while he was asleep, stating, "I was in 6th grade and was allowed to stay up and watch the game." By the time the 2nd OT started, I was put to bed and was awoken to screams of victory lol”
Kenny Lee said that he was camping with his family when the goal happened. He said: “I was in a camper in Warwick Pennsylvania with my wife and three very young children watching on a tiny TV .my wife said if they score you can't scream and wake up the kids ... when Arnott scored I ran out of the camper up and down pitch black gravel roads trying not to wake the whole camp ground up.....What an awesome memory ....”
New Jersey Devils fans reminisce about Jason Arnott's goal
Alan Kanper was working that night when the game happened and said, "I was at work that night and we were listening to the game." When he scored the winning goal, I was so happy! It was one of the best sports moments of my life to see them win, and I still watch the replay frequently. It will probably be the best victory by my team ever!” When I asked him to elaborate on his celebration, he said: “I did jump out of my office seat and shouted Yes!”
But my favorite comment came from Alyssa Kalish, who said she had her reaction to Arnott’s goal while babysitting. Still, she had a crazier reaction when she got home: “I was babysitting, and both the kids were asleep, so I was alone in the basement of this person's house, watching on the edge of my seat. He scored, and I started screaming into a pillow so I wouldn't wake the kids. The mom got home, and I Ran Back to my house and into the front door, yelling at the top of my lungs. My jersey got snagged on the top of a wooden kitchen chair that fell to the ground and broke! My mother was distraught, but my dad saved me from punishment.”