from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

The first Stanley Cup champion of the century is also the best Stanley Cup champion crowned in the 2000s, and it is the one that will be celebrated Saturday night in New Jersey.

This was the Devils team that fired its coach, Robbie Ftorek, with eight games remaining in a regular season that would barely make it into the top 10 of franchise history. But this was also the team that under Larry Robinson flexed all of its muscle and all of its talent and all of its depth and all of its unparalleled defense and goaltending to bring the second of three Cups within a nine-year stretch to Exit 16W off the Turnpike.

The Exit of Champions.

Few lines in NHL history have been as dynamic and sympatico as the “A Line” that consisted of Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora on the wings, flanking Jason Arnott. The band made sweet, joyful music and operated as if connected by a sixth sense, three thinking and operating as one.

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