Back in 1984, my brother and I decamped outside of the Nassau Coliseum from about 5:00 am to snare Islander playoff tickets. I remember the day very well, as it was early spring, and there was still a nip in the air. Other people that were there were obviously more experienced than the two of us when it came to waiting on line for Islander playoff tickets, as there were a plethora of people who brought coolers full of refreshments and snacks, which they gulped down whilst seated on beach chairs and the like. Other people, in the spirit of the game, played roller hockey. As for the two of us, we did the best we could to kill time 'til we got to the window. Eventually, after five or six hours of waiting, we scored tickets to game 5 of the divisional finals. Who it would be against was anyone's guess, and there was no assurance that there would even be a game 5 if the Islanders were to sweep. But we had 'em, and the rest was up to fate. If the Isles didn't win against the Rangers in the preliminary round, or if the Isles swept the Caps (or vice-versa), the tickets were useless.
As it happened, the Islanders beat the Rangers in the preliminary best-of-five series. It was a hell of a series, that one, ended in overtime by defenseman Kenny Morrows lame shot from the right point that strangely went through a tangle of five or six sets of legs to find its way behind Ranger goalie Glen Hanlon. (That series was still to this day one of the greatest play-off series I've ever witnessed.) In the other area of the Patrick Division (oh how I wish they've revert back to the old division and conference names), the Washington Capitals knocked off perennial also-rans the Philly Flyers. All that had to happen for our game 5 tickets to be validated was for the Islanders to drop one to the Caps. They obliged. And so the game was on.
The Capitals back then were a decent team, consisting of a very speedy Mike Gartner on right wing and Bobby Carpenter, the first American kid to get drafted out of high-school (and no.1 at that), at center. But the real force of the Caps were two defensemen: Rod Langway, and a kid that was either a rookie or a sophomore (don't remember exactly) Scott Stevens. Langway was an American player brought up through the Canadiens system (he won a Cup with them in '79) and was a rock on defense. Stevens was his young protege: stout, huge shoulders, punishing checker, an incendiary personality on the ice and a world-class brawler. Even then it was said that he would be one of the greats if he could keep his temper in check and concentrate on playing hockey. Eventually, he did.
The Islanders beat the Caps in five games, and it was thrilling at that young age to witness play-off hockey in person. To this day, despite dozens and dozens of hockey games that I've attended, I don't think I've ever been back to see a play-off game. The Islanders would eventually go to the semi-finals against the Canadiens, knocking them off in six, before the resurgent Edmonton Oilers knocked the Isles off in five to win their first Stanley Cup. But Stevens had made an impression on me that one Isles/Caps game. He was punishing and intimidating on the blue line, and he was certainly a guy to watch for the future.
Stevens eventually wound up on the New Jersey Devils by way of the St. Louis Blues. By the time he got to the Devils, he'd harnessed his fiery personality enough to concentrate on pummelling opposing players with bodychecks instead of his fists (though he never fully stopped beating the crap out of people). He became the cornerstone of the Devils franchise and epitomized everything that organization stood for. Stevens was their man, the best of a great crop of defensemen, and in all likelihood was the most intimidating defensemen I've ever personally watched. His open ice hit on Eric Lindros, who was no shrinking violet, showed how devasting a presence Stevens was.
The Devils will miss Stevens presence. So will hockey. Stevens walks away from the game with three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smyth Trophy (playoff MVP), and eleven All-Star Game appearances.
No comments:
Post a Comment