1993 Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup run | 24 Together

you well when I said shock the hockey world wanted them to understand as a coach that I actually believed in them the key player was Jacques Demers he's always make us believe that this year we let him win the Stanley Cup history it's going to be our year when a coach believes in this players can you treat them with respect well eventually they're going to be able to win the big game for you when you came in Montreal Canadian and he came in a room and said that we're gonna shock the world yeah you were right [Music] took win ten overtime games that's crazy you know you're in their head now that would like you're not scoring here today Harry Frazier told me he didn't have to measure oh yeah there was look they were a team of destiny [Applause] wait thank ya 25 years we've said that what we're gonna shock the world 25 years we still make history it was a season of change in the spring of 1992 the cannons were beat by Boston in the second round of the playoffs for a third straight year perhaps finally decided to let go Pat Burns to Toronto which was a big move because nobody expected that I would like to introduce you today the new coach of the Montreal Canadiens mr. Jacques de Mer when Jacques came in nobody knew him we knew that he was a coach in the NHL it was French Canadian but beside that we didn't really know we was I like his style I take me bring some life everywhere he then he is an emotional coach and he will continue to be an emotional coach I'm sure I have nothing wrong with that [Music] one of the first meeting Jacques told I said we're going to shock the Hulk you will told us that we're gonna shock the hockey world we were gonna shock the hockey world most of the players that were part of that conversation kind of looked around and started laughing a little bit so hearing that at the beginning of the season he was a new coach we knew how positive he was and we said okay he wants us to believe that and everybody look at generally does it mean like because George says you know what we're gonna win the Stanley Cup the first meeting of the year no that was not only making the playoff that was like no no we're gonna win the Stanley Cup we felt that if we have that much confidence from our coach maybe we are a strong team and a good team the guys played well all year and we had over a hundred points something like this but for some reason I mean I wasn't playing at the level that I should have Patrick was not at his best the whole year there was a time he was struggling so he went to the second bully in January a company that was selling hockey cards started a promotional campaign you know and one day to everybody's surprise they were they were big boards all over the city saying Ishihara well which means trade oh boy there's an animal at the brilliant idea to conduct a survey asking people would betray Patrick Wow 57% of the people said yes I was playing so poorly and then then all of this and I mean the people start to say you know what let's trade him and then it turned you know it was just it just went totally the opposite we should have you should have gone and it was it was a tough moment he was having a tough time Patrick and the fans booed him at the skills competition [Applause] it was tough you know it was tough but I mean it was I would say probably using it as a wake-up call in and say listen you got to play better you got to find a way and by the time the season ended he was back to being Patrick raw people before the playoff shall give us a little card with the three things if I remember right I still have it we had to keep it with us at all time and it was another way to just have the guys focus on being ready jog did a lot of things just to make you focus you know think about it and really commit today with time I realized that's that's the message and he was trying to to send us lights erupt they're excited about the playoffs and especially about the fact they opened at the end of the year I think lost five or six last game in this season it's not the way you want to go in the playoffs you know you want to build momentum before the playoff and though but I think the best thing for a team there was to face the Quebec Nordiques the rivalry between the Canadians and anoxic was bigger than the game itself I don't think you can believe it nobody outside of Montreal or Quebec can understand before the Nordics came and the league I happened to like Quebec City and after that everything became personal you know I get the Quebec City and people were yelling at me so I would spit in my back it was not a nice ride it was a real intense I mean I hadn't seen anything like it you knew a couple days before we played each other everyone was getting the city was getting revved up and you were hyped and you know there's not too many serious I played in where you have that feeling 90% of the province was in front of their TV sets they were waiting to see what will happen tonight they're a very good team you know you look at soccer and Sun beam you know they are very strong powerhouse type Fords and we knew that we had to play well defensively more so that if we had a chance to beat no matter [Music] [Applause] nobody was happy after the first two games there was definitely urge NSYNC doubts definitely it would have been very easy for Jacques saying okay Patrick you lost your first two games to Quebec you had your chance I'm going with a young guy and he did the opposite he got me in he said this I'm gonna live and die with you after game two in Quebec City former goalie Daniel Shaw who was the goalie coach for the Nordiques said on the record we found a soft spot in Patrick style bad thing to say oh it was a mistake big time he's got so much confidence as it is you know you don't need to rev him up or wake up the giant I know Patrick a lot like I played a lot of games and I travel with him a lot and he's somebody that you just definitely don't want to get into his head you know the pressure was melting there's no expectation that that point where one was like you know Quebec Skoda beat us 4th Street what kept us in line I think it was a search of art I was shocked to see how calm he was everybody gave up on us the papers were just ripping us but Serge was calm coming from mr. cell are coming from Jacques Demers our coach like you know I believe in us we just need that little break they're gonna change everything the Montreal Canadiens are led by Patrick Law people are frustrated with his way they say he's let in a couple of soft coal the Canadiens coach Jacques Demers was emphatic he estate there's a time where you need someone in your corner and saying you know what I'm with you show me I know you capable you know I'll go you are do it it was clear in my mind I didn't want to let him down after what he said to me I wanted to have the best game of my play off I knew that Ron Hextall had that little theme that he kind of crossed the circle in the middle of the ice in Montreal I wanted to make sure that Mario didn't move from that circle that didn't allow him to do that next all was wasn't very happy with that that thing he was more trying to get into his head than anything else but he wasn't the same every day I have a strong feeling I feel very strong about it if badge I had a switch goaltender you know I've heard those two games and put visa and I don't know if the outcome of the Serie would have been the same this is tough position for me to be in I mean I'm not a goalie expert at all but there were some goals I think we probably wanted back [Applause] soon we won that third game in overtime and I you know what the old the the positive everything's coming back and more we feel Patrick well like in his own the series against Quebec was for me that the key moment in in that year I mean probably from my career in Montreal [Applause] it was a good feeling because I mean for many reasons but I mean Boston got beat by Buffalo I'm not saying that we didn't want to play Boston but I mean the top team in art and during this season was the Bruins and and they got beat and end up playing Buffalo and we thought we were a good match up for them [Applause] Patrick wah was all world every game was for three so we still were able to solve some of the riddle of Patrick wall but in those moments I mean his legacy is cemented in being that big game big moment player you always had the feeding mantra was gonna win they gave you the feeling that they were a touch better we had four good lines we were able to rely on everybody but we knew that Patrick was borderline cocky and he knew that he would stop those pucks and it made us feel like who were invincible we were favorite you were a better team than Buffalo but we were that's much better dreams on the backyard Richter made-up game seven in a Stanley Cup playoff series Pittsburgh was a strong team at the time they won in 91 they won in 92 they have two cups in two years and because Mario was best years they're very very powerful you can always say you don't care you face but you know at that point Pittsburgh was a pretty explosive pretty talented - team but you know like anybody if you had your choice I think the Islanders was a better matchup for us than the Pittsburgh at that time you know we stayed at a hotel every night whether it was on the road or at home and so you know the momentum were with each other the whole time and I still remember when when the Islanders you know won we're all in their room watching the game and Folex scores in overtime [Applause] champion in we all come bouncing into the hallways and we all look at each other like they just knocked off Pittsburgh Pittsburgh was arguably the best team that was ever assembled and the fact we got past them I have no idea how we did it it started to dawn on us that we have have a good shot at this it was the perfect storm for Montreal that year all the right teams were done in Pittsburgh played Montreal I don't know if Patrick wah had an answer for Mario Lemieux and his group I know one thing it would be it would have been a good challenge for for both teams but unfortunately for them they were not there [Applause] calendars are both I don't even know what suppose against was but you couldn't score on him and I couldn't make a mistake and every time we went overtime I did they beat us and they were a team of destiny we felt really good we felt unstoppable at that point for Game one of the 1993 Stanley Cup not playing against le playing against Wayne Gretzky you know the best thing I ever had you know for young kids like me it was like wow being one year we were kind of flat were sitting around for a week you know they had momentum they're coming in after game seven big win Toronto they committed took that read in the game won and we was you know probably the best bowling the ice that me it was always very intimidating to play against him and I think the first game we were all you know watching what most people don't remember we accidentally scored the first game's first goal on me he tipped it in our net whenever Gretz got mad I was the happiest guy in North America because I just knew something good was gonna happen that's Detroit with us tonight he did what he wanted the Kings deserve the win they all played us they were came in here on a high and it continued it so we have no excuse at all the series it hinged on game to LA won the first game they were in control of the second game late in the third period and that's when poor Marty McSorley it's called for an illegal stick sorry I got the balls to make this call but you know you never 100% sure that was do or die there was no question about it that was desperation we had to win that game going out to LA do you imagine if this stick was legal I think we're done [Music] you remember though the stick make surely yeah against a yeah yeah I was your call with the cap you still think we're cheap has been called it's the stick party sorry I mean it was a rule book since game game 1 was it the right thing to do I mean for me yes he carbonyl and Kirk Muller came to me and said Jacque wants Marty's stick measured we felt pretty confident with the decision of calling illegal stick charlie was a key player for that team he was on the ice with two minutes left the situation was perfect and I remember when they grabbed it was almost confusing for them to call it you kind of in your mind you go okay what's going on here I'll never forget the look on Marty's face the blood sort of drained from it he handed me the stick and I looked at and I said Marty what are you thinking I said Kerry this is garbage and you know it Gretzky was standing right at the edge of the referees crease I showed him how the gauge slid without touching all Wayne did is rolled his eyes threw his head back skated away I was I'm shocked that they called it because players know you don't call a stick unless you absolutely know it was kind of dirty the way the Montreal Canadiens found his stick the security guard took this deck that looked at the SEC they actually identified what stick it was and when they were actually wanted at that time they called him a security guard would would wheel them into a back hallway where guys might have access to them everybody in the media knows two of their players in their locker room measured everybody stick on our team I don't need to see a stick rock in the room as it never happened they could see the stick on the ice to me that's all I need to know I wouldn't do that I've never been asked to check out her team Staxx I know it's just our SWAT is what I would do is have six sticks on the bench three illegal sticks that would that I like because the curve was good and it feels good and I had three legal sticks for the last 15 minutes of the game if we were up I will take responsibility for using an illegal stick but the risk of calling it was removed I think they looked at our sticks I think that's pretty well proven they will never admit it but I know it to be true do I want the truth to be out there yeah absolutely it caught us and and costed us a Stanley Cup if it was my situation I would I'd had faith that my team would have found a way to win I'd respond by saying you shouldn't have an illegal stick deep into a game when it can be called but at that point I'm not thinking that's a big mistake I'm thinking kill it off there's two moves that he made they were gutsy is to call the stick in it to pull the goalie right away and go for it [Applause] you and the intermission were in trouble well it was a lot of emotion you know we just got tied very intense because your emotions just completely switched over like we were calm cool collected you know we all thought we're gonna kill that penalty off they score on it now we're going into overtime we're having a lot of conflict I recall Wayne getting very mad Marty defending himself a lot of people had things to say Kretz was was angry and sour Kelley was absolutely right it was chaotic because you know doesn't matter what happened does matter how the goal went in doesn't matter why it went in doesn't matter why the penalty was called we still have to go and be ready to play overtime [Music] [Applause] [Music] just prior to the release is when I knew I was in trouble and so when the puck went in I think you can tell by my reaction that I knew he fooled me [Applause] between Montreal and Los Angeles old games in LA were really good games and then both games went to overtime we're going into overtime why was so so happy because everything start with a GUI he'd stand up and say ok guys score on ever you want because they're not scoring on me and work and we're like hey don't don't like this guy up if you're the goaltender of your team if you have your heads between your legs everybody sees it and makes everybody nervous it was important for me to have my teammates saying ok we're fine he's there [Applause] Johnny LeClair picked a hell of a time to become a great player he was on one of those rolls every time we went into overtime I had a great feeling because I'm thinking it's gonna turn nobody wins this often in this way history has proven that you don't do it [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the way we were running at the team wasn't like in and it was like oh my god I scored an overtime kind of thing it was like we won again and it was why we were so successful to win ten overtime games that's crazy it's insane when you think about it I mean I don't think we'll ever see that again three straight overtime wins the Kings were deflated I remember that day I woke up in the morning and I said to myself tonight you're gonna be a Stanley Cup champion I really thought once we jump on the oyster loser series to finish [Applause] having a chance to do it on your own ice was something pretty amazing in Montreal it was huge I'm still thinking about that last minute crowd goes nuts and then it's loud and just a lot of excitement [Applause] sometimes it's they say it's really tough to lose here in Montreal but it's the best place to learn and paid for 18 years and I remember more about that season than any other season that I claimed it was the most gratifying satisfying team that I had ever played on it's been a long world new coach few trades and we put all the pieces together and one it's about the pride and to be a winner that's why playing hockey you said that we're gonna shock the world that brought us together and we believe to each other we have a big part of that 25 years we still make history you

Channel: SPORTSNET

Views: 445,379

Keywords: montreal canadiens, Sportsnet, nhl, original, Sports, hockey, Canada

Id: h-Itg7Frnk0

Length: 25min 17sec (1517 seconds)

Published: Sat Jun 09 2018

Reddit Comments

[u/Meats_Hurricane]

Well that brings back some great memories. Thanks for posting this.

[u/ensposito]

Why did I just start crying? Wow that is amazing, thanks for the post.

[u/potatoman9638]

This youtube channel has a few games of the 1993 habs-nordiques series and games 2-5 from the final habs-kings series. It also has all the playoff series in between 2004 and 2012 (so that includes our full 2010 run) if anyone is interested.

[u/eye-pee-eh]

I would absolutely love a mini series where they cover the regular season and not just the playoffs. I want to know more about the team before their playoff run and also how they compared to the other teams and players.

[u/Acrobatic-Inevitable]

Haha Sportsnet just HAD to get that conspiracy bullshit in there. When Glen Healy fully believes it thats when you can say "ok this is bullshit".

Thanks for the touching piece on the Habs, SN.

[u/Juicetinking]

This came up in my YouTube feed yesterday. Very satisfying watch in light of the current pause on hockey!

[u/pablitos471]

Great watch.

[u/6262rap]

I know a coach and GM that needs to watch this.

[u/i-hate-this-team]

Was this our best Stanley cup? Maybe it was that cup we stole from the bruins