It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

...That Sargeant MacLean brought the Devils to the play- - - -offs.

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/120720106311340.xml&coll=1

Playoff history fondly recalled
Thursday, April 03, 2008
BY RICH CHERE
Star-Ledger Staff

Lou Lamoriello can't believe it's been 20 years since John MacLean scored the overtime goal in Chicago Stadium on the final night of the 1987-88 season, putting the Devils in the playoffs for the first time in their history.

"It does not seem like 20 years," the GM said. "I wonder sometimes where the time has gone."

damn I can't believe it's been 20 years! I remember that run like it was yesterday. My brother and I went to a ton of games that year and when playoff tickets went on sale I told him to pick up a pair(I was in school at maryland at the time". He got the 2nd row downstairs in the corner.(they were easy to come by as it looked really didn't look like we were going to make it) whenthey pulled it off, there we were sitting there for game 3 vs. the Isles! I think i lost my voice by about 2 minutes into the first. Most every classic Devil's TV call goes to Doc, but i gotta give credit to Gary Thorne for his call on Johnny Mac's winner in Chi town. "rebound Maclean...he scores!!! they did it.....they did it!!! The devils are in the playoffs!!! It really made it that much sweeter because we knocked the rangers out. Then to beat the Isles in the 1st rd. it was like a redemption tour. The icing on the cake was knocking off the Caps in rd. 2 as I was going to school in MD. I went to a game down there too. It was like a dream for the "mickey mouse" orginization to come within 1 game of playing the Oilers in the SC finals.

Johnny Mac scored and we knocked the Rangers out while we got in. It was sweet!

And we were one win away from getting blown out in the Finals by the Oilers. That was Gretzky's last year with Edmonton and they were good. Real good!!! Still, that Devils team worked their butts off and maybe we would have given Edmonton trouble.

I just remember that no team worked harder than that 1988 team. And Captain Kirk Muller was the hardest worker. I didn't even mind that he was a bit of a puck hog for a center. He was a winner!

BTW, I found it interesting in today's Ledger article that Lou had the players ride to the game in limousines. I don't know if that helped us beat Chicago, but it was a very interesting move. Lou is so smart. Thank goodness we have him, even though he is human and makes the odd mistake. He is not perfect, but damn close. Now go spend more of Vanderbeek and the rest of the owners' money. Lock up the players that we should keep and go get the players we need to win the Cup, even if we win it this year, which we won't but I will not give up hope until we are eliminated.

GIVE DON KOHARSKI ANOTHER DONUT!!!! :D

We definitely would have at least won one game. Unlike Boston who didn't even compete... and the Boston Garden fiasco where they lost power and the ice melted... ugh.

Thanks. I feel old now.

jOzUSdrAioM

:handclap::handclap: