Red Wings - Avalanche Rivalry is History

From Terry Frei at ESPN,

[Joe Sakic:] "I was joking around that a lot of these kids were in elementary or junior high when that was going on. But they're going to see what it's like firsthand pretty quick, I'm pretty sure."

So, first things first: If this upcoming series develops a sharp edge, it won't be because of history, but because of the present—the high stakes and overheated emotions of today—not because anyone got psyched the night before by looking at footage of Patrick Roy duking it out with Mike Vernon or Chris Osgood at center ice; or Foote's running battle with Brendan Shanahan; or even Lemieux's infamous check of Kris Draper into the boards at the old McNichols Sports Arena in 1996 and Darren McCarty's subsequent vengeance. more...