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Gomez,
Devils return home with the Stanley Cup!
 June
12, 2000 -- The New Jersey Devils returned home as champions Sunday, hoisting the Stanley Cup high above
their heads as they got off a plane that carried them home from an overtime triumph in Texas.
The team's chartered jet touched down at about 3:45 p.m. at Teterboro Airport, a small
airfield used by many business, entertainment and sports figures seeking an alternative to huge commercial airports.
Kevin Postolwski, a computer artist from Mahwah, N.J., came with a camera to get some
snapshots.
"They showed a lot of heart to stick it in there when everyone was writing them off,'' he said.
"It took a lot of guts and courage.''
"It was a hard-fought series,'' said James Vera, 32. His aunt, Sonia Fuentes, 57, of Hackensack, raised both fists and said,
"I'm
here to root the team on.''
The Devils captured their second Stanley Cup in six years as Jason Arnott
scored 8:20 into double overtime of Game Six for a 2-1 victory over the defending champion Dallas Stars. Patrik Elias threw a backhanded pass out of the right corner to
Arnott, who was all alone in front of goaltender Ed Belfour. "Never in my life, never, ever in my life," Arnott said. "I still can't believe it. I'm going to have to get the
tape of it and watch it over and over and over again."
The celebration began and the rookies were eager to touch and drink out
of the trophy, but there is an order to these ceremonies. It must be observed,
even in the joyous chaos of winning a Stanley Cup in double overtime.
Scott Stevens, the player most representative of the Devils' retribution for the past four playoff disappointments,
accepted it first from National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman.
Alternate captain Randy McKay, whose battered face showed the price it takes to win
16 games in the spring, handled it next. He raised it above his head, kissed it and looked for
the series-winning goal scorer, Jason Arnott, while rookies Brian Rafalski and John Madden
looked like eager kids awaiting toys from Santa Claus.
When McKay couldn't find Arnott, who was lost in the mob, he held the Cup tantalizingly
away from the youngsters, and gave it next to Martin Brodeur, whose last two brilliant games
nearly wrested the Conn Smythe Trophy from Stevens as playoff MVP.
On it went, to Bobby Holik, to Madden and Rafalski —
finally — to another rookie, Colin White, to Vladimir Malakhov and Patrik
Elias, who set up the game-winner. Alexander Mogilny, Jay Pandolfo and
Scott Gomez had their turns. Sergei Brylin, and Arnott, located at last.
Brad Bombardir, in street clothes, and finally Scott Niedermayer.
From the oldest players, the 36-year-old Stevens and Daneyko, to
the youngest, the 20-year-old Gomez, all deserved to have their hands and
drink from the big silver chalice.
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