Stanley Cup Playoffs 2002 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jose Theodore

Theodore, the 2001-02 Hart and Vezina Trohpy winner, played like an MVP in the final two games of the series, letting up only one goal each in Games 5 and 6, en route to a 4-2 series win.

Answer: 2

Somehow, the 2nd seeded Flyers managed to beat Sens goalie Patrick Lalime only twice in five games, with Ruslan Fedotenko and Dan McGillis providing their only offense. Ottawa, the East's 7th seed, outscored Philly 11-2 in upsetting the Flyers 4-1.

Answer: Josef Vasicek

Vasicek's goal 8:16 into overtime, gave the 'Canes a 3-2 series lead. Carolina closed out New Jersey in the next game, winning 1-0 on the spectacular goaltending of Kevin Weekes.

Answer: Kenny Jonsson

Darcy Tucker's dirty hit on Peca gave him a torn ACL, while Shayne Corson's brutal check on Jonsson gave him a concussion. Both players were sorely missed, as the #4 Maple Leafs knocked out the #5 Islanders in a rough seven game series.

Answer: True

Detroit lost each of their first games at home to the Canucks. The Red Wings gained momentum back in Game 3, as Nicklas Lidstrom's 85-footer in the second period, gave the Wings a 2-1 lead in that game. Detroit never trailed for the rest of the series, winning the last four games en route to a 4-2 series win.

Answer: Peter Forsberg

Forsberg missed all 82 games due to recovering from spleen removal surgery from the previous year's playoffs, and ankle surgery five months later. He came back just in time to help the #2 Avalanche beat the #7 Kings in seven games, for the second year in a row.

Answer: 6

The Coyotes have had ultimately no success in six postseason trips, losing in the first round every year from 1996 (when they were still the Winnepeg Jets) to 2000, then again in 2002 to the Sharks. #3 San Jose dominated this low-scoring series, outscoring #6 Phoenix 13-7 in their 4-1 series win.

Answer: Brent Johnson

Johnson shut out the #5 Blackhawks in Games 2-4, including both games in Chicago. He only allowed 5 goals in 5 games, as the #4 Blues beat the Blackhawks 4-1.

Answer: Sean Hill

With a 3-0 Game 4 lead less than 20 minutes away from a 3-1 series lead, the Canadiens let the Hurricanes back into the game with a Stephane Quintal tripping penalty. Montreal coach Michel Therrien argued it to the point, he earned himself an abuse of officials penalty. Hill scored on the ensuing 5-on-3 power play, giving Carolina life.

The 'Canes rallied and won in overtime on Nicklas Wallin's shot from the point, tying the series at 2. Carolina then outscored Montreal 13-3 in Games 5 and 6, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 4-2 series win.

Answer: False

Ottawa had a 3-2 series lead on the Maple Leafs, but they came back, winning Game 7 by a margin of 3-0. The Senators' postseason was ended by Toronto for the third year in a row, as Toronto won 4-2 in 2000 and swept the Sens in 2001, as the East's seventh seed.

Answer: Brendan Shanahan

Shanahan's three goals paced the Wings as they defeated the Blues in five games. Detroit knocked out St. Louis for the second time in five years. St. Louis had last missed the playoffs in 1979, but still had never won a Stanley Cup.

Answer: False

San Jose first made the semifinals in 1994, upsetting the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings in seven games in their first playoff appearance. The Sharks were within one game of their first appearance in the Conference Finals, but could not hold their 3-2 series lead against the Avalanche. Colorado won Games 6 and 7 by one goal each, with Peter Forsberg scoring both game-winners, to win their sixth straight playoff series, the last three coming in seven games.

Answer: 0

This was Carolina's first meeting with the Maple Leafs. This was also the Hurricanes first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, as the Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise had not had much success in previous postseasons.

Answer: Carolina in six

Carolina advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history by defeating the Maple Leafs. The Hurricanes did not win this series easily, for the 'Canes won three games in overtime. Toronto was knocked out of the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in four years, losing in five games to the jumpstart Buffalo Sabres in 1999.

Answer: 8

For eight straight years, one of those three teams participated in the Western Conference Finals. Colorado and Dallas faced off twice, Detroit and Dallas once, and 2002 year was the third meeting between Detroit and Colorado, one of the the NHL's fiercest rivalries.

Answer: Detroit, 4-3

Detroit won the series in seven games, with goalie Dominik Hasek setting a new NHL record for shutouts in a postseason, by blanking the Avs in both Games 6 and 7 for his 4th and 5th shutouts. In previous Conference Final Meetings, Colorado won 4-2 in 1996, while Detroit won by the same margin in 1997. Both of those teams won the Stanley Cup, something Detroit was looking to do for the third time in six years in 2002.

Answer: Won in a sweep

Detroit had actually swept its last two Stanley Cup Finals, beating Philadelphia in 1997 and Washington in 1998.

Answer: 1-1

Carolina managed to steal Game 1 in overtime, 3-2, with Ron Francis scoring the game winner. Detroit took Game 2, 3-1, as Nicklas Lidstrom scored the game winner with 5:08 left in regulation. Any causal sports fan should know that there are no ties in the Stanley Cup Playoffs!

Answer: Igor Larionov

Larionov's incredible backhander at 14:47 of the third overtime game Detroit a 3-2 victory in Game 3. At age 41, he became the oldest player to score a game winner in the Cup Finals. Detroit gained a lot of momentum and never looked back. The Wings won Game 4 3-0, with Hasek recording his 6th shutout of the playoffs. Detroit clinched their third Stanley Cup in six years at home in Game 5, defeating Carolina 3-1.

Answer: Nicklas Lidstrom

Each of the other three choices all made incredible contributions to Detroit's run, but none were as valuable as Lidstrom. The 2001-02 Norris Trophy winner for best defenseman, Lidstrom led all defenseman with 16 postseason points in 23 games and recorded a +5 plus/minus rating, to go along with two game-winning goals and an average of over 30 minutes per game in ice time.

There's an MVP.