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Goaltending, Coaching, Skill Decided Series –  June 27, 1997 – Volume 50, Issue 38 – Bob McKenzie 

We’ll never know whether Chris Osgood would have led the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup this year, but coach Scott Bowman’s decision to go with veteran Mike Vernon certainly looks like a stroke of genius.

The diminutive 34-year-old Vernon stopped 102 of 108 shots in the four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers for a save percentage of 94.4. Vernon, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, provided Detroit with the kind of goaltending Philadelphia could only dream of.

Goaltending was just one area in which the Wings had it all over the Flyers. Here are the other reasons why Detroit beat Philly silly:

OFFENSIVE DEPTH The Wings had four solid lines, all of them scoring at least three goals in the final, while the Flyers were, at best, a three-line team which didn’t have a single unit generating offense.

LARRY MURPHY AND NICKLAS LIDSTRÖM Who says nice guys don’t finish first? Eric Lindros and John LeClair managed just two even-strength goals and were a collective minus-10 thanks in large part to Lidström (plus-6) and Murphy (plus-10).

INJURIES The Wings lost one-man game to injury through the playoffs (Joey Kocur); the Flyers 40. The loss of Petr Svoboda and Paul Coffey and Kjell Samuelsson’s slow return to form crippled the Flyer blueline, although the Wings being healthy was a greater factor than the Flyers missing players. “It was amazing,” Bowman said. “No injuries. It’s the best I ever remember it.”

LAST MINUTE, FIRST MINUTE Six times in the final, including three times in Game 3, the Flyers allowed the Red Wings to score early or late in a period.

SKILL, SPEED, SMARTS Nowhere was the Wings’ edge in these areas as evident as their ability to take Flyer dump-ins, trap Flyer forecheckers and provide quick transition for countless odd-man rushes.

STAR STRUCK The Big E crashed and burned in his first Cup final. Initially, the effort

was there, but when the results failed to materialize, he, like his teammates, lost his focus.

COACHING Terry Murray’s use of the phrase “choking situation” made matters worse for a team already on the ropes and underlined a chemistry problem between him and his players. The Wings and Bowman, meanwhile, were in harmony this year, unlike two years ago when he ripped them for showing no heart against the New Jersey Devils.

EXPERIENCE Past Wing failures taught them how to win. The Flyers were befuddled at the first sign of adversity. They’ll no doubt return one day better for the experience. ■

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