| Quest for the Cup |
| The Early Years The cup was born out of three unemployed college grads in the summer of '95 who needed an activity to occupy their time when they wern't drinking. Whether it was a 30-pack of Bud Ice or Bull 'Crack' Ice, it didn't matter. Hence the Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils and Quebec Nordiques were born, |
| In the past, tournaments such as Nintendo's RBI were competitive, so a tournament for NHL '95 seemed ideal. With the malaise of the '94 baseball strike and a bureoning interest in the NHL, the three cities went crazy for a magical pewter cup. The first finals pitted the Devils against the Oilers. The Devils won the cup to start a streak of five consecutive cup victories, behind gritty players such as Claude Lemieux. |
| In season six, Quebec moved down the St. Lawrence to Montreal. Quebec claimed that being a small market team hindered their ability to receive beneficial calls from the refs. The team also cited a desire for increased nightlife. In Montreal's first season they claimed the cup against the Devils in six games. They are shown celebrating this first cup victory. Using the power of manual goaltending, Les Habs would win three of four cups after their move from Quebec City. |
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| Rebirth of a League It would be two years for the next cup challenge. New Jersey had folded due to a desire to lead a life of Avalon, Axis and the Roxy over one of Sega. However the league was introduced to 'Hockeytown'. The Detroit Red Wings joined the league and vowed "to win the cup within six seasons." (Wernt). |
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| Montreal started 1997 where they had left off, defeating the Oilers for their third straight cup. However in season 11, the Oilers would claim their first cup with a 2-0 win in Montreal in game 7. Patrick Roy was named MVP and players such as Messier and Fedorov were integral to the Oilers success. Montreal regained the cup the following season, but in season 13 the Oilers swept the Red Wings for their second cup in three years. |
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| What happened to the Canadiens in that unlucky season 13? Well, the Red Wings used an unconventional offensive attack that left 'Les Habs' confused and in turmoil. The pass-shot was deadly and a big one-timer from '0-Roy' propelled Detroit to the upset. The defeat left a bitter taste in Montreal. Players such as Mario Lemieux, Vincent "Pamplemousse" Damphousse, Mark "The Wrecking Ball" Recchi, along with moves such as 'The Wrap' would lead the Canadiens to the next five cups, making them the dominant team of the era. |
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| To the right, Pavel Bure leads the Devils past the Oilers in the first ever Sega Cup |
| To the left, the Canadiens celebrate their first ever Sega Cup Championship |
| The Red Wings Stunk |
| Fedorov, Graves, and Roy Celebrate the Oilers' First Cup |
| Mario Lemieux Led the Canadiens to Five Straight Cups in 1997 |