Two teams. One cup. Hundreds of fights. Multiple injuries. One great rivalry.
Most rivalries are typically formed from history or location, but not when it comes to the Colorado Avalanche and the Detroit Red Wings. Their rivalry is unique and epic...so epic.
The feud declared itself in the 1996 Western Conference Finals (Game 6) when the Avalanche right winger Claude Lemieux gave a nasty check to Red Wings center Kris Draper. If you couldn’t tell from the pool of blood left on the ice, Draper's face was literally shattered. I mean LITERALLY. Draper suffered from a broken jaw and shattered cheek and orbital bone that left him with his jaw wired shut and a lot of stitches. Lemieux was ejected from the game after that hit, but that didn’t stop the Avalanche who upset Detroit in six games and won the Stanley Cup. That was just the beginning of the greatest rivalry in the sport of hockey.
Watch the hit. Start from 1:10 and on.
Nearly 301 days after the incident involving Draper and Lemieux, the Avalanche and the Red Wings met again on March 26, 1997 at Joe Louis Arena is Detroit, Michigan with both teams out for blood and revenge. The day of March 26 has been nicknamed Bloody Wednesday or Brawl in Hockeytown, and for good reason too. To describe what happen in this game would be a crime. The video does way more justice. See for yourself.
How does this not prove the greatest rivalry?! The fights between these two teams is something you don’t see between teams in the NHL; there is hatred and disgust for one another. If you’re a Red Wings fan, you automatically hate the Avalanche, and if you’re an Avalanche fan, you automatically hate the Red Wings. That’s how it goes and that is how it will always go. There’s nothing like calling the other team or fans a “hoser!” (If you aren’t a hockey fan— or a Canadian— you probably won’t understand what that means).
Not only do the fights make it great, but also how damn good both teams are. Both teams have incredible hockey players and remarkable coaching staff. These teams play their hearts out every game regardless of the outcome.
You think only two fights is all? Absolutely not!
Although the Draper/Lemieux incident did light the fire, there are many more memorable fights throughout the years.
May 22: It wasn’t the players that got in a fight, but the coaches. Head coach Marc Crawford of the Avalanche screamed vulgarities at Red Wings head coach Scotty Bowman across the glass that separated the two benches. Did Bowman take it? He surly did not. Bowman threw insults back at Crawford, such as, “I knew your father before you did and I don’t think he’d be very proud of how you’re acting.” The Wings destroyed the Avalanche in a 6-0 win. If the lost didn’t already upset Crawford, he was fined $10,000 for the argument. (Reminds us of when Patrick Roy fought the Ducks coach and was shoving the glass).
In 1998, a brawl erupted at center ice involving Patrick Roy and Chris Osgood. Both goalies received more harsh penalties including minor, major, misconduct, and game misconduct. The penalties for both teams combined? 46 penalties. Detroit ended up winning the game and went on to the Stanley Cup.
In 2002, Red Wings player Kirk Maltby flew into Patrick Roy’s net and Roy was not happy about it. Red Wings Goalie Dominik Hasek took off skating down the ice to confront Roy but tripped on a stick that caused him fall and knock over Roy. Sad part is Roy and Hasek were both restrained by officials preventing Roy to fight with a third Red Wing goalie since 1997. How cool would it have been to see Roy fight three Red Wing goalies? Um, freaking awesome.
Recent Events:
The teams just played against each other in the Stadium Series at Coors Field in Colorado on February 26-27. The Feb. 26 match up was Red Wing Alumni vs. Avalanche Alumni, which was probably the coolest thing ever. Nothing is better than watching some old farts play hockey. Even though it was a slower pace, it was an incredible game to watch. With no fights or slander from either team (which is quite unusual), Colorado beat Detroit 4-1.
Then the real game started the next night. With the third period being the most eventful, Detroit ended up beating Colorado 5-3. It doesn’t matter where one sat in that stadium or how bad their view was, being at Coors Field for the first ever outdoor game in Colorado, especially with these two teams, was enough.
Fun Facts:
Stanley Cup Wins?
Avalanche: 2
Detroit: 11
Record against each other?
Detroit has won 62 games against Colorado. They have played 107 with Colorado only winning 45 games.
Even though we see the Red Wings and the Avalanche play twice a year (due to Detroit moving to the Eastern Conference in 2013-14), every game is exciting and attracts more fans than any other game. Whether you wear the burgundy and blue or the red and white, there is no denying these two teams play a phenomenal game of hockey and earn the title of the greatest rivalry in hockey.
