It was on this day in 2002 that the Detroit Red Wings had one of their most memorable games since the turn of the century.
The Detroit Red Wings celebrated their centennial season in 2025-26, which was commemorated by memories of glories past and multiple cameos from some of the most important players in team history.
It was on this day in 2002 that the Red Wings enjoyed one of the most meaningful victories in their history, defeating the Colorado Avalanche by a whopping 7-0 final score in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final.
The Red Wings, who had defeated the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues in the opening two rounds of the postseason, found themselves in a precarious position after five games against Colorado.
The Avalanche beat the Red Wings 2-1 in overtime in Game 5, taking a three-games-to-two series lead back to Denver. But it was a crucial error from Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy that opened the door for Detroit late in the first period of Game 6.
Thanks to a standout shutout performance from Dominik Hasek, the Red Wings and Avalanche returnred to Detroit for one final showdown for a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.
Not only did the Red Wings strike early and often, but ultimately chased Roy from the net by the midway point of the second period in front of a rocking sellout crowd at Joe Louis Arena.
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Moving on to face the Carolina Hurricanes, the Red Wings were surprised in Game 1 with a 3-2 overtime defeat before ultimately winning four straight games to claim the 10th Stanley Cup in team history.
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