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Overcoming butterflies Avalanche rewarded for their Game 7 resilience
Updated: Sunday June 10, 2001 11:29 AM By Darren Eliot, CNNSI.com
At first glance, adrenaline and anxiousness look the same -- both energetic responses to competition. The difference, though, is adrenaline properly directed fuels a confident effort. That describes the Avs. Conversely, the Devils' physical and mental approach was out of sync -- a smidgen of doubt undermining the effort -- characterized by some players trying to do too much, while others were guilty of tentativeness. The telltale signs were the minor penalties the Devils took in the first period; the missed shots on goal in the dangerous scoring area and eventually three misplays on Alex Tanguay's goal in the first period. The Avalanche continued to outplay the Devils in the second, with another marker by Alex Tanguay providing a representative glimpse of this decisive game -- failings on the Devils part and the impressive decisiveness and determination on the part of the Avs. Colin White made a bad decision at the offensive blueline, failing to keep the puck in the zone. That allowed Joe Sakic to get behind him and retrieve it in full flight. Then Tanguay outworked Bobby Holik to make the play a 2-1. The reward for his effort was the rebound of the Sakic shot, which came right to him. Sure, the defending champion Devils pressed in the third, trying to close the 3-1 deficit. But, the Avs were unflinching. It was equal parts what the Devils could not do and what the Avs were able to accomplish. In the end, the Avalanche displayed a resiliency and resolve that was greater than that of the Devils -- and that is no small feat. Either is winning the Stanley Cup.
Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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Youthful exuberance, yes. Intensity, yes. Hustle that led to two tallies, yes. The difference? Absolutely. The Devils had no one step up like Tanguay did for the Avalanche. 
Steady and self-assured once again. Unlike the Devils, his was a performance characterized by not trying to do too much. Which of course was more than enough to backstop his team's effort. 
All season and throughout the post-season, when the Whenever his team needed a lift offensively, he provided it. With the Stanley Cup at stake, Sakic rose to the occasion once more. 
