The New Jersey Devils have been one of the most successful franchises in the NHL over the last 20 years, but as it faced the New York Rangers in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, it still felt like something was missing to the team and its fans. They may have three Cups since 1995, but the Devils have still felt that the burden of those hated Rangers had yet to be overcome.
Now, that's all in the past. Via Devils blog In Lou We Trust:
I can think of no better way to erase the memories of the mid 90's than the way things unfolded. The Devils not only advanced, but crushed the hopes of Ranger fans in the process. Whether it was key Devil third period/overtime game winning goals in games the Rangers had fought back to tie or watching their team embarrass themselves when losing (see Rupp, Mike) this series had a bit of everything to break the black hearts of Ranger fans.
Stick with SBNation.com for full Stanley Cup Finals coverage. For more on the New Jersey Devils, check out Devils blog In Lou We Trust. For more on the Los Angeles Kings, check out Jewels From The Crown and SB Nation Los Angeles.