On June 19, 1999, Brett Hull scored in triple overtime to give the Dallas Stars their first and only Stanley Cup championship. Here is the full story.
The regular season: The 1998-99 Stars finished 51-19-12 with 114 points, the best record in the NHL. Source: Hockey Reference. They were the number 1 seed in the Western Conference and the favorite to win the Cup.
The playoff path:
Round 1 vs. Edmonton (4-0): A dominant sweep. The Stars outscored the Oilers 17-5 across 4 games. The tone was set early.
Round 2 vs. St. Louis (4-2): A tougher series. The Blues pushed Dallas to 6 games but Ed Belfour's goaltending was the difference. He posted a .929 save percentage in the series.
WCF vs. Colorado (4-3): The defining series. Seven games against the arch-rival Avalanche (Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Patrick Roy). Game 7 went to overtime. Joe Nieuwendyk scored the series winner. The AAC (then Reunion Arena) was deafening.
Stanley Cup Final vs. Buffalo (4-2): The series came down to Game 6 in Buffalo. The game went to triple overtime. At 14:51 of the third OT, Brett Hull scored the Cup-winning goal with his skate in the crease.
The controversy: Buffalo fans will tell you Hull's goal should have been disallowed. The crease rule stated that a goal was invalid if an attacking player's skate was in the crease. Hull's left skate was clearly in the crease when he scored. However, the NHL ruled that because Hull had possession of the puck before entering the crease, the goal was legal under a previously unannounced "interpretation" of the rule.
The controversy has never died. Buffalo fans to this day call it the "No Goal." Source: NHL official ruling, ESPN historical coverage.
The legacy: The 1999 championship put hockey on the map in Texas. Mike Modano, Brett Hull, and Ed Belfour became DFW legends. The run to the Cup generated a fanbase that persists 27 years later.
Key players:
- Mike Modano: 23 points in 23 playoff games. The face of the franchise.
- Joe Nieuwendyk: Conn Smythe Trophy winner (playoff MVP). 11 goals in the Cup run.
- Ed Belfour: .930 save percentage in the postseason. Stood on his head when it mattered.
- Brett Hull: The Cup-winning goal. Enough said.
Sources:
- Hockey Reference — 1999 playoff stats
- NHL.com — historical archives
- ESPN — Cup Final coverage
Hot take or facts?