#5) 2000 & 2003: The Devils’ Second & Third Cups
The Islanders won their four consecutive Stanley Cups in the early 1980’s and the Rangers, their Messier-led cup in 1994, but the area’s most successful pro hockey team since, has been the New Jersey Devils, with three Stanley Cup championships in a span of nine years, the past two coming in this decade. A controversial firing of head coach Robbie Ftorek, replacing him with assistant Larry Robinson, led to the Devils’ second cup victory, after a gritty Devils teams became the first NHL team to overcome a three games to one conference finals deficit (against Philadelphia) before winning the cup on a Game 6 double overtime goal by Jason Arnott… While the Nets couldn’t close the deal against the Spurs, New Jersey’s other big pro team did. The Devils rode the fifth of what is currently eight division titles and the Eastern conference’s second seed to the Stanley Cup Finals, to win their third cup, with consecutive seven-game series victories (over Ottawa in the Eastern conference finals, and beating Anaheim in the Stanley Cup finals).