Red Wings honor their 1998 Stanley Cup champions before game with Islanders
Detroit Red Wings center Pius Suter (24) scores on New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Paul Sancya
DETROIT — The Red Wings held a stirring pre-game ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of their 1998 Stanley Cup championship, which included a wheelchair-bound Vladimir Konstantinov dropping the ceremonial first puck.
But, to keep the start of Saturday afternoon’s game at Little Caesars Arena from being delayed, the Islanders agreed to have both teams conduct pre-game warmups at the in-house practice rink. No fans were able to watch.
“It was different today,” Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov said. “I don’t think I’ve ever done this before. But there’s always going to be new things. It was out of our control, what are you going to do? Detroit had a ceremony with big stars, big names.”
“It would be [different] simply because it’s not the building you’re starting the game in,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said after his team’s 3-0 loss. “But that had nothing to do with the game itself.”
Konstantinov was part of The Russian Five, including Sergei Federov, Slava Kozlov, Slava Fetisov and Igor Larinov, who helped the Red Wings win the Cup in 1997. Konstantinov was injured in a car accident six days after that Cup victory and his teammates dedicated the 1997-98 season to him.
“Growing up, I was watching all these games between Detroit and Colorado,” said Varlamov, who was born in Samara, Russia. “I remember the playoff games. Detroit had an unbelievable team for so many years.”
Isles files
RW Cal Clutterbuck logged 13:36 with a game-high six hits after missing Friday’s practice for maintenance…Saturday marked president and general manager Lou Lamoriello’s 3,000th NHL game, including the playoffs…C Brock Nelson had his career-high four-game goal streak snapped…LW Anders Lee had his four-game point streak snapped…The Islanders had 24 shot attempts blocked…D Robin Salo, LW Ross Johnston and RW Nikita Soshnikov remained healthy scratches.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
