It was on this day in 1997 that the collective euphoria of the first Stanley Cup victory in 42 years washed over the city of Detroit in a sea of confetti and champagne.
Boosted by goals from Nicklas Lidstrom and Darren McCarty, the Detroit Red Wings swept the Philadelphia Flyers four games to none, capturing the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1955.
Goaltender Mike Vernon, who had won the Stanley Cup earlier in his career with the Calgary Flames, caught a leaping Steve Yzerman in his arms as the final horn sounded at Joe Louis Arena, sparking a celebration that everyone in attendance would remember for the rest of their lives.
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Vernon would be named the recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while Yzerman soon received the Stanley Cup from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
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As Yzerman lifted the Cup into the air for the first time, the collective weight of over four decades of frustration melted away.
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