Saturday, June 9 Updated: June 10, 4:41 PM ET Mistakes catch up with Devils in Game 7 Associated Press DENVER -- With stupid plays and penalties, the New Jersey Devils first put themselves in a big hole in Game 7, then saw their hopes of becoming a dynasty buried in it. The defending champions squandered a chance to win a third Stanley Cup in seven years by handing Colorado three goals in the first 27 minutes in losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals 3-1 on Saturday night. Colorado's Alex Tanguay was left all alone on the left wing in the second period to bury Joe Sakic's rebound past Devils goalie Martin Brodeur. "I am very proud of this team, but I am hoping that maybe we can learn from these mistakes that we made and start next year with one thing in mind," Devils coach Larry Robinson said. "We've got to learn how to play disciplined hockey," Robinson said. "Disciplined hockey wins championships." Undisciplined playoff hockey left the Devils in tears this year. As the Avalanche celebrated, Jason Arnott leaded over the empty Devils bench and just looked down. Bobby Holik stared down the runway to the locker room and Petr Sykora cried on the shoulder of Alex Abasto, one of the team's equipment assistants. "I don't know what to say," Holik said. "You are on an emotional high for so long and you lose and it comes to a halt -- poof! -- and you're done. You're going home." Most of Holik's teammates wouldn't show their emotions. The dressing room was closed for almost a half an hour after the game ended and only about eight to 10 players spoke with the media. The usually chatty Martin Brodeur walked through the room and out a side door. "It's disappointing, we played our hearts out," veteran Ken Daneyko said. "You get your gut ripped out when you lose." The hurt was intensified because the Devils were their own worst enemy in the playoffs despite finishing the regular season winning 19 of 21 games. And they were at their worst in the final two games against the Avalanche, being outscored 7-1. "We worked hard, came from behind and came through a lot of adversity in these playoffs, so it's very disappointing not to win," Stevens said. "We didn't put teams away when we could, and we just weren't as consistent this year. In the playoffs, you can't give things away, that's the bottom line." The one thing the Devils had going for them in the final game was that they had always played their best facing elimination. They rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the conference championship against Philadelphia last year and came back from a 3-2 deficit against Toronto in the second round this season. Not this time. This time, they blew a 3-2 lead in the series and couldn't come back from the 3-0 deficit in Game 7 although they had some great chances after falling behind. Alex Tanguay scored twice and helped set up another by Joe Sakic, staking Patrick Roy and the Avs to a 3-0 lead just 6:16 into the second period. The goals followed a turnover, a mistake and an undisciplined penalty by New Jersey defenseman Sean O'Donnell. Tanguay gave Avs a 1-0 lead at 7:58 of the first period after Dan Hinote intercepted a clearing pass around the boards by Brodeur. Tanguay picked up the loose puck while Hinote set a pick on Stevens and circled around the net. As Tanguay came out the other side, Holik collided with defenseman Brian Rafalski in front. That gave Tanguay time to turn and face Brodeur, beating him with a shot up high. New Jersey had two great chances to tie the game in the period. Patrik Elias picked up a loose puck right in front of the crease after a Rafalski shot from the point was blocked, but he couldn't get the puck over Roy's pad. Sykora beat Roy with a 40-foot shot with 1:41 left in the period, but it hit the left goal post. Devils defenseman Colin White set up Tanguay's second goal by trying to pinch in from the left point to stop a clearing pass by Colorado defenseman Adam Foote. He failed and that set up a 2-on-1 break. Brodeur stopped Sakic's shot but Tanguay put the rebound into an open net at 4:57. A little more than a minute later, O'Donnell took a high sticking penalty. Twenty-five seconds later, Sakic got an open lane by faking Stevens out of position and he ripped a shot over Brodeur's glove. Down 3-0, the Devils showed a lot of character the rest of the way. Just 11 seconds after Eric Messier was penalized for high sticking John Madden, Sykora scored on a breakaway. The goal woke up the Devils and they had at least six outstanding scoring chances the rest of the period, particularly the A-Line of Sykora, Elias and Arnott. Roy had one fabulous glove save on Elias after a faceoff. New Jersey had two more good chances to cut the lead in the third period, but Roy stopped Scott Niedermayer from between the circles and he made another pad save on Sykora. As the clock wound down, the Devils hurt themselves by picking up two more penalties, assuring Ray Bourque his first Stanley Cup in his 22-year career. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

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