Saturday, June 9 Updated: June 11, 3:31 PM ET All Avs' paths meet with Cup win By Brian A. Shactman ESPN.com DENVER -- After the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup on Saturday night, the winners' locker room was no different than a New York subway at rush hour. Hot and packed with an eclectic group of people, ranging from infant children to elderly grandfathers. And, of course, the players and media. But for the winners of the Stanley Cup, all the rules get bent a little bit. So, family, friends and the media throng -- shoehorned into one room -- all got along peacefully for once. Shjon Podein gets a celebratory shower in the Avalanche locker room after Colorado won its first Cup since 1996. "No better feeling than this," said Alex Tanguay, who had two goals and an assist in the dramatic Game 7 victory over the New Jersey Devils. In the middle of the room, several players took turns sipping champagne from hockey's championship chalice. Ten feet away, Milan Hejduk sat in his stall with his girlfriend in one arm and a cigar in the other. He slumped with his back against the wall and smiled. He didn't need to say much to articulate his satisfaction. "Yup," said the quiet right wing from the Czech Republic. Before leaving to speak at the podium and then seek out his father, Tanguay forced his way through the crowd in front of Ray Bourque to give him a big kiss. And a lot of that was going around the room -- these players, with cuts and bruises galore, hugged and kissed like lost siblings at a family reunion. "This is what it's all about," Tanguay added. Meanwhile, teammate Steve Reinprecht tried to make sure everyone had a beer. "This is great," Reinprecht said, adding he thought he'd spend his one day with the Cup in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. Almost all the Avalanche players kept their equipment on as they balanced between the microphone-toting press and family members After a few minutes, the room segregated along particular lines. Families sat near and stood in players' stalls, while television crews took up the middle of the room where players continued to sip from the Cup and talk to various people. Even Avs players who were not in the lineup participated. Nolan Pratt didn't play a single playoff game, but he wore his jersey and hoisted the trophy like everyone else. Avs star Peter Forsberg, a month removed from emergency spleen surgery, still had his skates on from going on the ice after game. "I was sitting in the training room the last two or three minutes, and I went out there (to the Avs' bench) with about 30 seconds left," Forsberg said. "I really didn't want to step on the bench, but with 15 seconds, I knew it was done." Forsberg would have rather experienced the game firsthand, but it didn't take too much away from the winning experience. "It was tough to sit and watch, not being on the ice, sweating it with the guys," Forsberg said. "But we have a great team, and we wanted to win it so much. No matter who got hurt, I think we were going to win it." And for the players hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first time, the heft of the prized trophy was a bit of a shock. "You don't realize how heavy that thing is," Tanguay said. "It's heavy," Bourque agreed. But it was one kind of heavy lifting Avalanche players didn't mind doing -- and often. Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com and can be reached at brian.shactman@espn.com. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

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