The Devils defeated the defending champion Stars four games to two to win their second Stanley Cup in franchise history. This was the first of two Stanley Cup Final where two relocated teams faced each other; the other being in 2001.
New Jersey entered the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference after finishing the regular season with 103 points. In the playoffs, they first swept the fifth-seeded Florida Panthers. In the second round they defeated the third-seeded Toronto Maple Leafs in six games. In the Eastern Conference finals, the Devils defeated the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in seven games (in the process becoming the first team since expansion to come back from a 3-1 deficit later than the second round) to advance to the Final.
Dallas captured the Pacific Division title and entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference after finishing the regular season with 102 points. In the playoffs, they defeated the seventh-seeded Edmonton Oilers in the first round in five games. In the second round, the Stars defeated the eighth-seeded San Jose Sharks, also in five games. In a rematch of the previous year’s Western Conference finals, the Stars again defeated the Colorado Avalanche in seven games to advance to the Final.
Despite New Jersey being a lower seed in conference play (4) than Dallas (2), New Jersey's 103 points were one more than Dallas, giving them home-ice advantage in the series. The Devils won the Cup in game six on a one-timer goal by Jason Arnott in double overtime. It was their second Stanley Cup overall and first since 1995.
Petr Sykora and Jason Arnott each recorded 4 points for New Jersey in game one, and Ken Daneyko scored his first goal of the playoffs during the second period. Ed Belfour was replaced in the third period by Manny Fernandez after allowing 6 goals on 18 shots. New Jersey would go on to win the game by a score of 7–3, giving them a 1–0 series lead.
In game two, Brett Hull scored twice, including the game winner with four minutes and sixteen seconds remaining in regulation. Ed Belfour made 27 saves to secure a 2–1 for Dallas, tying the series at a game apiece.
After the teams were tied at one goal apiece in the first period of game three, Petr Sykora scored the game-winning goal on a power play in second period, and Martin Brodeur made 22 saves, giving the Devils a 2–1 victory, and a 2–1 series lead.
After the Stars took a 1–0 lead in the second period, the Devils capitalized three times in the third period due to defensive errors by Dallas in the third period to a commanding 3–1 series lead.
With Dallas facing elimination, both goaltenders remained unbeatable to set a record. It set a new record for the longest scoreless tie in a Stanley Cup Final game (106:21), passing the previous record set by Game 4 of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final.[1][2]
Mike Modano scored the game-winning goal at 6:21 of the third overtime, deflecting a shot from Brett Hull past Martin Brodeur, giving the Stars a 1–0 victory, keeping the Stars' hopes alive and forcing a sixth game back in Dallas.
A scoreless first period gave way to both teams scoring a goal in the span of 69 seconds, with Mike Keane's goal proving crucial to overtime when neither scored in the third period. The first overtime saw no scoring, but in double overtime, Jason Arnott scored the game winning goal past Ed Belfour to win the game for the Devils and give them their second Stanley Cup in five years. Scott Stevens was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for his dominant defensive play, unmatched physicality, and leadership during the playoffs.
This was the first Final that featured two relocated teams competing for the Stanley Cup, as well as the first Final in which both teams had won the Stanley Cup previously after relocation (the Devils in 1995, and the Stars in 1999).
For the Stars, this was the first time since the New York Islanders lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the 1984 Final that a defending Stanley Cup champion lost in the Final. This would happen again in 2001, as the Devils made a return trip to the Final, but lost in seven games to the Colorado Avalanche.
This was the last Stars' appearance in the Stanley Cup Final until 2020, in which they lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The names of the 1999–2000 New Jersey Devils players, coaching staff and executives, engraved on the Stanley Cup
The 2000 Stanley Cup was presented to Devils captain Scott Stevens by NHL CommissionerGary Bettman following the Devils 2–1 double overtime win over the Stars in game six.
The following Devils players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup
Taran Singelton (Video Coordinator), Marie Carnevale (Hockey Operations-Ass't to President-General Manager), Callie Smith (Scouting Staff Asst.), Bill Murray (Medical Trainer), Michael Vasalani (Strength-Conditioning Coordinator)
Dana McGuane (Equipment Manager), Juergen Merz (Message Therapist), Harry Bricker (Asst. Equipment Manager), Lou Centanni (Asst. Equipment Manager)
New Jersey successfully requested an exemption to engrave the names of four players who did not automatically qualify.[a]
#6 Brad Bombardir (D) played in 32 regular season games and 1 playoff game.
#15 Steve Kelly (C) played in 1 regular season game and 10 playoff games, four of the ten in the Eastern Conference finals.
#2 Ken Sutton (D) joined the team at the NHL trade deadline from the minors. He played in 6 regular season games, but was a healthy scratch for the entire playoffs.
#10 Steve Brule (C) did not play in the regular season, but played in 1 game of the Eastern Conference finals.
Krzysztof Oliwa became the first Polish born and trained player to win the Stanley Cup. He played 69 regular season for the Devils, but missed the whole playoffs due to injury. Oliwa qualified for playing more than half of the regular season games.
Larry Robinson was promoted from assistant coach to head coach with only eight games left in the regular season to replace Robbie Ftorek. Ftorek stayed on as a scout for the rest of season and the NHL allowed his name to be included on the Stanley Cup. Robinson became the first interim head coach in NHL history to guide a team to a Stanley Cup championship.
14 members were engraved with an initial and two full names.
#24 Willie Mitchell (D – 2 regular season games) did not play in the playoffs (he was a healthy scratch). He was on the roster during the Final, but left off the Stanley Cup engraving due to not qualifying.[a] He later won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 (against the Devils) and 2014.[3]
Deron Quint (D – 50 regular season games for Phoenix, and 4 for New Jersey) (joined in a March 7 trade for Lyle Odelein) was not engraved on the Stanley Cup because New Jersey suspended him for failing to report to the minors for conditioning purposes. Quint wore #2 when playing for New Jersey, but his number became available when he was suspended by the team. #2 was taken by Ken Sutton later in the season.
Rob McLean (Consultant) – Still awarded a Stanley Cup Ring, and on the team picture.
In Canada, the series was televised on CBC. In the United States, this was the first year under the new joint American TV contract with the Disney-owned networks ESPN and ABC, with ESPN airing the first two games of the Cup Final and ABC broadcasting the rest of the series. Devils team broadcasters Mike Miller and Randy Velischek called the series on local radio on WABC–AM 770 in New York City. In Dallas, Stars broadcasters Ralph Strangis and Daryl Reaugh called the series on WBAP 820 AM.
^ abcAutomatic qualification for a player's name to be engraved on the Stanley Cup: Playing in (for a goaltender, dressing for) at least one Stanley Cup Final game or at least half of regular season games for the Stanley Cup winning team.
