Mission Accomplished
Stanley Cup Champions – June 9, 2001
A panoramic view in Denver, Colorado – The Rob Arra Collection

After watching the storybook ending to John Elway’s career just a couple of years earlier, Denver fans were well equipped to appreciate what was happening to Ray Bourque. In a career that started four years before John Elway ever even stepped onto an NFL football field, Bourque spent more than two decades in the most gruelling of professional sports leagues without winning a single championship. After a game 5 loss to the Devils at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, it was looking like his last great shot was slipping away. But with dominating performances in games 6 and 7 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, the Colorado Avalanche won a thrilling cup final, and Ray finally fulfilled his dream! After Captain Joe Sakic accepted the Stanley Cup on behalf of his team, he immediately handed it off to the man the crowd was chanting for: “Ray…Ray…Ray…” – and in one brief exchange, 22 years of grit, pain, disappointment, and perseverance were washed away. As he lifted the cup above his head, the tears started streaming down. As the entire hockey world (save for Devils fans) looked on in sheer delight…SNAP! The moment was preserved for all-time, and is now available for your wall!

As with all posters in the Everlasting Images series, every detail of the Pepsi Center is in perfect focus, and as you pan across the print you feel like you are actually there, just seconds after Ray Bourque lifted Lord Stanley’s prize for the first time. From the exuberance of the fans, to the scene on the ice, to the closeup of Ray on the video board above, it’s all there – a piece of history, worthy of a nice frame and a prominent space on your wall! The print also includes a listing of the final score of each game in the series. An absolute must for the wall of any Bourque or Avalanche fan, and a perfect gift for any hockey follower.