A year after Draper hit, Red Wings got the revenge that mattered most

Oh yes, this was a moment Detroit Red Wings fans were waiting for. We need to remember that, back in 1995, the Wings earned a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, but the New Jersey Devils made them look like a 'happy to be there' team.

It wasn't the ending the Red Wings wanted, but they were fortunate enough to get back to the Conference Final in 1996. Only, that didn't turn out they wanted it, and they ended up losing to the new Colorado Avalanche 4 games to 2.

And while it was the Avs first season in the NHL, an intense rivalry between the two teams developed, especially after Claude Lemieux broke Kris Draper's jaw. Tension further built between the clubs and, no matter what they tried, it seemed like the Wings could never get the best of the Avs.

Then came Fight Night at the Joe on March 26th and the Wings proved to the world that yes, they could go head-to-head with the Avs and beat them. Not only on the scoreboard, but they could also outmuscle them.

Enter the Conference Final, which saw the Red Wings and Avs square off again

The Avalanche wanted to defend their Clarence Campbell Bowl and smash their ticket into the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in as many seasons as they'd been in Denver since their move from Quebec City. Meanwhile, the Wings just wanted another chance to erase a championship drought that'd gone on for far too long.

And after Game 1, things weren't looking good, with the Avs taking it 2-1. Fast-forward to Game 2, and things still didn't look good for the Wings as they fell into a 2-0 deficit before Igor Larionov and Sergei Fedorov scored power play goals.

Then there was that legendary game-winner from Steve Yzerman off Patrick Roy's back that ultimately evened the series. The Wings then eked out a 2-1 win in Game 3, taking the series lead before crushing the Avs 6-0 in Game 4, giving them a two-game cushion as they looked to close out the series in Denver.

But, it wasn't meant to be, as the Avs returned the favor with a 6-0 win of their own and forcing the series back to The Joe for Game 6. This time, the Wings weren't having it and they ended up winning the series before snagging the Stanley Cup in a sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Game 6 turned out to be a definite nailbiter if you remember it right

This game was a deadlock until the second period, when Martin Lapointe scored to give the Wings a 1-0 lead. That would be it until the 6:11 mark of the third, when Sergei Fedorov scored to make it 2-0 Wings, and everything seemed to be going their way.

Fast-forward to the 14:48 mark, and Scott Young saved the Avalanche by making it a game when he got one in. The final five minutes of the game heated up, with neither team able to cash in, forcing the Avalanche to roll with a 6-on-5 in hopes of making something happen.

But Brendan Shanahan put an end to all hope, as he fired the puck into the back of the net with a helper from Igor Larionov, guaranteeing the Wings a chance to play for the Stanley Cup.