The Detroit Red Wings–Colorado Avalanche rivalry took center stage Sunday afternoon, hours before the Avalanche played for the Stanley Cup in Game 6 at Tampa Bay.
ESPN’s E60 “Unrivaled” documentary dug deep into the legendary feud of the late 1990s-early 2000s, and it lived up to the hype for people following along on social media.
The show centered on Claude Lemieux, Darren McCarty — who have become friends — the hit on Kris Draper and the legendary Fight Night at The Joe on March 26, 1997, 25 years ago.
The final third of the roughly 90-minute documentary relives the 1997 Cup victory, the celebrations over the next week and the catastrophic limousine crash that changed the life of Vladimir Konstantinov.
The Wings and Avs met five times in seven postseasons from 1996-2002, with the Wings advancing in 1997 and 2002, and the Avalanche winning in 1996, 1999 and 2000. Detroit won the Cup three times during that span (1997-98, 2002), and Colorado won twice (1996, 2001).
Here’s a snippet of the reaction from Twitter:
Jeff Seidel: Vladimir Konstantinov and his untold battle after fateful limo crash
More: Fight Night at The Joe: ‘Darren McCarty will never pay for a meal in this town again’
More: Ref from Wings-Avs brawl reveals why Darren McCarty stayed in game: ‘Paybacks are a bitch’
Want more Red Wings news? Download our free mobile app on iPhone or Android!
To access our most exclusive sports content, become a Free Press subscriber for $1.
Stay informed on what’s happening across Michigan: Subscribe to our news alert emails.