June 16, 1998: The Last Ride of the Russian Five

Vladimir Konstantinov (left) and Viacheslav Fetisov

June 16, 1998: The Detroit Red Wings beat the Washington Capitals, 4-1 at the arena now known as the Capital One Arena in Washington, completing a 4-game sweep and winning their 2nd straight Stanley Cup. It was the 8th Stanley Cup as a head coach for Scotty Bowman, tying Toe Blake's record.

The Wings' biggest stars were longtime center and Captain Steve Yzerman, defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, and goaltender Mike Vernon. But they also featured the Russian Five: Defensemen Viacheslav Fetisov and Vladimir Konstantinov, centers Sergei Fedorov and Igor Larionov, and left wing Vyacheslav Kozlov.

All 5 of them had played for CSKA Moscow, the club team of the Red Army. Fetisov had long starred for the Soviet Union's national team before the fall of the Berlin Wall made it possible for Russian players to play in the NHL. He starred with the New Jersey Devils before being traded to the Wings in the 1995 season -- ironically, going from the team that would win the Stanley Cup to the team they would beat in the Finals.

Larionov debuted with the Vancouver Canucks in 1989, and was traded to the Wings for the 1995-96 season. Fedorov debuted with the Wings in 1990. Neither Festisov nor Larionov played in an NHL All-Star Game, but Fedorov played in 1. All 3 were elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Konstantinov and Kozlov were a bit younger, and both debuted debuting with the Wings in 1992. Konstantinov played in an All-Star Game, while Kozlov did not.

The year before, shortly after winning the Cup, a car crash badly hurt Konstantinov and team massage therapist Sergei Mnatsakonov. Both were in attendance for the clincher, and Yzerman, awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as Most Valuable Player of the Playoffs, wheeled Konstantinov onto the ice, and put the Cup in his lap.

Fetisov retired after this Cup win. Kozlov left in 2001. Fedorov and Larionov remained with the Wings long enough to win a 3rd Cup, in 2002. Fedorov scored 483 career goals, Kozlov 356.

It would take another 20 years for another D.C. team – unless you count the soccer team, D.C. United – to reach a major league sports final. But when they did, the Capitals not only won their 1st Stanley Cup Finals game after 44 years of play, but their 1st Cup.

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June 16, 1998 was a Tuesday. Football was out of season. The NBA season ended 2 days earlier, when the Chicago Bulls completed their dynasty, beating the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the Finals, for their 2nd "threepeat" and their 6th title in 8 seasons. And these Major League Baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees lost to the Baltimore Orioles, 2-0 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Roberto Alomar hit a home run for the O's. Cal Ripken went 0-for-3.

Hideki Irabu pitched well, but Sidney Ponson allowed only 3 baserunners: A single to Luis Sojo in the 3rd inning, and a walk to Tino Martinez and a single to Jorge Posada in the 7th, at which point Oriole manager Ray Miller replaced Ponson with Arthur Rhodes, whom the Yankees hit well when he was with the Texas Rangers, but not this time.

To put this in perspective: Five years after this, Irabu was out of the major leagues; three years after that, Ponson was a Yankee; and five years after that, Irabu was dead.

* The New York Mets beat the Montreal Expos, 2-0 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Al Leiter pitched a 5-hit shutout.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-7 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The Phils trailed 7-0 after 5 innings, but came back, and scored 7 runs in the bottom of the 9th, culminating in a grand slam by Mike Lieberthal.

* The Atlanta Braves beat the Florida Marlins, 7-0 at Turner Field (now Center Parc Stadium) in Atlanta. Denny Neagle pitched a 4-hit shutout. Ryan Klesko went 2-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBIs.

* The Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 4-3 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals, 9-1 at Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) in Kansas City.

* The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-1 at Cinergy Field (formerly Riverfront Stadium) in Cincinnati.

* The Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers, 8-5 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-1 at the new Comiskey Park (now Rate Field) in Chicago.

* The Milwaukee Brewers beat their newly-installed (due to the League switch) arch-rivals, the Chicago Cubs, 11-2 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Yes, both Chicago teams were at home on the same day. The White Sox, who were 28-39 at the time, got 13,383 fans; the Cubs, 39-29, and with Sammy Sosa in the process of setting a steroid-aided single-month record with 20 home runs (though he went 0-for-3 with a walk in this game), got 25,409.

* The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros, 9-4 at the Astrodome in Houston. The Cardinals got home runs from Gary Gaetti, Brian Jordan and Delino DeShields -- but not from Mark McGwire, who went 0-for-3 with 2 walks.

* The San Diego Padres beat their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, 10-6 at Qualcomm Stadium (formerly San Diego Stadium and Jack Murphy Stadium). Tony Gwynn went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs.

* The San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies, 5-3 at Candlestick Park (then named 3Com Park at Candlestick Point) in San Francisco. Barry Bonds did not play.

* The Anaheim Angels beat the Seattle Mariners, 3-2 at Edison International Field of Anaheim (now Angel Stadium of Anaheim). Ken Griffey Jr. went 2-for-4.

* The Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers, 9-7 at The Ballpark (now Choctaw Stadium) in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. Rickey Henderson went 1-for-3 with 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, and 2 RBIs. Ben Grieve, son of former Rangers star Tom Grieve, hit 2 home runs and had 4 RBIs for the A's.