20 years ago, Dallas Stars’ goalie blamed a terrible Stanley Cup loss on cough syrup
In the Hall of Fame of Excuses, cough syrup ranks ahead of “the dog who ate my homework,“ the “something came up with my kids,” and “It must have gotten lost in the mail.”
But 20 years ago, there was the goalie of the Dallas Stars telling the world the reason he played so poorly in a Stanley Cup Finals game was none other than cough syrup.
For all of the great memories and moments Belfour, and those Stanley Cup Stars’ teams, provided two decades ago, the goalie’s excuse after Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals is one of the best in the history of our sports’ community.
Whereas Michael Jordan’s famous “flu game” in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals actually turned out to be a case of some spiked pizza, Belfour’s cough syrup game remains just that.
And unlike Jordan, who overcame the bad pie by scoring twice as many points as in anyone else uniform that day, Belfour was overcome by prescription meds.
In late May of 2000, Belfour and the Stars had defeated the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals for a second consecutive year in Reunion Arena. Belfour had out-played Avs goalie Patrick Roy for a second consecutive playoff series.
The Stars advanced to the Cup Finals to defend their ‘99 title, against the New Jersey Devils and goalie Martin Brodeur.
This was at a time when one goal was expected to be enough of a lead for either future Hall of Fame goaltender.
In Game 1, on May 30, 2000, Belfour gave up six on 18 shots.
Belfour was the biggest reason the Stars’ reached a Finals for a second consecutive year, but was pulled in the third period of Game 1 at New Jersey by coach Ken Hitchcock. In the visitor’s locker room after the game Belfour told the media he had taken “cough syrup” in the morning, and that was supposed to explain his bad performance.
Most athletes will pull the tough guy routine and at least say, “But that’s not an excuse.”
The Eagle was a different bird.
(Editor’s note: This Eagle is not Olympic ski jumper Michael Edwards, who earned his fame in the 1988 Winter Olympics.)
Belfour said the syrup affected his “balance and equilibrium.” And his energy.
“Eddie was one of those who if he said it, he believed it, so that was the reason. So that was the reason,” said former Stars goalie Marty Turco, who was a rookie on that team, and eventually replaced Belfour a few years later. “But I remember when the next day [during practice], and some of the guys were laughing about it.
“Like, ‘Oh, yeah. It was the cough syrup.’ That team was so good, and had so many veterans, they kept everyone accountable. But you left Eddie alone. Guys liked Eddie because he was a gamer. He was professional and he prepared. They all knew they needed him.”
Belfour normally had an “explanation” if he had a bad game, which was not often. Typically it was his back. Never had an athlete reached into his medicine bag to blame cough drops.
Belfour may also not have been completely full of it.
In the previous series, Belfour did not allow more than two goals in any of the seven games.
In Game 2 against New Jersey, Belfour was brilliant as the Stars won 2-1.
Belfour kept the Stars in the series. As the series progressed, and it became apparent New Jersey was superior, Belfour was so good he was in the discussion to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.
After winning Game 2, the Stars scored a total of four goals in the remaining four games as they lost the series in Game 6 at Reunion Arena. The team has not been to a Stanley Cup Finals since that loss.
By the start of the 2002-03 season, Turco replaced Belfour, and Marty never forgot his experience in those Finals.
On Dec. 21, 2002, Turco took the loss against the same Devils in New Jersey. Standing about 10 feet from where Belfour explained that his bad game was due to medicine, Turco allowed five goals and said, “It was the cough medicine.”
Turco was kidding.
Belfour wasn’t, even if it’s a Hall of Fame excuse.
This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 1:06 PM.
