It is 7:43 on Monday morning as I write this letter to you. I love the morning of a Game 7. This is the third Oilers SCF Game 7. Anderson goal in 1987, Fernando almost scoring in the third period 2006, and tonight. Whatever may come, whatever may go, we share this experience with each other today and that’s forever.
In moments like this one, the mind reels. I think about that Anderson goal, the story behind it (Wayne Gretzky would hand the Cup to Steve Smith, effectively dissolving the pain of the previous spring) in 1987. It was a beautiful moment, majestic, perhaps the most incredible moment in the stunningly newsworthy history of this team.
One cannot even dare to whisper it this morning, but the idea of a Stanley Cup victory in 2024 washing away the dirt and grime that have accumulated in every crevice since 2006 has great appeal to me. I won’t contemplate it further, but as someone who likes to ponder, that item might last all summer.
What will tonight bring? There’s a massive, historic storyline here that the Oilers could author just a few hours from now. The last time an NHL team went down 3-0 in a SCF and then roared back to win was 1942! The Toronto Maple Leafs won over the Detroit Red Wings in an impossible dream series. Syl Apps was the big scorer, Turk Broda the star in goal. The deciding game featured two third period goals by Sweeney Schriner, who dominated the frame with linemates Billy Taylor and Lorne Carr.
When I was young, I had the entire collection of OPEECHEE hockey cards for 1971-72. When the Boston Bruins played, I would put them out in order in front of me. I’d sit cross legged in front of the television with the cards in order (C-LW-RW) so that Phil Esposito-Wayne Cashman-Ken Hodge was at the top. It was followed by Fred Stanfield-Johnny Bucyk-Johnny McKenzie and on it went. My earliest Stanley Cup memories that were my own (I grew up in a Toronto Maple Leafs house, I was the only Bobby Orr convert) are 1970 and 1972. I have cherished them for over 50 years.
Tonight is the continuation of what is surely an absolute thrill. They say the Stanley Cup is the hardest championship trophy to win on planet earth and I believe it. I think the Davis Cup might be more difficult because no one knows the damn rules, and America’s Cup is also tough because you can’t (in my opinion) credibly put a finish line in the ocean.
None of that matters now. This is it. This is for all time. This is for the ages. Tonight will make grownups cry, it is not known at this time if they will be tears of joy or tears of sorrow. It’s been such a long journey. It’s been so many, many miles. It is a single day after a lifetime spent reaching June 24, 2024. Today, we are witness to history. Together.
Noon today, Sports 1440, we set the stage. Rachel Doerrie from Staff and Graph Podcast will join us and we’ll have Jason Gregor give us a complete update on the ground for tonight’s historic game. Your comments are welcome and needed to give the moment the proper build. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. Question: Would you like to see an updated 2024 Lowetide draft list later this week?
Tough loss but amazing perspectives in the comments here. I think Al has conditioned all his regular readers to step back and look at the big picture.
My daughter who got into hockey through sledge this year was devasted by the loss, had a big cry. I really wanted to see her experience a win. Hopefully we don’t have to wait too long. They needed to wake up sooner in that series and while the comeback was great, you can’t put yourself behind like that.
Silver lining – the Bouchard/ Drai extensions this summer maybe aren’t as severe as if they won the cup.
Bad ice and basically no penalties, which were two things that I believe we all knew would be apparent. These things played right into Florida’s “hack a Zack” style of play. Credit to them they made that an incredibly hard game to play and watch. They did what was needed to slow the better team and won a cup in the process. The boys will be back, hopefully mostly whole. Great year reading all your guys thoughts, especially our intrepid leader. Bring on next year, I’m excited to see what happens and how they react.
Couldn’t agree more. Florida was clinical in their play, swarmed McD, and pressured the Oil into playing vast portions of the game in their zone. I think the Oil were exhausted by the end.
Janmark was a demon in the playoffs.
It was an amazing season given how it started and I have to say that it was a privilege to watch this team persevere.
The lesson of 2006 was not learned. Win preliminary series as quickly as possible and don’t spend the whole SCF chasing and having to play game 7 in the other guys rink. This loss was not on the depth players or goaltending. They did more than enough. The 3rd line and PK were splendid but our big guys and PP increasingly shot blanks as time went on. Trite to say but our best players were just not the best players tonight and that’s a problem in a game 7 of the SCF. Shame all that hard work got flushed, not through lack of effort, but by too much energy needlessly expended before the final series even started. They just ran out of gas.
3 PP goals in 7 games
Drai, with one assist on the PP. He had two other points in the series, two even strength assists.
You can’t really blame them for how good their competition was and that goes however a team’s path is to get to the SCF, let alone game 7. The last couple years of playoffs have shown that ‘luck’ is less to do with how many bounces you get and more-so what your injury report is. Florida last year was just completely spent by the time they ran into Vegas. Saying, ‘oh we didn’t learn from 2006 that we should win game 1 and only someone should have said something’, is a rather ridiculous statement.
Dont wanna be a downer here. I spent the second period praying to god for an oiler win. Actually praying. I spent the third period talking with my daughter whom I haven’t seen for many years. She’s going to detox tomorrow. Also talked to my sister who I don’t spend enough time with who has a major surgery coming up and talked to my wife of 21 years. We’ve been separated for 7 months. Sports is great but don’t forget what really matters in life. The sun will come up tomorrow. Be proud of our boys. They did a hell of a job. And thank you Al for all that you do.
Hurts but doesn’t hurt completely. Reasons why game 1 of season might really matter?
To not play end of it all game on ice clearly favoring opponents style.
Refs didn’t grossly interfere with outcome.
Mcdavid losy puck or fell down on shitty ice more than he could manage to mcdavid
Panthers played like they had to and did the first 3 games. Oil spent even the bitter end of remaining time available looking like they thought they were in matrix, with time slowed, but simply they were just slow and nearly indifferent appearing in real time.
Shitty skinner might end up overly “blamed” due to spotlight. Theres s lot of elements thst failed far worse to make thst game result play out.
One thing no one can take away from Connor is how he handled himself after the loss. You think this is heart-breaking for us… Not only are the Oilers led by a great player, they’re led by a great human being.
So Tkachuk says to his “Calgary fans” that he couldn’t let Edmonton win.
When has he ever done anything to prevent that from happening?
Sure as heck didn’t accomplish that as a Flame. 3 points and -5 in this 7 game series from a point a game player.
Oh, and he must have forgotten the fact that his forced trade led to Calgary signing the worst contract in the league. Which contributed to Flames losses that may have (a) may have saved Edmonton from a complete early season collapse, and (b) formed part of the 16 game win streak. Thanks, Tkachuk
That’s the part that I feel is the biggest injustice, Turtle on the cup before McDavid. After he forced his way out, does he even have fans in Calgary?
The other team, with the threat of an epic loss hanging over their head showed up more desperate. And had some good fortune too. Their game is much more dependent on getting a lead no matter how slim, And once they did they kept the play pinned to the boards. It wasn’t until about the last eight minutes that the Oil started to shoot more and get pucks to the crease.
And yes, the Oil could’ve won with the right bounces, it was a pretty darn close game, but I think they would’ve needed them… they didn’t assert themselves in the game. No shame in that, the other team is a pretty damn good squad with a smart coach, but this strikes me as more a mental/emotional failure than a talent one. Maybe they expected previous levels of effort to be good enough but the Cats proved that wrong tonight.
It’s a lesson for the core. A hard one. And no one’s gifted a return ticket. But great players climb great mountains. This team, from opening puck drop, has been stubborn about doing things the hardest way possible all season long. Going into this game, they were proud of it, of all they had overcome. And now we’re doing it the hardest way possible again. It’s a stupid strategy. It’s self-inflicted adversity. Life is adverse enough. It’s far better to learn your lessons and become successful efficiently. When you find the mountain pass, stop forcing yourself over the peak.
Speaking of lessons… Will we start off next season with the team looking like they need to learn how to play good hockey again? Like we did this one and most years prior.
This year was Cup or Bust. I think you could make the claim that next year those stakes are even more on the line. You think this year was nerve-wracking, now the pressure ratchets again.
But, unlike 06, at least we’ll be legit contenders. And, as a fan, that is a difference maker.
just gutted. lived it in 2006 and realize how rare these opportunities are.
will say this.
Edm is well positioned for the next 5+ years … we roll on
Love this team and this franchise
2-1 game with little skill, shoddy reffing, terrible ice and a Mickey Mouse franchise raising the cup… Bettman will be having wet dreams tonight
i want to puke
Please have a little class in defeat.
Well, on the one hand I have a lot of hope a new GM can make this team stronger, cap issues and all. And with age comes perspective, and as much as I am crushed, I’ll move on and get ready to cheer next year. Vacation next week with the family will help. But Drai’s comments resonate…82 games and things have to go just right just to have a chance again. It’s a long haul.
I also loved Drai’s comment about 97 ‘doing everything right every single day’ (paraphrasing). What an endorsement. And 97 showed it, waiting for every player before they left the ice. I said this city deserves it, so does 97.
Now if the NHL could watch some NBA games and see how a real league handles infractions against star players, that would help as well.
Sometimes the better team wins.
Sometimes the better team loses. That’s hockey.
Halfway through the game my five year old daughter cried out from her room with a nightmare (we are in a different timezone). I paused the game and layed with her, cuddling her until she fell asleep. Thinking about what an amazing day I had with her and her sister, lake swimming, seeing fish in the wild. Living life. I am blessed.
The sun came up today.
Every day in this playoffs we have been blessed. Watching hockey. Facing elimination so many times, playing on borrowed time, or so it felt. Something fans of 30 other teams did not get to experience. Life goes on. Hockey will return in a few months.
That’s a great perspective. And… you are truly blessed. I personally can’t disagree with a word.
After the game tonight I walked to the local hospital where my Mum lies in palliative care–the death room–she was happily awake and I got to kiss her on the forehead and run my fingers through her hair till the morphine snores took over. That was my post-game. There’s no doubt, that from a big-picture, truly life-changing point of view, sports fanning probably isn’t as high as many fans think.
But it is certainly not worthless, and it certainly can’t be expected that everyone is at the same point in their lives experiencing the same joys and losses and emotions. Game Seven was a big damn deal to many and I would never want to take that big deal away from them. The ’06 loss plays a role in my being able to deal with both losses I will face this week (I hope). And that would never happen without the emotional investment.
A little room for those grieving the Cup hard, I think, is probably the generous route. We all have lessons to learn.
Well said, Munny, well said. With age comes perspective. Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved before. I thought the Oilers’ collective geese were cooked when they met Dallas, and again when they went down 3 against Florida. Enjoy the ride, never forget about the big picture. I wish your mother and you peace.
You too, Smelly, love you.
And all you other diehards too.
I think we win that series in 6 games if we are healthy.
Hopefully there’s truth to the rumours that 97 and 29 are happy and willing to sign long term. If that’s the case, we will have our time yet.
We should all take cues from our captain and remain classy, and retain perspective in the face of this disappointment. It sucks, but it’s a hockey game, and there will be more hockey games.
Thanks LT and the gang for an amazing season.
Leon had 2 PPG in the first couple rounds. Almost nothing in the SCF. I don’t see any way we lose to Florida with a healthy Leon.
Never thought I’d say this but I feel terrible for Corey Perry.
Well that was easily the most entertaining NHL season in a very long time…
Worst start ever (at the hands of a rival – only to get our revenge in playoffs)
Win Heritage Classic (a nice side quest)
Fire coach after losing to the worst team ever
Hire one of the best coaches we’ve ever had?
Tie for longest winning streak ever
Hyman scores 50 goals
McD surpasses 100 assists
Revenge series with vs Vancouver
Lowest shot total in a series win ever
Revenge series win vs Dallas
Broberg and Hollywood emerge as legit top 6/top 4 players for next season
We have a 3rd line that is better than our 2nd line?
McD breaks a Gretz playoff record
Bouch breaks a Coffey playoff record
Nearly complete the impossible 0-3 comeback but lose to the cup champ for the 3rd year in a row.
oh and at one point during the season we did have one of the worst looking PKs ever. Would love to know how far off it ended as being the best ever?
Just looking at a shift chart now – Henrique and Janmark playing so little is criminal in that hockey game.
They’ve both been the kind to make a difference in a game like this.
Bear in mind in the coming days of toxic fans of losing teams coming out jeering our loss, that they would have all traded in the end of their season for a chance to be in the same building playing for the Cup. Hold ’em high, folks.
Well, frak. Didn’t have that on my bingo card.
BTW – not sure if it came through fully on the TV – the Oilers fans in attendance were easily the best part of tonight’s hockey game. It was a madhouse – and not because of the other guys or the hockey. Took the barn right over. Impressed the hell out of me.
Stings the same like 18 years ago
For the 2006 SFC Survivors – Believe. I am picking up my guts off the floor like you are. Our day will come.. sometime
Hopefully not 18 years from now.
I am shedding some tears, but I am older and deal with heavy emotions better than I did 18 years ago. And I’m doing it without the crutch of drugs and alcohol as I did back then. The Cup is inevitable for men like the McDavid’s, the Draisatl’s, and the Bouchard’s. Keep on believin’.
Your keeper got beat to the glove sidecagain … the highest paid player did not cash … Le sigh … in Canada we can’t have nice things … connect the dots to the tax havens 4 of 5 … shrugs
Not even a traffic jam leaving. Made it to my hotel faster than driving around during the day.
No meaning.
I’m happy for Maurice – that’s it.
Thinking about that post Bouch hit. Game of inches. Probably if it hit one inch to the right, it was in. Would have made it 2-1 Oilers then, right? Or at least tied. Totally different outcome most likely.
¼ of an inch Charlie
Even if they make it back next year, which is so far from guaranteed it isn’t even funny, it should have been for two titles then.
The legacy of this team slipped away a bit further again tonight. Damn does that ever hurt.
Exactly. Difficult to repeat they run in the playoffs these days.
Too many teams. Officiating too random/detrimental to ‘Oilers style hockey’ in the playoffs. Too much taint of Gary Bergman on this league.
I think Gary may be struggling health-wise. He was really really shaking out there. All other things aside, hope he’s doing okay.
I stopped listening / streaming when the clock ran out. Did not want to see Turtle and Bennett touching the cup. So didn’t see Bettman.
Honestly though, the guy should retire. He’s made his money and can eat for free anywhere in the southern US forever.
I also stopped watching as the horn sounded.
Just like in 2006. I have still never seen video footage of Carolina lifting the Cup. Don’t ever want to.
Don’t even want to think about Turtlechuk raising the Cup. Or that whole team of slashing, hacking swamp rats.
Not even from the commercials this year?
Hot take (not really). That was a boring game and the stars didnt do anything. You want a championship and you make 12.5, do something. Nothing is earned and legacy be damned. I hope it hurts. Learn from it.
That was the most boring result narratively. Gary Bettman is the most torqued up guy in North America right now.
We can now say the NHL has its Lebron without a championship. Does he need to go be a mercenary villain somewhere to find a legacy?
Affirmative. I did not see Connor, Leo, Evan, Ryan, Zach or Darnel try to step up. I mean… this scenario is what they should dream of at a young age..
not try to step it up? What does that even mean? Not skating with the puck? Not passing or trying shot attempts? Not winning face-offs? This is the dumbest comment ever.
Unbelievable that there are posters on this site of the opinion that this player or that player wasn’t trying
Playing 4 elimination games in a row was a tall order. Thought they had a lot of resilience clawing their way back to give us a game 7 to enjoy, heartbreaking as it was. Everyone was trying their best.
5v5 really worked to the Panthers advantage in game 7. The Oilers fed off their PK and Florida would lose momentum after failed PPs. Bet the Panthers were more than happy to see the refs swallow the whistles tonight.
I disagree. I was impressed with McDavid and Hyman in periods 2 and 3. McDavid was consistently dangerous. Just because pucks didn’t go in…I mean, Connor was making things happen all night.
Bouchard was also dangerous….at both ends of the ice. He giveth and he taketh away…just like Paul Coffey. We allowed lots of crucial goals because of his mistakes, including the first one tonight. But he also made magic offensively. If the post shot goes in, it’s a different story.
KK asked about Drai and said team will get into injuries in next couple of days
If Drai was as injured as we suspect, his minutes should have been limited.
How the NHL beats the most skilled teams. Call no penalties. Free for all. I really love this team and am so heartbroken for them. They gave it their absolute all. Almost a storybook ending. Next year?!
The ice was pretty bad as well tonight – McDavid wiped out in the same spot just inside the blue line. I’ve never seen him lose his edges making those cutbacks the way he did consistently in the Florida swamp.
I was there game 5 and 7 to witness it in FL. Shitty ice indeed
So you change tactics because you know and deal with it.
Dallas made their team seem way better than it actually was for years pulling the same stunt.
This is dumb.
It was cold as a witches teet in this arena.
The Oilers didn’t deliver.. sometimes it’s not any more complicated than that.
Wow. Great game.
I thought the Oilers played a great 2nd and 3rd period.
IMO I think the super line was assembled to early. I understand the temptation but that five man unit cannot play every second.
Drai will be disappointed with his finals performance.
Drai seems like the kind of guy that won’t go out of his way to say what his injuries were but they were definitely on full display. Probably something horribly bad in the back or torso.
Full marks to some Oiler media calling it as they see it……great run, but man some real interesting play from some key players tonight.
Agree with COH grades as well ….
It is what it is….
Janmark – fully earned – ( imo) the highest grade from Leavins tonigh
I know it’s little consolation, but Florida were seemingly in good health, and Edmonton was not. If Draisaitl and Kane were healthy, just like if Roli was healthy, maybe we’d be singing a different tune. We have no idea who else may be injured. I still believe McDavid has had something nagging at him to lead to simply above average shooting prowess this year. Doesn’t mean anything, but it does mean this team was built to win.
The real gut punch is that the Western Conference is going to be a grind for upcoming years (thank goodness they only have to beat one Central Division jauggernaut) and there’s no guarantee we’re back next year. A lot of players stepped up, and hopefully it helps the future GM better decide who can best support the stars going forwards.
Agreed that McDavid seemed to have something in the hand/wrist/finger area all season long. Not sure that late season core injury ever fully healed
My guess is Drai has a dislocated finger and broken ribs.
Not positive we’ll find out completely.
Broken ribs and or back issues could’ve explained why he couldn’t get the timing on his one-timer.
But Leon spent too much time out on the periphery since the Dallas series on. He just couldn’t figure out how to make an impact when the game became a grind on the bad ice in Florida. Didn’t get to the net and use his giant frame to make it difficult for Bob to see the puck.
Disappointing.
This is a fact and well.. it’s three playoff runs in a row where he hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
At some point that has to impact the AAV no?
Beware.They said similar in Toronto before deciding to move on from Hyman. Look at him now.
Gee, broken ribs and/or a back issue might make him less likely to camp out in front of the net also, I would think. Not wanting to overly risk getting himself more seriously injured and not available for ANY play going forward?
I don’t think he had the strength to assert himself. This is a guy who, until this season, was a better playoff performer than McDavid. As of the second round this year, Drai had the third-highest playoff points per game in NHL history, behind only Gretzky and Lemieux. He’s an absolute playoff beast. He surely had to have been injured, and I suspect it must have eaten him up inside not to be able to compete effectively.
Final playoff stats:
5 – bottles of sauce used for marinating / tossing wings
50 – pounds of said wings consumed (minus bones, natch)
73 – approximate ounces of rye consumed during games (a full 40 + half of a 66)
Next year!
Love it.
You’re my Conn Smythe winner, Tarkus.
Cheers!
Such a fantastic season for the Oilers with this wonderful ride through the playoffs. Very disappointing end with a lacklustre game 7.
Congrats to the team, KK & his staff and Holland and his management/scouting teams. No shame in coming up one win short.
Can’t wait for next season.
unfortunate result…looks like McDrai was over played…gassed last 2-3 minutes, couldn’t generate anything. Too bad 3rd line wasn’t given any time. Perhaps the players did get distracted having their significant others at the game. 🤷♂️
Was he any more gassed than the prior 5 periods?
His first period was one of the least effective of the season – created zero and got caved by the 4th line on multiple shift.
I think the injuries can be managed here and there but lead to the wild swings in effectiveness.
KK should have awarded the 3rd line more minutes. Oh well..hard to critique his decisions since he’s been money all playoffs.
Whiskers shaved off, jersey hung up…..what a run. Obviously you hope for a win for the good guys, but…..damn, what a ride. From the crappy start, through the coaching change and the entire grind of the regular season, to this epic run to the SCF……wow.
Thanks to all of the contributors on this site, both positive and negative (you probably know which one you are)…..you’ve made me a more informed, more thoughtful, and I believe a better hockey fan. A couple of you have even made me a better hockey ref, and for all of this, I thank you.
And to our esteemed host, Mr. Mitchell aka Lowetide….thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing all of us this forum to present ideas, discuss and debate, and occasionally disagree. Your patience, experience, kindness, honesty, wisdom, and willingness to share with the rest of us is greatly appreciated.
To paraphrase Douglas MacArthur, the Oilers shall return….to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Bring on the draft and free agency.
Too bad we have nothing in the draft. Free agency will be disappointing too I think. Let’s hope the new GM can work some magic.
Start by trading Nurse. His contract is an albatross.
For me and my fellow younger fans who weren’t alive/not old enough to remember any of the Oilers cup victories, life as an Oilers fan has been pretty miserable.
I was born in ’93. First memories of the Oilers are from the early 2000s, remembered trading away Weight, Guerin, Comrie, and anyone else once they got too good, and losing to the Stars/Avs in the first round. Then the miracle of the pronger trade, Roli the Goalie, the 2006 cup run, MAB killing his own goalie, the decade of darkness, Hall for Larsson, 16+33 for Reinhart, Lucic signed to a 6×6, Eberle sold for magic beans, Klefbom’s shoulder exploding, last years trade deadline and great run to end the regular season before imploding against Vegas, and now the Oilers 2024 season.
I don’t have any patience or empathy whenever someone 45+ complains about the Oilers. At least they actually saw their team win a Stanley cup. The Oilers I know have never been champions
Hey I am 50 and remember the glory days. But they were a long, long time ago. Amazing enough to make you a fan and bleed copper and blue, but all the bad experiences since that you mentioned still sting and are much more recent.
Considering there was only 3 minors you’d think KK would have been better off getting henrique, brown, yanmark more than 12 min
Janmark was very, very, good tonight
Cup to Florida. Do they even have real fans? It made so much sense for the Pilers to win tonight. But they fell a bit short.
looking forward to next year, but these seasons are so damn long.
They don’t. Couldn’t find a single teary person in the whole crowd I walked through. There wouldn’t have been a dry eye at home.
USA doesn’t give a **** about hockey. They just don’t (this coming from someone who lives in WI)
I wouldn’t go that far.
Losing to the Rangers or Bruins or something would have felt much different because the fans actually deserve nights like this.
Even Boston people don’t care about hockey the way we do. They care more than Florida people, for sure, but the intensity of NHL fandom is totally unmatched outside Canada.
This – the US teams winning year after year for the past 30+ years just cheapens the Cup. It’s become a MacGuffin to prop up the valuation of teams in the Southern US.
This is so far from the truth.
And to the original poster, I lived in Tampa. They certainly have plenty of fans.
A bet a bunch of their “fans” sold their tickets to rabid Oilers fans to pay off their season ticket packages.
Why get mad at US teams when Canadian teams can’t finish?
It’s not their fault we can’t deliver for our fans is it?
I am absolutely crushed for this team. So much effort from so many deficits. What’s the lesson here? Start as you mean to go, I guess. Man I hate Bettman and all the Florida teams.
The lesson? Tread carefully as a fan.
I’m glad at least the 80s team didn’t say “it was the ride”.
Nah.
It is banners. And trophies. And winning together.
How they didn’t bring their best and win that tonight is beyond me.
It appears they made the comeback their game 7. That was nothing like game 6.
I swore all day Leon was getting 3. Damn.
And why didn’t Knoblauch change things when he saw who wasn’t going? Ryan for instance got owned tonight.
What I wouldn’t have given for a healthy Evander Kane.
I’ll gladly meet you for a beer tonight. I’ve always enjoyed your posts. 116
Missed this and just headed out. My bad. And Yardhouse is closed 🙁
You’re right on the “narrative”. As a pro, you’re at Mount Olympus; how do you not deliver? Same as it ever was..
I thought Connor would have a game. Leon has been invisible since round two. As well as the lost series last season
A healthy Kane would have been great but at some point some players aren’t there when you need them. Available is the biggest thing
Rodrigues is a very boring personality. This just sucks.
Well dammit that hurts like a dropkick to the heart, but only because I love this team and want it so badly for them. Next year. Thank you for one hell of a ride boys!!
I get the heartbreak, but let’s stop this “bad effort” nonsense. They left it all out there. Gassed at the end. Sucks for sure, but amazing comeback and amazing run. Super proud of the team.
We can be proud of them and also say they played a shitty game
Of course they tried
The worst games often appear to have the most effort.
There’s a reason “makes it look easy” is a thing. And it ain’t that it is easy.
They didn’t skate and it wasn’t the ice. Both teams played on it
Nerves got them which surprised me
Agreed. There are two teams who want it so badly and first goal means a significant amount. Florid took charge out of the gates. Not for a lack of effort though.
I thought they played hard after the 2-1 goal. McDavid, Hyman, Foegele, Brown, Janmark in particular among forwards. (I thought McLeod/Holloway/Ryan/Draisaitl were weak, but Drai was surely injured – he literally had no compete at all along the boards, and there’s no way on earth he’s simply lazy.)
But this team just can’t seem to dig deep until their backs are against the wall. Same problem as always. Kind of remarkable that they made it within one goal of winning the Cup.
Walking away from Connor McDavid Square, turn on the car and Springsteen singing on SiriusXM…Searching for My Beautiful Reward:
“Tonight I can feel the cold wind at my back
I’m flyin’ high over gray fields my feathers long and black
Down along the river’s silent edge I soar
Searching for my beautiful reward”
Wooooooaaaaahhhhh
Look as a member of the never toss the towel in club this is gut wrenching.
Especially when you’re in sunrise rolling in like four hours sleeps.
But.. what can you do? That’s sports. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.
its the ride man. God I hope they both resign. I don’t want it to end like this. But man… what a goddamn ride.
game 4 all the way back to 7. The Kings series, a beat down of a rival which made them trade 4 1st for Kuemper, watching the Nucks angst, beating Dallas outright. Just… dammit, one goal short. Dammit! So bloody close!
God what a ride!
Well, at least it was easier watching them lose in SCF G7 the second time around.
Here’s hoping for next year. Lots of cap/roster issues for the next GM to sort out. Would be nice if McDrai both stick around.
No it wasn’t. The first time it was a Cinderella feel-good story where they only got in the playoffs but the skin of their teeth. And they lost Roloson in game 1, which made the rest of the series a mountain. weirdly, I actually picked the Canes as the cup winners before the Playoffs started.
this time around, they had all the makings for glory. Generational Superstar, another Elite Superstar, an upcoming Superstar D-man, an ungodly PP/PK, and a coach that has the magic touch.
this was just unfair.
lol
Done.
Will be nice to have home ice advantage next year if we can finish higher. Oilers fans were electric. Loved when Ekblad was like – yeah, no, our crowd was fine, but Edmonton was louder. Haha. Obviously.
That was a fun run and let’s just hope it means the band stays together to keep on fighting for it in the years to come.
Felt like Nurse got outplayed by Broberg and that’s pretty damning for a guy making that kind of money. Just couldn’t elevate and play at this high level, unfortunately. Far from the reason we lost, but need more out of players expected to make a difference. That contract will impact the future of this team greatly.
Pretty magical few games with everyone clicking, though. Heck of an effort and truly a run to be proud of as a team. Just not quite enough to finish it off and win the coin flip at the end…
Amen to that. Who knows, last change coulda been the juice.
If game 7 in Edmonton we win…….
Lets not discount the likelihood that Nurse was playing quite injured.
Why is it ‘likely’ that Nurse is quite injured?
Seriously doubt that. He just doesn’t have any hockey sense. He needed Broberg to shelter him. Never going to win a Cup with that albatross of a contract on the books.
The OIlers did not get to Nurse Broberg soon enough. It should have been last October. It should not have taken till game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals.
What an incredible ride! I’m so pissed but, at the same time, I am so proud of our team!!!
We were second last! Second last and we made it to game seven of the Stanley Cup Final!!!
What a rollercoaster!
My son is totally in shambles and we had a good talk about it hurting cuz we love this team so much.
I told him the Oil lost to the islanders before they started to win.
He said “Then I can’t wait until next year”.
Me too, buddy. Me too.
See you all next year! Thank you so much for making this crazy ride the funnest time I’ve had watching hockey since 2006!!!
Three years in a row only losing to the champions. We will get the next one! BOOKJE IT!