Ok, so my title for this one isn't that great, my compliments to Just for Laughs for the line. I'm referring to the NHL Playoffs. Yes, they have still been going on, at least up until last night (that is Monday night, I realize I'm writing this Tuesday morning). Wow, what a playoffs. Let's recap. The Stanley Cup final was played between the number 8 seed from the West and the number 2 seed from the East. The number 8 seed took the number 2 seed to seven games only to finally be defeated in the final game 3-1. The number 8 seed from the West was the Edmonton Oilers. Their story began even before the playoffs began.
The Oilers did not realize they were going to be in the playoffs until the second last game of the season. They then drew the 8th spot in the West, and thereby drew the Detroit Red Wings to play in the first round. Edmonton shocked the hockey world by defeating the Red Wings in 6 games. With the Red Wings gone, Edmonton's second round opponent was the San Jose Sharks. Edmonton again shocked the hockey world, after losing the first two games they won four straight to defeat the Sharks in six games. The third round and the Western Conference final saw the Oilers against yet another California team. The Anaheim Mighty Ducks (soon to just be Ducks) became Edmonton's third victim falling to the Oilers in 5 games (oddly, the only game they won was in Edmonton, where they out of desperation defeated Edmonton 6-3). While all of this was going on in the West the East was being far more normal. See, the West had the 8th seed defeating everyone in their path to win the Conference final.
In the East things were a bit more normal. In the first round, while things looked scary for the top four seeds they all came out on top in their respective games. Carolina lost their first two games to the Montreal Canadians then won the next four in a row to take the series. Carolina (the number two seed in the East) then faced the New Jersey Devils. The Devils managed one win in their series loss to the Hurricanes. The biggest surprise in the East was the fact that the Eastern Conference final did not come down to the top two seeds. Instead Carolina met the Buffalo Sabres in the conference final (the Ottawa Senators were the number 1 seed). The Sabres made the Hurricanes work for their win, taking the series seven games before being defeated in the 7th games 4-2.
Now we look back to Edmonton. Problem number 1, remember that they defeated the Ducks in 5 games, that turned out to be a bit of a problem being that Buffalo and Caroline went 7 games. The Oilers had 11 days off between series, which had been a problem with several other teams in the playoffs (including the Sharks). The Hurricanes and Oilers met in game one in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Canes took game one, and game two (game two was a bit of a blowout 5-0 the final score), sweeping the Oilers in the first two games. The Oilers stormed back in Game three winning it at home. Game four went to the Hurricanes. With the series now 3-1, Edmonton had their work cut out for them. Game Five was back in Raleigh. Edmonton pulled out a win. Game Six, again back home the Oilers slaughtered the 'Canes 4-0. Game seven moved back to NC. The 'Canes struck first making it 1-0 in the first period. They struck again in the second taking the score to 2-0. Edmonton just couldn't make the puck get past Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward. It would be a few minutes into the third before a puck would go into the net for Edmonton. With 90 seconds left in the game Edmonton pulled their goalie and Carolina managed to get an empty net goal to seal their victory and win the first Stanley cup in franchise history. Incidentally, speaking of goaltenders, the Oilers took this series to seven games with their backup goalie. Dwayne Rolison was injured in game two of the Finals. Jussi Markennan, stepped up and kept the Oilers alive. At the other end 22 year-old Rookie goaltender Cam Ward (a Canadian from Sherwood Park, Alberta, a suburb of Edmonton) shone as the star of the series and came away with the Con Smythe Trophy. My hats off to the Carolina Hurricanes, what a series. My congratulations to their coaches and team. Hats off to my Edmonton Oilers, who came oh so close to becoming the first team since 1942 to win a series after being down 3-1 and the first time any 8th seed had come from the bottom to the top. Some interesting stats about each team. On the Hurricanes there are 12 Canadians (several of which are from Alberta), 10 Americans and 7 from various other nations (based on place of birth). The Oilers have 20 Canadians, 5 Americans, 7 from others. It should be noted that these stats do not reflect where players live now. Many of the Americans on the Hurricanes may live in Canada (I don't know for sure). I know the Canadians on the Hurricanes all are headed back to Canada for the off-season. I think I've rambled on long enough at this point. I'm a little upset the Oilers couldn't pull it off in the end but WOW what a run. Maybe they'll be able to do something next year but they need to make sure that they re-sign all their free agents. Feel free to post comments or hit up the tagboard. Goodnight everyone
