Carolina’s comeback efforts reach new heights
A sudden ending for Roloson: Collision with Canes’ Ladd knocks Oilers’ star goalie out of finals
Raleigh-Durham News Observer coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals
Edmonton Journal coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals
Yes, it’s true that this is my favorite season. Though its also the short season of the year, the Stanley CUp FInals are something I look forward to all year long. One of the few unmutable rules in my house is that Jack gets the 51” big-screen TV during the Finals. I’ve put up with (gack) American Idol and (hork) Deal or No Deal for months now…all for the payoff that comes every year in early June (or at least it came every June until last year).
Shortly before She Who Endures My Myriad Eccentricities got married we went to visit my brother in Greenville, NC. Since it was hockey season, I wanted to go to a Hurricanes game in Raleigh. The game we went to was Edmonton vs. Carolina. OK, that was six years ago, and this is merely coincidence, but I’m watching this series with a bit more interest than I normally might- and I’m rabid about the Stanley Cup Finals. I’m also in the market for a team to root for (Ever since my Minnesota North Stars left Minnesota, I’ve been without a team).
Halfway through the second period, it looked as if Edmonton has this one well in hand. They were up 3-0, and even though they weren’t dominating play, they were certainly getting the bounces and the breaks. Carolina never gave up, though, finally scoring the game-winner with 31.1 seconds left. I was getting myself prepared for overtime, when BAM!…game over!
This was truly one of the better Finals games I’ve seen. Neither team dominated for more than short periods of time, and Carolina just kept scratching and clawing. No cheap penalties, no settling scores, no goons dropping their gloves (I LOVE playoff hockey!!) Sadly, it was marred by the Oilers losing their goalie (Dwayne Roloson) for the rest of the series to a hard but clean hit caused by one of his defenseman pushing a Carolina forward into him. His replacement, Ty Conklin, misplayed the puck behind the net, which led to Rod Brind’Amour’s winning goal.
Tomorrow night’s game 2 ought to be interesting. No one is claiming that Roloson’s injury was the result of anything but a clean play, but you can bet that Edmonton will come out with a collective chip on their shoulders.
Game on, eh??
