Saturday, June 10, 2006
Oilers Rebound
The Oilers defeated Carolina 2-1 on Saturday night, which cut the Hurricanes' lead to two games to one in the series. I had the great fortune to be in attendance there, so I can say I've experienced the bedlam first hand. Going to a Stanley Cup finals game hopefully won't be , but certainly could be a once in a lifetime experience, so I tried to take it all in.
5:00, about an hour before puck drop. On the LRT heading to Rexall Place. Most of the people on board are wearing Oiler jersies and on their way to the game. Still fairly calm, everybody getting "in the zone" for the upcoming game.
5:20, waiting outside Oiler locker room for the team to emerge. After 15 minutes the team still hasn't come out, and we're starting to get restless. Chants of "Lets Go Oilers!" start up each time the dressing room door opens, but in each case it's just been a tease, as only rink attendents and the like have come through the doors. Then a cheer goes out, but it isn't the team, it's CBC's Ron MacLean wading through the crowd on his way to ice level.
5:40, finally the Oilers take to the ice for the warmup to the cheers of many already in their seats. We leave the dressing room area to go to our seats.
6:00, still ten minutes until gametime, but almost everybody is already seated and cheering. The score clock ticks down the minutes. With 5:00 minutes to go, a notice appears that we are about to be broadcast live around the world. The crowd goes wild, pom-poms waving. The clock continues to tick down, all the way to zero, but the crowd never dies down, everyone shouting at the top of their lungs for the entire 5 minutes.
6:10, the crowd belts out both the Canadian and American national anthems and prepares for the opening face-off.
6:15, everybody is abuzz and more relaxed than you'd expect considering the Oilers are essentially facing elimination. No nervous silence here, the boys need us tonight. Suddenly, early on, the Oilers score. As you can expect, the crowd goes wild. But by my judgement, everyone was still a little fatigued from the 10 minute non-stop roar leading up to the game, so oddly it was probably no louder for the goal than it was for the intro.
6:20, it becomes evident that Doug Weight is public enemy number one. Every time he touches the puck he is greeted by myself and thousands of others booing at the top of our lungs. When number 39 takes a penalty early on we're all delighted.
7:15-8:00, second period, approximately. The Oilers enjoy several good scoring chances, and even have a goal waved off. The crowd has been re-energized with beer and popcorn at the intermission and the anticipation of another score is starting to build. Chants of "Jus-si! Jus-si! break out everytime the Oilers stopper makes a big save. But the period ends without another tally.
8:05, second intermission. I go to the bathroom, where even the toilet is emulating the crowd by bubbling, getting ready to start spewing like a volcanbo before it erupts. I get out of there before I need to go to the souvenir stand for new clothes. Upon returing to my seat I spot Igor Ulanov, that's right The Mangler himself, up on the cat walk with the other players not dressed. I know I have to cheer as loud as I can if we're going to win this game and hopefully go on and get Uly his Stanley Cup.
8:10, approx. After the Oilers once again nearly go up two goals, Rod Brind'Amour scores to tie the game up. We're all disappointed, but we have to pick the boys up again. Another Lets Go Oilers! chant starts up.
8:30, the game is getting late, OT is looming. As the teams trade chances tension starts to build. Finally some nervousness begins to show itself in the stands whenever Carolina crosses the Edmonton blueline, with the realization being that if the 'Canes score one now, our Cup dream is likely over. But 2 minutes before OT a hero emerges. The longest serving Oiler, Ryan Smyth scores in the Cup final, when his team needs it most. As the goal is reviewed just to make sure it was legit, the crowd begins to razz rookie goaltender Cam Ward. His family seated directly behind him in row one behind the net can only look on.
8:35, the Oilers close out the victory as the crowd reaches its crescendo. The celebration continues as we all file outside into the stromy evening. As I wait for the LRT to pick us up I realize that my ears are still ringing. Incredible. The pro-Oiler rallying cries continue until we board the train, when the fans finally rest their tired vocal chords.
9:00, driving home. Despite the pouring rain, a few brave kids still take to the streets with "honk for Oilers" signs. Even the fans are wearing their hearts on their sleeves tonight. What an experience.
5:00, about an hour before puck drop. On the LRT heading to Rexall Place. Most of the people on board are wearing Oiler jersies and on their way to the game. Still fairly calm, everybody getting "in the zone" for the upcoming game.
5:20, waiting outside Oiler locker room for the team to emerge. After 15 minutes the team still hasn't come out, and we're starting to get restless. Chants of "Lets Go Oilers!" start up each time the dressing room door opens, but in each case it's just been a tease, as only rink attendents and the like have come through the doors. Then a cheer goes out, but it isn't the team, it's CBC's Ron MacLean wading through the crowd on his way to ice level.
5:40, finally the Oilers take to the ice for the warmup to the cheers of many already in their seats. We leave the dressing room area to go to our seats.
6:00, still ten minutes until gametime, but almost everybody is already seated and cheering. The score clock ticks down the minutes. With 5:00 minutes to go, a notice appears that we are about to be broadcast live around the world. The crowd goes wild, pom-poms waving. The clock continues to tick down, all the way to zero, but the crowd never dies down, everyone shouting at the top of their lungs for the entire 5 minutes.
6:10, the crowd belts out both the Canadian and American national anthems and prepares for the opening face-off.
6:15, everybody is abuzz and more relaxed than you'd expect considering the Oilers are essentially facing elimination. No nervous silence here, the boys need us tonight. Suddenly, early on, the Oilers score. As you can expect, the crowd goes wild. But by my judgement, everyone was still a little fatigued from the 10 minute non-stop roar leading up to the game, so oddly it was probably no louder for the goal than it was for the intro.
6:20, it becomes evident that Doug Weight is public enemy number one. Every time he touches the puck he is greeted by myself and thousands of others booing at the top of our lungs. When number 39 takes a penalty early on we're all delighted.
7:15-8:00, second period, approximately. The Oilers enjoy several good scoring chances, and even have a goal waved off. The crowd has been re-energized with beer and popcorn at the intermission and the anticipation of another score is starting to build. Chants of "Jus-si! Jus-si! break out everytime the Oilers stopper makes a big save. But the period ends without another tally.
8:05, second intermission. I go to the bathroom, where even the toilet is emulating the crowd by bubbling, getting ready to start spewing like a volcanbo before it erupts. I get out of there before I need to go to the souvenir stand for new clothes. Upon returing to my seat I spot Igor Ulanov, that's right The Mangler himself, up on the cat walk with the other players not dressed. I know I have to cheer as loud as I can if we're going to win this game and hopefully go on and get Uly his Stanley Cup.
8:10, approx. After the Oilers once again nearly go up two goals, Rod Brind'Amour scores to tie the game up. We're all disappointed, but we have to pick the boys up again. Another Lets Go Oilers! chant starts up.
8:30, the game is getting late, OT is looming. As the teams trade chances tension starts to build. Finally some nervousness begins to show itself in the stands whenever Carolina crosses the Edmonton blueline, with the realization being that if the 'Canes score one now, our Cup dream is likely over. But 2 minutes before OT a hero emerges. The longest serving Oiler, Ryan Smyth scores in the Cup final, when his team needs it most. As the goal is reviewed just to make sure it was legit, the crowd begins to razz rookie goaltender Cam Ward. His family seated directly behind him in row one behind the net can only look on.
8:35, the Oilers close out the victory as the crowd reaches its crescendo. The celebration continues as we all file outside into the stromy evening. As I wait for the LRT to pick us up I realize that my ears are still ringing. Incredible. The pro-Oiler rallying cries continue until we board the train, when the fans finally rest their tired vocal chords.
9:00, driving home. Despite the pouring rain, a few brave kids still take to the streets with "honk for Oilers" signs. Even the fans are wearing their hearts on their sleeves tonight. What an experience.
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Tsk, tsk. You know how mom never likes you to boo anyone. How long have I been saying, "if you can't say yeah, don't say anything". :-(
It was a good game though. I actually turned it on a few minutes before Ryan Smyth scored. Dad of course had it on in the family room but I was busy cleaning so didn't watch much of it.
It is fun you got to go to that game though. You have generous friends! (Or friends with generous parents!) :-)
It was a good game though. I actually turned it on a few minutes before Ryan Smyth scored. Dad of course had it on in the family room but I was busy cleaning so didn't watch much of it.
It is fun you got to go to that game though. You have generous friends! (Or friends with generous parents!) :-)
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