EdmontonOilers
It was a great news weekend for Edmonton Elks & Oilers fans.
For the first time in years the Edmonton Elks won the Labor Day classic over the Calgary Stampeders and hopefully will repeat that Saturday evening.
Then Edmonton Oilers fans got the news they were waiting for. Leon Draisaital has signed an eight year contract extension with the Oilers and In an interview earlier today Draisaital said he'd like to be an Edmonton Oiler for all of his NHL career.
To Oilers fans everywhere...
There's much to say but I couldn't say it any better than Dr.Seuss and the Journal's Jim Matheson..........
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss
I'm sure all the Oilers and Predator players have had varying degrees of butterflies and thoughts of the people and games that have brought them to the game tonight. The game will have some of the best hockey players in the world on the ice. Their emotions will probably go up and down during the game and reach a peak when the final buzzer rings.
The winning team will be over the moon, ecstatic, liking the official handshake, skating with Stanley, hugging each other, hooping & hollering, filled with joy and some with accompanying tears and finally the official presentation, interviews and photos with the team, the dressing room and summer with Stanley.
The losing team will be stunned, totally dejected, disliking the official handshake, hugging and commiserating with each other, minds replaying what ifs, couldas, shoudas & woudas, players filled with sadness and many with accompanying tears, watching the official presentation, interviews, the dressing room and summer.
When thinking of this post I was reminded of a sign that hung in our Saskatchewan village curling rink circa 1954-58 and it spoke to me then and is remembered to this day. To the best on my remembrance the sign read "When the GREAT SCORER comes to mark about your name, HE writes -- not that you won or lost -- but how you played the game."
Have a great game and GO OILERS GO!
GO OILER GO! Edmonton Oilers fan Mary Loewen thinks of herself as just a normal old lady but Oilers fans call her Mama Stanley. Loewan has been a boistrous Oilers at home fan since the 80s but this year, Loewen dressed as Mama Stanley for fan parties in the plaza known as the Moss Pit. She's become a fan favorite with young and old locally and she has international fans as well. The Oilers have many SuperFans but only one Mama Stanley, and hopefully Mama Stanley will soon be able to see and possibly stand beside the Stanley Cup in the Moss Pit. GO OILER GO!
GO OILERS GO! The Oilers did it! They completed the comeback from a 3-0 deficit and will now play the Florida Panthers on Monday in game 7 for the Stanley Cup. In addition to what they've done on the ice what they've done off ice is even more fantastic. The first round of the playoffs brought on the first symptoms of hockey fever and it continued to grow and spread with every game.By the time the final round against the Panthers began it reached fever pitch and when the come back started it became a hockey fever pandemic. Honking horns and cheers were even heard in our normally quiet neighbourhood. In addition to hockey fever this Oilers run is creating memories that will be talked about for years. GO OILERS GO!
Hopefully the Oilers will get some rest healing for their tired bodies over the weekend and take it to the house in Tampa on Monday. GO OILERS GO!
Those that had any doubts about the Oilers hockey team can put that to rest. To come from behind a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup playoffs is extremely difficult and the Oilers have now done it twice which qualifies them as a very good team. On Monday the Oilers will play another good team, the Florida Panthers for one last time this year and for the Stanley Cup.The Oilers run for the cup has created so much buzz around the city and should they win on Monday, it will be remembered and talked about for years.
As exciting as the Oilers run for the cup has been the Global News article below covers another Oilers story to be remembered and talked about. The story is about something greater than hockey and the Stanley Cup....the Oilers outreach and recognition of the First Nations and Indigenous community in central and northern Alberta. Since the 2021 season every Oilers game begins with a video message from Chief Willie Littlechild which ends with Chiel Littlechild saying " The recognition of our history on this land is an act of reconciliation, and we honor those who walk with us." The video is getting major airtime across North America with the Oilers on national television in the U.S. and Canada in the Stanley Cup Final against Florida.
Chiel Littlechild who has served on the team’s community foundation board for nine years says “We’ve had significant progress and the Oilers have really been pioneers in the country, and I would say in the whole National Hockey League, in terms of inclusion and access for Indigenous peoples.”
The Oilers are to be commended for their efforts towards reconciliation between peoples. Not only is it an example to others but it is at the heart of God's love for all mankind.
2 Corinthians 5:19 God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn't hold people's faults against them, and He has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others.
RECONCILIATION
1. The act of reconciling parties at variance; renewal of friendship after disagreement or enmity.
2. Agreement of things seemingly opposite, different or inconsistent.
I've posted 3 BIG events round and about Edmonton today. The first post has to do with the Alberta NDP Leadership race that has two Edmonton MLAs in contention to be the new leader. My second post is about THE 2024 WORKS ART & DESIGN FESTIVAL JUNE 27 - JULY 1 and next was Daily Hive's list of 22 things to do this weekend. And I've saved the biggest and best event of the weekend for last.
At approximately 6:15 tonight the puck will drop, a roar will be heard both within and outside Rogers Place and game 6 of the 2023/24 Stanley Cup finals with begin. The Oilers have fought back from being down 3-0 games and the team to come back from being down 3-0 was 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the Oilers would like to tie that record and THEN make it 4 wins in a row ON mONDAY. It all hinges on tonight's game and there's no doubt the Oilers will be all in and so will their fan base. GO OILERS GO!
We don't have to wait long because Game 6 is guaranteed to be a barn burner with fans rockin the joint and the two best hockey teams in the world taking it to each other on the ice Friday. And don't forget the thousands who will gather at Ice District Plaza and those who gather around the country for watch parties to cheer on the Oilers. GO OILERS GO!
The Oilers are the talk of the town and a sense of tentative optimism is building around the city. There are Oilers colors everywhere and you can feel the excitement growing. It will all peak at puck drop Friday with a loud & long GO OILERS GO! Hopefully we'll go through it all for the biggest excitement of all, game seven of the Stanley Cup on Monday. GO OILERS GO!
The Oilers almost outshot the Panthers 2-1 but could not get a shot through the BOB wall which impenetrable. The Panthers ice a fast and hard hitting team that play in front of the Bob and they present a formidable foe but Oilers fans both here and in Florida remain positive and will be out in full support tonight for game two.
The OIlers have taken a 3-2 lead in the NHL Western Conference semi finals and now need one more win to begin play for the Stanley Cup. Tonight will be the 100th game of a long season and the all important Game 6 against the top-seeded Dallas Stars.
There is no doubt that Rogers Place and the surrounding watch parties in the Ice District will be rocking as they cheer on the Oilers. The Edmonton Downtown Business Association estimates between 30-40 thousand fans iwill gather in and around Rogers Place for tonight's game. Whether or not you plan to join them, wear your jerseys, fly your color and cheer the Oilers on to victory!
The road to the Stanley Cup is said to be the most difficult of any professional sports league. The Oilers begin their semi final round tonight which is long on the playoff road and one of the questions apart from the teams is will they gain Canadian support? It been 31 years since a Canadian team has last won the Stanley Cup so the OIlers hope is many fans of the 5 other Canadian teams will jump on the Oilers wagon and and join a joint cheer. So if you're a fan of another team how about joining the cheer......1..2...3 GO OILERS GO!!!
Last night the Edmonton OIlers triumphed over the Vancouver Canucks which means they're moving on up to the NHL's Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars the current appearing of their nemesis from the late 90s and early 2000s.
What really came to the fore last night was the OIlers' defence with goals from Cody Ceci and a tip in goal by Zac Hyman of another bullet shot by Evan Bouchard. The Oilers blocked 22 shots in the contest and had a four-minute penalty kill in which the Canucks failed to register an attempt and in the end the Oilers defensive game helped Stuart Skinner by only allowing 15 saves.
It was a tough way to end what had been a feel-good season for the Canucks, who remain one of the 11 NHL teams to never win the Stanley Cup.