HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME

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!