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*Ahem* excuse me. What I meant to say is that, in a year that has been the ultimate year of ups and downs, the Edmonton Oilers and their fans are at their highest level this season (so far).
For a team that entered the season with “Cup or Bust” as their slogan, that won just two of their first 11 games, placing them in last place in the league and resulting in their head coach being fired, to then putting together an eight-game win streak followed by a franchise record 16-game win streak, this has been a hell of a year to be an Oilers fan, and I think we can all agree that we have each aged approximately 10 years this year.
How the Oilers made it here
The clinching game itself was a rollercoaster. Connor McDavid scored the games first goal 4:17 into the first period on an absolutely magnificent addition to his highlight reel, and just over 11 minutes later Zach Hyman converted the Oilers second power play goal of the night to take a 2–0 lead into the first intermission, even with the shots on goal for the first period being 12–3 for the Dallas Stars.
While the scoring script didn’t continue into the second, the shot one certainly did. The Stars outshot the Oilers 9–5 in the second and then a whopping 14–2 in the third.
Special teams was the name of the game still, however, as the Oilers’ PK killed all three of Dallas power plays, making it a franchise record 28 straight kills in the playoffs, with no goals against for 10 straight games.
Halfway through the first, Mason Marchment scored to bring the game within one, and that dreaded 2–0 lead that defined this series appeared to be rearing its ugly head once more.
The Oilers bent, as Dallas had a barrage of shots and possession towards the end of the game, but they did not break, and for the first time in 18 years, the Oilers are going to the Stanley Cup Finals.
That’s right, it’s been a whole adult life since we’ve been to this spot folks. Let’s f#&*king gooooo!
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
