A Nation Turns its Lonely Eyes to You
So, this is it boys and girls. Game 7. Stanley Cup Finals: The sweetest collection of words known to mankind. Something tells me this one is going straight to the vault along with Game 7 of the 1954, 1971 and 1994 Finals. To be honest, if you would have told me a week ago that I should start getting mentally prepared to watch a Game 7 I would have laughed in your face. (And by the way, watching a Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 may be more exhausting than playing in one – I am almost convinced of this). The ‘Canes outplayed Edmonton in the first two games. The Oilers were even lucky to win Game 3 at the Rexall Place. Hell, even after Fernando Pisani’s amazing shorthanded, game-winning goal in Game 5, I thought the Oilers were just delaying the inevitable.
But then Game 6 came along and every Canadian began to ask: “Do Jussi what I see?” That’s because Edmonton’s backup goalie, Jussi Markkanen, the guy everyone, including myself, wrote off just one week ago single-handedly sent Canada’s team back to Tobacco Road. The bottom line is we MUST to win this one. No more Game 7 heartbreaks. Since the Habs won it all in 1993 this is the third straight time that a Canadian team has made it to the seventh game of the Finals. In 1994, The Canucks ran into destiny as they fell to the Rangers. Ten years later, the Flames failed to show up against Tampa Bay.
But this one will sting a lot more than those did. Maybe its because things looked so bleak just one week ago and now look so promising. Maybe it’s because the Oilers represent everything that is right about hockey. A time when no one complained about TV ratings and lockouts. When it was all about the Great One, Mess, Coffey and how many Cups that dynasty would end up winning.
Is this game important to my country? Words can not express. Just look at the video below. You don’t see that kind of love ANYWHERE in North American sports. So if things go as planned and the Oilers become only the second team in NHL history to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win it all - listen closely because you might hear an entire country breathe one big sigh of relief. And then keep on listening because you will probably hear a few million canes of Labbatt Beer opening simultaneously.
But then Game 6 came along and every Canadian began to ask: “Do Jussi what I see?” That’s because Edmonton’s backup goalie, Jussi Markkanen, the guy everyone, including myself, wrote off just one week ago single-handedly sent Canada’s team back to Tobacco Road. The bottom line is we MUST to win this one. No more Game 7 heartbreaks. Since the Habs won it all in 1993 this is the third straight time that a Canadian team has made it to the seventh game of the Finals. In 1994, The Canucks ran into destiny as they fell to the Rangers. Ten years later, the Flames failed to show up against Tampa Bay.
But this one will sting a lot more than those did. Maybe its because things looked so bleak just one week ago and now look so promising. Maybe it’s because the Oilers represent everything that is right about hockey. A time when no one complained about TV ratings and lockouts. When it was all about the Great One, Mess, Coffey and how many Cups that dynasty would end up winning.
Is this game important to my country? Words can not express. Just look at the video below. You don’t see that kind of love ANYWHERE in North American sports. So if things go as planned and the Oilers become only the second team in NHL history to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win it all - listen closely because you might hear an entire country breathe one big sigh of relief. And then keep on listening because you will probably hear a few million canes of Labbatt Beer opening simultaneously.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home