NHL Got A 6th

The NHL final being contested by teams from cities/states/countries, Florida and Edmonton, a record geographical distance apart for such an entity, got its third “travel time” when Edmonton (Oilers) won #5 at Florida to force #6 tomorrow night in Edmonton.

If the 7 to 5 “fave” Oilers win, the 7th game for the title would be contested Monday night back in (more travel) Florida, as the Panthers once up (3-0) still lead the series 3 games to 2.

Possibly you read that these 2024 Oilers are the 4th team to force as much as a game 6 after trailing (3-0) in an NHL final. (The ’42 Toronto Maple Leafs came “all the way back” and “titled” in game 7 vs the Detroit Red Wings, 3 years later, Detroit down (3-0) forced #7 at home as the Leafs did 3 years earlier but Babe Pratt’s goal was decisive in Toronto’s road win. In ’12 the New Jersey Devils got to #6 but were routed by the L.A. Kings, the first of 2 title seasons in 3 for L.A.)

What you likely did not read I will cite now.

This is the Oilers’ 8th NHL final (they are (5-2) in previous, the Panthers are (0-2)–I add the Carolina Panthers are (0-2) in NFL final games/Super Bowls and to get exponentially esoteric that the once Houston Oilers, denied thrice in bids for “Supe” appearances (’67 by Oakland and ’78 and ’79 by eventual champion Pittsburgh), did go (2-1), winning the first two, in the first 3 AFL title games (1960-1962). Those Oilers are now the Tennessee Titans and they lost a tough game to the Rams in their lone Supe appearance after the ’99 season)), and in 6 of the 8, there was a (3-1) series score.

Four times, the Oilers had the (3-1) lead and won the title in game 5 (at home in what were both 2-3-2 NHL final rounds, the only 2 I have found –write in if you find any –thank you—in ’84 and ’85 and then at Boston (Bruins) with Messier but no longer Gretzky in ’90).

In ’87, the Philadelphia Flyers, a team sans a crown since repeating as champions in 1975 and in that span have lost 5 NHL final rounds, down (3-1) to Edmonton won games 5 at Edmonton and #6 at home before losing a well contested game 7 on the last day of May, at the time the latest an NHL season ended. (Now in hot Florida, no less, (not that it is not hot elsewhere, in fact, stifling so) game 5 was June 18th and #7 would be Monday June 24th.).

Meanwhile down (3-1) in ’06, the Oilers won game 5 at the Carolina Panthers and #6 at home before losing by a goal in #7 on a Monday night.

A truly superb analyst, (his work with Marty Glickman was so great, it helps even on a hot day such as this), Al De Rogatis, shown above as a player, never the less, had to be “called in” by Marty, before he spoke.

Now analysts talk during the play!! I need a Beatles song, “Yesterday,” more to the point “Help!!”

Do they get paid by the word?!!