Game 1 Oilers Vs. Hurricanes

So as I sit here on my comfy couch I cannot contain my excitement. After two years I finally get to watch a Stanley Cup Finals game and what better way to share my excitement than to keep a running blog of what's going on?

For those of you who don't know by now, the Edmonton Oilers better win this series for two reasons. First, it would be the biggest kick in the ass to the players from the owners because having an 8-seed win the Stanley Cup would prove their theory about parity. Secondly, I ran an NHL playoff pool and right now I'm in the lead and as long as Carolina doesn't win the Cup I win. I don't even care about the money, just the bragging rights that come along with it and where I won the NCAA Tournament Pool with my friends it would be the total sweep.

8:13- Nice camera shot of some of the Canes cheerleaders. Where were the cheerleaders when I used to play? That would have given us some extra motivation to play. Oh and she's singing the Canadian national anthem and she's being drowned out by the Oiler fans...that's dedication right there as a fan.

8:18- Opening draw won by Brind'Amour, not thrilled based on my scientific theory that the winner of the opening draw, goes on to win the game.

8:20- Penalty on Mike Commodore of the Canes! Oilers going on the PP! Look out for Pronger at the point.

8:25- Commodore just smoked Ryan Smyth who was skating out of his own zone. The hitting is picking up in this fast paced period. Man I missed this.

8:27- First commercial break, I suppose I should bring the dishes from dinner into the kitchen before my better half gets home and kills me.

8:31- SCORRRRREEEEEEEEE!!!!!! YESSSSSSS!!!!! 1-0 Oilers! Goalmouth scramble, great save by Cam Ward on Fernando Pisani's initial shot, but he picked up his own rebound and tucked it behind the down and out Ward. Good start for me!

8:36- Penalty on Steve Staios for "going to low on a hip check," total BS if you ask me but oh well time for the PK.

8:41-Another penalty on the Oilers. My friend Greg isn't impressed.

"Bad call...Devorski blows."

8:44- Ethan Moreau draws a penalty to even things up.

8:45- Another penalty on the Canes! 4-on-3 powerplay soon to be a 5-on-3!!

8:48- Another penalty on Carolina! Lazy penalties by the Canes. Timeout Edmonton. Craig MacTavish calls the troops over to draw up a play.

8:50- Glen Wesley just set the unofficial record for most body parts injured in one shift. Somehow he's still skating around.

8:54- End of the first period. 1-0 Edmonton, I can live with this. Great action and making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside to be watching Cup Finals hockey once again. Time to do the dishes.

9:04- Umm....OLN is changing their name to Versus? Versus what? At least with OLN you knew what you were getting, but come on Versus? What the hell is that?

9:12- Second period under way!

9:17- Looks like Carolina woke up inbetween periods. Coach Laviolette must have screamed obscenities at his club, because no coach ever does that type of thing to get his team going.

9:19- First unbelievable save of the night goes to Cam Ward. Stops the first shot from point blank and somehow got the rebound shot too. Good stuff from the rook.

9:22- Random thought. Worst name in hockey? Michael Peca. No need to explain that as I'm sure you can use your imagination. Perhaps that's why he's going to the box right now.

9:25- Just had this convo with a future nurse.

Me: "Edmonton is up 1-0."

Diana: "Where's Edmonton?"

Me: "Not much of a geography buff are you?"

9:31- PENALTY SHOT FOR EDMONTON!!! The most exciting play in hockey!

9:32 Pronger moves in and SCOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRREEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!!! 2-0 OILERS!!!!! YAHHHHHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

9:45 SCOOOOOORRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! 3-0 EDMONTON!! ETHAN MOREAU THROWS IT AT THE NET AND IT DEFLECTS IN!!!!! SWEET!!!

9:47: Greg: "This game is over." Hopefully he's right, but I tend to believe him.

9:48- Uh oh. Can I take that last line back? 3-1 on a rebound goal by Brind'Amour. I really don't want to have to eat my words on this one, come on Oilers get it back please!

9:50- Penalty on Edmonton why am I hearing "It's the end of the world as we know it," in my head.

9:51 End to end rushes with unbelievable saves at both ends! What an end to the period and a start to the series!! 3-1 after two.

10:11- Third period under way and the Canes start out on the PP on carryover time, in other news Erin came home and is still confused about the sport despite my efforts to explain, but I'll keep on trying to make a hockey fan out of her if it kills me.

10:13- The song is getting louder in my head. 3-2 Ray Whitney on an absolute rip on a one-timer off the rush. No chance for Roloson.

10:14- Penalty on Carolina. Please oh please Edmonton get one here!

10:17- Well that was one heck of a powerplay there by Edmonton. I think a group of midgets with one leg each could have executed a better PP and of course Moreau takes a penalty to give Carolina a chance to tie it up now. The wheels are coming off the wagon.

10:19- I am officially ripping the hair out of my head, 3-3 and Erin is now afraid to talk to me. Edmonton's defense is standing around watching instead of reacting.

10:24- Golden chance for Edmonton stopped by a diving outstretched glove of Ward on the ice. I can't believe what I'm seeing out here. There is a massive pit in my stomache right now from being so stressed out from this game. Imagine what I'd be like if the Penguins were playing in the Finals.

10:25- Penalty on Carolina. Doubt this will have any positive effect judging from how this period is going.

10:29- I'm just going to shut up now. Shorthanded goal for Justin Williams. 4-3 Carolina. Ward is turning into a stonewall.

Erin: "Am I bad luck?"

Me: "Yes."

Erin: "Do you want me to go back to work?"

Me: "Yes."

10:31- Me: "I'm blaming you for this, you said it was over after 3-0."

Greg: "It is over oilers are gonna win in double ot, they just wanna have more drama."

Me: "Yeah, ok."

10:33- Erin has left the room. Come on Edmonton the hex is off now go win me a hockey game.

10:34- Ward makes another unbelievable save. This one might as well be over as far as I'm concerned.

Greg: "I want Ward tested for steroids."

10:37- SCOOOOOORRRRRRREEEEEEEEEE!!!!! WHAT A GOAL BY ALES HEMSKY ON THE PP!!!!!! YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!

Erin from upstairs: "I'll stay up here."

Me: "Good."

10:38- Uh oh. Rolo gets plowed into and crashes into the post and isn't getting up and of course OLN has to go to commercial. Apparently the Erin hex still applies from upstairs.

10:41- The song from before is louder than ever as Rolo glides off to the locker room and they're bringing in Ty Conklin from UNH. You heard it here first. Game. Set. Match. Carolina.

10:44- JD is commenting on Conklin being in.

Me: "Why is he laughing about this whole thing? It's not funny."

Greg: "I know he is so cruel, what an ass. He is like hahaha Rolo's hurt."

10:50- Conklin faces his first shot and makes a routine save, but leaves a massive rebound that was thankfully cleared away. This is gonna be over soon.

10:54- Ty Conklin is the worst goalie of all time. Comes out to play a puck behind the net and coughs it up, gets trapped behind the net and Brind'Amour picks up the loose change and tucks it into an empty net after Jason Smith fanned on the outlet pass. 5-4 Carolina.

10:56- Ward stands on his head to rob Horcoff from point blank who had an empty net. Game over. Carolina wins 5-4 and leads the best of seven 1-0.

Excuse me while I go put my head through a wall.

11:14- Pulled my head out of the sheetrock long enough to hear Coach MacTavish say Roloson is out for the series. Bye bye hockey pool money. This series is already over.

Going to go try and fix that hole in the wall before Game 2 and let me refer you back to my theory from the opening draw. I was right and the theory is 1-0 in the Finals.