I like many other fans were frustrated with the less then inspired by the play of the Edmonton Oilers early in the NHL season and that both veterans Mike Peca and Chris Pronger were grossly underachieving. The team was struggling to make the playoffs and as usual the inconsistent play of the goalies between the pipes, forced Edmonton management to make a move.
My how a season can turn around! In walks former Minnesota Wild veteran Dwayne Roloson and two months later the Oilers are in the Stanley Cup finals. Last night in Raleigh, North Carolina the Western Canadian team thoroughly dominated the Carolina Hurricanes for almost 50 minutes and then the roof caved in.
Up 3-0 the Oiler defensemen and forwards became lackadaisical in their defensive end and the Canes surged back to tie and then take the lead. Carolina matched the biggest comeback in finals history, equaling five other teams that came from three goals down to win. Pronger scored the first penalty shot goal in finals history. The Hurricanes surged ahead with three goals in the third, grabbing their first lead on a shorthanded breakaway by Justin Williams. The Oilers tied it back up on a power-play goal by Ales Hemsky.
With the score tied at 4 and about six minutes remaining, Carolina’s Andrew Ladd carried the puck into the Edmonton zone, cut across in the front of the net and was met there by Bergeron, who unloaded a big hit from behind that drove Ladd into Roloson and knocked the net off its moorings.
The goalie remained on the ice for several minutes, and then skated slowly to the locker room with an injured right knee.
Ty Conklin, who played only 18 games during the regular season, took over for Roloson and made the game-deciding blunder with less than a minute to go.
Conklin wandered out of the net to stop a dump in by the Canes and when captain Jason Smith came back to retrieve it, they collided and Rod Brind’Amour stripped them of the puck and stuffed it in the empty cage.
Now the Oilers are down 1-0 and their MVP of the playoffs Roloson is gone for the season and Edmonton has suggested many times, that he is the only reason why they have made the finals.
Me thinks it’s time for some other players to step up!
Bob Acton
