The Carolina Hurricanes had their backs against the wall for the first time last night, while their opponents had been playing win-or-go-home hockey since Game Five, almost a week ago. It must have been fatiguing.
These Oilers put on a truly special exhibition, clawing their way into the bottom of the Western Conference bracket, upsetting the league's best team in the first round, and battling back from a 3-1 deficit in the finals to force last night's seventh game. Edmonton fans should be appreciative.
But, man, to campaign all this way — all the way to Game Seven — just to come within a period of hockey's ultimate prize and miss it — that must be excrutiating for those guys. To paraphrase something Brendan Shanahan once said, every kid fantasizes about playing in a game like last night's, but no one dreams of losing it. Still, one team always does. Lose, I mean.
Canada.com has the antidote for this type of maudlin reflection:
clear-eyed, unsentimental analysis!