Oilers embracing Edmontonâs playoff fever: âThe excitementâs highâ
Mattias Ekholm got off the plane and headed to the pitch.
After the long journey from Florida to Edmonton â including a refuelling stop â the Oilers defenceman went to watch his sonâs soccer game Wednesday evening.
âComes running up to me and he goes, âDaddy, my teammate wants to meet you,ââ Ekholm said. âWeâre embracing it and itâs just fun.
âPeople love hockey here.â
Such is life when the cityâs team is still playing as spring flips to summer.
Edmonton has battled back from a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup final against the Panthers with consecutive victories to force Game 6 on Friday. Game 7, if necessary, would be Monday in south Florida.
The Alberta capital â one of the NHLâs outposts with rabid support similar to what the NFLâs Green Bay Packers experience away from the limelight in Wisconsin â is awash in orange and blue.
Office workers head out on their lunch breaks sporting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl jerseys. Businesses have signs plastered over their windows in solidarity.
âItâs just amazing for the city,â Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner said.
âPeople are having a lot of fun, just enjoying themselves.â
The born-and-raised Edmonton product is also trying to stay out of the public eye away from the rink as much as possible.
âIâm letting my wife do the shopping right now, and sheâs been wonderful,â Skinner said with a smile. âItâs really hard to get into a situation like this, and being able to embrace this moment that youâve worked so hard for is really all you can do.â
Veteran forward Corey Perry played against the Oilers in the 2017 post-season and was again in the city during the COVID-19 pandemic when it hosted one of the NHLâs bubbles, but has a different perspective from this side.
âPretty incredible to witness,â he said. âComing in for the playoffs (as a visitor), you donât know because youâre not from here, you donât really pay attention to it. Youâre just here to play a hockey game.
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âBut you really see whatâs going on around the city here now.â
Perry, who spent most of his career in warmer U.S. markets, said the vibe is special.
âAll the people coming down outside â the watch parties â everybody notices it,â he said. âYou can hear them honking the horns when weâre in our dressing room. You can hear everything.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch walked through the crowded streets around Rogers Place after beating the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the Western Conference final.
âThe excitementâs high,â he said. âPlaying in that game where so many people are interested in what happens, weâre thrilled to be a part of that. Weâre thrilled to be part of that last game being played in Canada (this season).
âBut weâll also be very thrilled to be playing that last game, which is going to be a Game 7, hopefully.â
Ekholm, who started his career with the Nashville Predators and made a run to the 2017 Cup final, is enjoying every moment.
Even an impromptu meet-and-greet at a local park.
âItâs been different ⌠especially this playoff round,â Ekholm said. âPeople are excited, people are happy.
âItâs just a great thing.â
SHAKING IT UP
The Panthers will make at least one lineup change for Game 6, with forward Nick Cousins replacing Kyle Okposo.
Florida is also promoting defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the top power-play unit in place of Brandon Montour, whose turnover led to Connor Brownâs short-handed opener for the Oilers in Game 5.
âThe composure that he has at the top I think sets him apart, and heâs relishing it,â Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said of Ekman-Larsson. âItâs back in his wheel house.â
DRAI SPELL
While McDavid has led Edmontonâs attack with 11 points in the series â including eight over the Oilersâ last two victories â Draisaitl has just two assists in five games.
âHeâs been playing well,â Knoblauch said of the big centre. âHeâs been doing a lot of things for our team and just missing the goals and assists.
âHas to do with the luck factor.â
© 2024 The Canadian Press
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