Ice Hockey: Oilers fall short of Stanley Cup dream

EDMONTON, Alberta - In a place where NHL hockey often takes precedence over baptisms, graduations and weddings, it was no surprise to see Edmonton in mourning after its beloved Oilers' playoff well finally ran dry.

"After winning two in a row, I thought the Cup was coming back here for sure," said Reade Beaudoin, moments after the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Oilers 3-1 to capture their first-ever Stanley Cup.

"It's really tough right now. Fans are really happy we made it this far, but we were so close."

Police lined Whyte Avenue, the city's trendy nightclub district, in anticipation of an Edmonton victory. Their presence was not necessary after all.

"People are being very well behaved," said one police officer. "They've accepted the fact that they're team had a terrific run and they simply fell short."

Whyte Avenue had been plagued by incidents of vandalism and violence, as upwards of 20 to 30,000 fans gathered on the popular strip following games in the first three rounds.

After the final disappointed fans milled about while drivers honked horns in a show of support for the copper and blue.

"It's one of the rare things that sports can do," explained Darlene Bartee, manager of the Elephant and Castle Pub, a popular watering hole on the strip.

"That a team doing well can make strangers friends is an amazing thing. It's united our city. We're very proud of them."

Magical odyssey

After barely squeaking into the NHL's post-season party, qualifying as the eighth seed in the Western Conference in late April, the up-start Oilers went on a magical two-month playoff odyssey.

The dream run saw them dispose of the top regular-season team, the Detroit Red Wings, the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, before battling from 3-1 down to a seventh and deciding game of the Stanley Cup finals.

The Oilers not only galvanized a city, but an entire nation, which last saw the Cup head north of the 49th parallel, the place of its birth, in 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens triumphed.

The underdogs even captured the hearts of Canadian soldiers based in Kandahar, Afghanistan, who took time out from their daily duties of hunting Taleban insurgents to watch the Oilers' hunt for the Cup via satellite television.

Though they fell short of bringing the coveted hardware back to Edmonton, long-time Oilers loyalist Paul Stephanson said he could see the chemistry of a team emerging that could contend for the Cup for years to come.

"In 2004, Calgary (Flames) went to the finals thanks to one player - a goalie - Mikka Kiprusoff.

"The Oilers went to the finals this year because of great goaltending, a great defence and a great offence. We've got the makings of a very good hockey team once again," said Stephanson.

- REUTERS