Latest news with #PacificDivision-winning
Ottawa Citizen
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Edmonton Oilers never expected to dominate here in Stanley Cup Final
Article content But there is nothing easy about the NHL playoffs, especially this best-of-7 series between the last team standing in each conference. Article content Article content This is, after all, hockey's Holy Grail, which is routinely described as the hardest trophy to win in all of professional sports. Article content Article content The concept is straightforward enough. All you've got to do is come up with four wins faster than your opponent. Article content Article content Oh, but the games are played with one, maybe two days' rest in between. And did we mention the series comes after having to earn 12 wins across three previous rounds that have to feel every bit as gruelling at the time? Article content It's a grind. And if your team's not up to the task, don't worry, you'll find out right away. Article content That's what makes this particular Stanley Cup Final so intriguing, as a rematch of last year's championship round that went right down to the wire, with three straight wins by one team followed by three straight wins by the other, only being decided by one goal's worth of difference in Game 7. Article content And after it took almost eight-and-a-half periods over the first two games to decide nothing, as the two teams entered Game 3 on Monday in Sunrise, Fla., with the series every bit as even at 1-1 as it was when it began, there is nothing to suggest it won't go the distance again this time around. Article content Article content The Oilers and Panthers are as evenly matched as you could hope the top two teams on the season would be. The only drawback to the whole thing is the result of Game 3 almost doesn't matter — not nearly as much as Game 4 on Thursday (6 p.m., CBC, Sportsnet) — because for every punch from one side, there has been a clear and decisive counterpunch from the other. Article content Article content And that goes for game to game, and within the game. Article content 'It's the Stanley Cup Finals,' said Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse. 'You're not going to walk through a Stanley Cup Final. You're not going to walk through a team at this point of the year. Article content 'The team we're playing against, it's their third final in a row and they're here for a reason. And for us, we know that we are very capable, when we are at the top of our game, of being the dominant team on the ice.' Article content Like the Oilers did over the past two rounds, going 4-1 against both the Pacific Division-winning Vegas Golden Knights and a Dallas Stars squad that knocked off the Presidents' Cup-winning Winnipeg Jets.
Calgary Herald
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Edmonton Oilers never expected to dominate here in Stanley Cup Final
Article content If winning the Stanley Cup was easy, everyone would be walking around with all sorts of bling on their fingers. Article content But there is nothing easy about the NHL playoffs, especially this best-of-7 series between the last team standing in each conference. Article content Article content This is, after all, hockey's Holy Grail, which is routinely described as the hardest trophy to win in all of professional sports. Article content Article content The concept is straightforward enough. All you've got to do is come up with four wins faster than your opponent. Article content Article content Oh, but the games are played with one, maybe two days' rest in between. And did we mention the series comes after having to earn 12 wins across three previous rounds that have to feel every bit as gruelling at the time? Article content It's a grind. And if your team's not up to the task, don't worry, you'll find out right away. Article content That's what makes this particular Stanley Cup Final so intriguing, as a rematch of last year's championship round that went right down to the wire, with three straight wins by one team followed by three straight wins by the other, only being decided by one goal's worth of difference in Game 7. Article content And after it took almost eight-and-a-half periods over the first two games to decide nothing, as the two teams entered Game 3 on Monday in Sunrise, Fla., with the series every bit as even at 1-1 as it was when it began, there is nothing to suggest it won't go the distance again this time around. Article content Article content The Oilers and Panthers are as evenly matched as you could hope the top two teams on the season would be. The only drawback to the whole thing is the result of Game 3 almost doesn't matter — not nearly as much as Game 4 on Thursday (6 p.m., CBC, Sportsnet) — because for every punch from one side, there has been a clear and decisive counterpunch from the other. Article content Article content And that goes for game to game, and within the game. Article content 'It's the Stanley Cup Finals,' said Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse. 'You're not going to walk through a Stanley Cup Final. You're not going to walk through a team at this point of the year. Article content 'The team we're playing against, it's their third final in a row and they're here for a reason. And for us, we know that we are very capable, when we are at the top of our game, of being the dominant team on the ice.' Article content Like the Oilers did over the past two rounds, going 4-1 against both the Pacific Division-winning Vegas Golden Knights and a Dallas Stars squad that knocked off the Presidents' Cup-winning Winnipeg Jets.
Vancouver Sun
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Edmonton Oilers never expected to dominate here in Stanley Cup Final
If winning the Stanley Cup was easy, everyone would be walking around with all sorts of bling on their fingers. But there is nothing easy about the NHL playoffs, especially this best-of-7 series between the last team standing in each conference. This is, after all, hockey's Holy Grail, which is routinely described as the hardest trophy to win in all of professional sports. The concept is straightforward enough. All you've got to do is come up with four wins faster than your opponent. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Oh, but the games are played with one, maybe two days' rest in between. And did we mention the series comes after having to earn 12 wins across three previous rounds that have to feel every bit as gruelling at the time? It's a grind. And if your team's not up to the task, don't worry, you'll find out right away. That's what makes this particular Stanley Cup Final so intriguing, as a rematch of last year's championship round that went right down to the wire, with three straight wins by one team followed by three straight wins by the other, only being decided by one goal's worth of difference in Game 7. And after it took almost eight-and-a-half periods over the first two games to decide nothing, as the two teams entered Game 3 on Monday in Sunrise, Fla. , with the series every bit as even at 1-1 as it was when it began, there is nothing to suggest it won't go the distance again this time around. The Oilers and Panthers are as evenly matched as you could hope the top two teams on the season would be. The only drawback to the whole thing is the result of Game 3 almost doesn't matter — not nearly as much as Game 4 on Thursday (6 p.m., CBC, Sportsnet) — because for every punch from one side, there has been a clear and decisive counterpunch from the other. And that goes for game to game, and within the game. 'It's the Stanley Cup Finals,' said Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse. 'You're not going to walk through a Stanley Cup Final. You're not going to walk through a team at this point of the year. 'The team we're playing against, it's their third final in a row and they're here for a reason. And for us, we know that we are very capable, when we are at the top of our game, of being the dominant team on the ice.' Like the Oilers did over the past two rounds, going 4-1 against both the Pacific Division-winning Vegas Golden Knights and a Dallas Stars squad that knocked off the Presidents' Cup-winning Winnipeg Jets. Prior to the Stanley Cup Final, those were the only two games the Oilers lost since falling behind 0-2 to the Los Angeles Kings, before regrouping and putting together a six-game win streak. With their backup goaltender in net, of all things. In all, the Oilers went an impressive 12-4 to reach the final round. And the Panthers weren't much farther behind, going 12-5 while knocking off their state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in five games before getting into a seven-game slugfest with a surging Toronto Maple Leafs squad, and then cruising to win over the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. To expect either side to manhandle the other here in Round 4 would be to deny the deliciousness of seeing how the timeless and universal plotline plays out when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object. 'With that said, they're going to have their pushes and it's the way that we're able to weather those and take the momentum,' Nurse said. 'And maybe grab the momentum a little bit earlier and swing it back our way.' In and out: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins sat out Sunday's practice and was listed day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. He did, however, participate in Monday's morning skate with the team. 'Ryan will be a game-time decision,' offered head coach Kris Knoblauch. 'He'll take warmup and we will decide from there.' Jeff Skinner was prepared to enter the lineup in his place. The Oilers are already down one top-line forward who played the majority of the season on Connor McDavid 's wing, as Zach Hyman required surgery to repair a fractured wrist from Game 4 of the previous round against the Stars. Should Nugent-Hopkins end up missing any significant time with whatever is ailing him from Game 2 against the Panthers, that would mark both of McDavid's regular wingers out of action at the most crucial time of year. E-mail: gmoddejonge@ On X: @GerryModdejonge
