The Zenith of My Happiness as an Oilers Fan Since the Days of Yore

by Derek Zona on Oct 8, 2009 6:00 AM MDT in History

Being an Oiler fan in 2003 was grim. Not as grim as being an Oiler fan in 2009, mind you. But back then, the past still loomed large. The fanbase wasn't used to failure yet. A decade removed from glory and faced with an annual humiliating playoff loss, Oiler fans took took two approaches -- anger or misery. I was the miserable sort. The Oilers had gone to the playoffs four times in the last five years and lost to the Dallas Stars all four times. None of them were close. Four series, sixteen Dallas wins, four Edmonton wins. The annual spring beating at the hands of the Stars became too much for me to handle. The Oilers would scratch and claw their way into the playoffs and Dallas would thump them onto the golf course. It was hopeless. When the Oilers didn't make the playoffs in 2001-2002, I can remember thinking of the positive - that they wouldn't have to lose to Dallas again.

In 2002-2003, the Oilers bounced back and made it back to the playoffs. To every Oiler fan's chagrin, they had to face the Dallas Stars again. Hopelessness set in.

But this time, the Oilers managed a split in Dallas to start the series. Coming back to Edmonton with home ice advantage, Bill Guerin and Pierre Turgeon hurt and the world's largest single-cell organism, Derian Hatcher, suspended - there was hope. Steal two while the Stars were disorganized and there was a chance to throw the monkey off of their back and be humiliated by the Red Wings or the Avalanche instead.

The hope was quickly snuffed out as game three got under way. The Oilers were outplayed in the first two periods by a wide margin. The Stars were missing their stars and it didn't matter. The Oilers were outshot 23-15 and the had taken a couple of bad penalties, calls that for once weren't Dan Marouelli's fault. Play was spirited, but at the same time sloppy and some key guys looked listless, possibly comatose. Any hope for a stolen series was gone. The Oilers were going to lose to the Stars again. Oh sure, there was momentary hope for a fan who was not beaten down by loss after loss to Dallas when Georges Laraque scored in the third to tie it. But like the Oiler killer that he's always been, Jere Lehtinen cut the hope right out of Edmonton's soul fifty seconds later. Lehtinen was there to make sure that the proceedings would end as everyone knew they would.

Then a man who would later become a savior, Saint Fernando, somehow got a wrist shot through Turco. It wasn't a bolt of lightning like Pisani fired off time and time again during the 2006 run, no, this was a seeing eye single of a wrister that squeezed through Marty Turco's pads. A fluke, to a hardened Oilers fan expecting to lose to the Stars. Flukes might win a game, but they don't win a series. Mike Modano or Lehtinen or Sergei Zubov would quickly see to it that everyone knew flukes don't win series.

And then, a minute later it happened. The play that gave me hope again, hope that the Oilers might actually beat the Stars.

I can remember this rush like it happened two minutes ago. Radek Dvorak picked up the puck in his end. He made a little stick fake at center as an opposing forward glided by. As he charged through the neutral zone, Eric Brewer skated in front of him, looking over his left shoulder. He weaved around Brewer and headed into the zone and Brewer's head swiveled over his right shoulder and watched the play. I dropped from my couch to the floor in front of the television. Devo deked inside on Matvichuk and quickly back to the carry the puck outside. Matvichuk changed his footing and Devo came back to the inside, completely corkscrewing Matvichuk as he fell away from the play, humorously flailing an attempted hook at Dvorak The puck ricocheted ever so slightly toward the corner and Devo grabbed it on the way through Zubov and found the back of the net to the far side behind Turco. I yelped and repeatedly pounded on the living room floor. It was a play and a goal of stunning beauty and brilliance, and the new guy, Dvorak, pulled it off. In my mind, Turco is still frozen in his split, looking down at his right pad and Zubov is completely stunned by a guy that didn't know he was supposed to lose to Dallas every year. It was breathtaking to see, and heartening. So heartening, in fact, that it gave me the hope back. Edmonton WAS going to steal these two games. Edmonton was going to win this series!

It was the best feeling I've had as an Oiler fan since those halcyon days of Stanley Cup wins eighteen years ago. The feeling of elation was bigger than Marchant's game seven winner in 1997 and it was never matched in the 2006 run. Of course, the Oilers would go on to lose the next three straight and never play like they were in command of the series, but at the moment I saw a flash of black on the white ice behind the goalie, there was a feeling of joy unmatched by any in the last seventeen years of watching hockey.

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Grim? What grim in 2009. This team looks good, and the 2 young stars who will join probably next year look even better. Good things are ahead.

by ajcrocks on Oct 8, 2009 7:46 AM MDT reply actions

I like having you around ajcrocks. Your enthusiasm is genuine and that can be contagious. Those of us who have sat through three seasons of no playoffs (and the year after the 2006 cup run was all kinds of disheartening from the Pronger trade right down to the Pronger Cup-lifting) have trouble maintaining optimism. As an ex-Hab fan, how do you feel about ex-Leaf Pat Quinn?

With regard to the D-Vo goal, it was a real beauty. I was at the game behind the Dallas net and it was bar-none the most exciting goal I’ve ever seen live and in person. The most excited I’ve been for a goal live and on TV was in the regular season though: the infamous Patrick Stefan miss, Ales Hemsky goal, Ray Ferraro blowup. I laughed so hard and was just so happy. If only they’d won the game.

by Scott Reynolds on Oct 8, 2009 8:02 AM MDT up reply actions

Man, it’s nice to have some optimism around, even if it’s not justified ;)

Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Oct 8, 2009 9:55 AM MDT up reply actions

You mean my fence-sitting isn’t already more optimism than you can handle? ;)

SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.

by Doogie2K on Oct 8, 2009 12:22 PM MDT up reply actions

Thanks. I can understand the disappointment and pessimism based on losing seasons. The Habs had about 10 mediocre years (the only fun being 2 major upsets vs the Bruins in the first half of this decace) before leading the conference 2 seasons ago. Now thanks to Gainey the Mad Scientist, they’re back to lousy again. Point is I also sat through springs without my team still in it, so I know.

But you know what, the analysts picked the Oilers to finish 6th last year for a reason. There’s a lot to like. It didn’t pan out last year, but as I’ve commented on, the guys that the analysts were expecting to vault the team that high are the ones stepping up now (Penner, Cogs, Gagner). I just don’t see how things are grim now, even with the disappointment of missing the playoffs for 3 years.

I hate Quinn’s doghouse. Jason Smith and Steve Sullivan were undeserving residents to name a couple. Thank goodness Gagner stepped up the way he did. We don’t want him in there. But I think as you can see so far, Quinn’s teams are more exciting. Especially with our skill, those players are given freedoms as long as they play both ends of the ice, and battle for pucks. I just really like the direction I perceive this team to be headed.

I can’t wait for Saturday when my new #1team takes on my previous. Canucks rattled Price pretty good yesterday. I hope the Oilers are smelling blood.

by ajcrocks on Oct 8, 2009 9:33 AM MDT reply actions

P.S.

One of the reasons (the top in fact ) I bolted from Habland was the hiring of Jacques Martin. Pat Quinn is like the anti-Martin, which is probably why Quinn’s Leafs owned Martin’s Sens in the playoffs year after year. I really really like MacT, but Quinn+Renney was a very good office move.

by ajcrocks on Oct 8, 2009 12:54 PM MDT up reply actions

Radek Dvorak instead of Todd Marchant or Fernando Pisani? BLASPHEMY! BLASPHEMY!

by Benjamin Massey on Oct 8, 2009 9:42 AM MDT reply actions

Although I do sense a series of competing Great Memories from Oiler History in our future…

by Benjamin Massey on Oct 8, 2009 9:42 AM MDT up reply actions

Watch that goal. After four years of beatings…

Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Oct 8, 2009 10:08 AM MDT up reply actions

Ah, but Marchant’s goal was surrounded by so much marvelous. Curtis Joseph robbing Joe Nieuwendyk with still the best save I’ve ever seen, then picking off a slapshot by Sergei Zubov as if to say “meh, you mortals bore me.” The most handless man in the world thundering up ice and tucking the puck past Andy Moog before the Dallas crowd had even realized what had happened. And that after a marvelous, marvelous game.

Or Pisani’s goal, which was like a bolt from the blue and so utterly perfect in every aspect, right down to the man who scored it.

And the Oilers weren’t exactly a powerhouse in 1997 or 2006, either.

(Seriously, how is there not a post series in this?)

by Benjamin Massey on Oct 8, 2009 10:55 AM MDT up reply actions

After the deadline, the Oilers certainly were a powerhouse in 2006. I guess we all have our preferences.

This actually sounds like a really good idea for a post series.

Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.

by Derek Zona on Oct 8, 2009 1:06 PM MDT up reply actions

Do you think so Derek? Their record after the deadline wasn’t anything special and they most certainly got outchanced by the Wings in the first round and probably the Sharks and Ducks as well. I actually thought they played the best at EV against the Hurricanes but were doomed by an injured goalie, lack of finish/luck at EV, and a poor PP.

by Scott Reynolds on Oct 8, 2009 1:47 PM MDT up reply actions

Shades of the Moose

… except this goal led directly to the Stanley Cup. Similar play, much, much better outcome.

Writer for The Copper & Blue

by Bruce McCurdy on Oct 8, 2009 10:19 AM MDT reply actions

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Northwest Standings

	GP	W	L	OTL	PT
Vancouver Nucks Misconduct	54	34	15	5	73
Colorado Mile High Hockey	56	28	25	3	59
Minnesota Hockey Wilderness	54	25	21	8	58
Calgary Matchsticks and Gasoline	55	25	22	8	58
Edmonton The Copper & Blue	54	21	28	5	47

(updated 2.11.2012 at 6:02 AM MST)

22 - 28 - 5

Streak: Won 1

Oilers Schedule

Next 5 Games

Toronto Pension Plan Puppets	Wed 02/15	8:00 PM MST
Colorado Mile High Hockey	Fri 02/17	7:30 PM MST
Vancouver Nucks Misconduct	Sun 02/19	7:00 PM MST
@ Calgary Matchsticks and Gasoline	Tue 02/21	7:00 PM MST
Philadelphia Broad Street Hockey	Thu 02/23	7:30 PM MST

Last 5 Games

@ Ottawa Silver Seven	Sat 02/11	OT - W 4 - 3
@ Detroit Winging It In Motown	Wed 02/08	L 2 - 4
@ Toronto Pension Plan Puppets	Mon 02/06	L 3 - 6
Detroit Winging It In Motown	Sat 02/04	SO - W 5 - 4
Chicago Second City Hockey	Thu 02/02	W 8 - 4