|
The last two survivors of the 2005/6 NHL season are currently battling it out for the Stanley Cup. The Edmonton Oilers who have definitely played the role of the spoilers in this year’s playoffs, are taking on the Carolina Hurricanes in the final series. Game one is already into the record books with Carolina edging the Oilers with a bizarre last minute goal to cap a huge comeback after being down as many as three goals at one point in the game. Ty Conklin the Oiler netminder played a loose puck at the side of his net as if it was a stick of dynamite that he didn’t want any part of, and Rod Brind’Amour gobbled it up and swept into the unattended goal for the winner. Conklin was in to replace the regular Edmonton goalie Dwayne Roloson after he left with a knee and an elbow injury late in the third period. The knee proved to be very serious as Roloson is expected to miss the rest of the series. This will probably prove to be game, set and match as the Oilers have relied on Rolly the Goalie to backstop them all throughout the post season. There are those that will say that without his play they would not have advanced as far as they have.
WHO CARES?
This 2006 Stanley Cup may end up being the most un-watched championship in many years. Without having any teams from a major market area there is not a lot of interest on behalf of the US sports public. The NHL still doesn’t have a large network television agreement; let’s face it; even if you like hockey, how many can say that they watched games on OLN this season (I think that’s the Outdoor Life Network)? I live in Canada, and because we were weaned on hockey as youngsters and the game is considered our national sport, we are able to get our hockey fix on two of our Canadian channels two or three times a week, but in the USA it’s difficult to find games unless you can pick up local channel telecasts of the home team if you are in a NHL city. I don’t think Carolina can be looked at as a hot-bed of hockey, but the fans sure seemed to enjoy the first Hurricane victory but I’d bet the TV ratings might come in something akin to the rating of viewers watching badminton matches or cricket brought live from Pakistan. Poker derby TV will have higher viewership! I hope Gary Bettman and the rest of the NHL high foreheads are paying attention, because the games are excellent but not many know about it.
We in Canada are supposed to forget about our prior team loyalties and immediately jump on the Oiler bandwagon and adopt them as Canada’s team. In Winnipeg where I live I’ve even seen car flags with the Edmonton logo on them. Well this Canuck is cheering for Carolina because I have a long memory that goes back to the days when the Gretzkys owned the Jets and they seemed to always play with a sickening arrogance, and I’ve never forgiven them. It’s not healthy to carry a grudge I hear, but I don’t care…GO HURRICANES!
JOHN PAUL “SPORTY” SPN CORRESPONDENT
Experience the SPN Difference
|
Home 
