Filling the Void

Sadly, the Stanley Cup Finals came to an end. Sadly, the wrong team won.

The Edmonton Oilers fell to the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in the Stanley Cup Finals with a 3-1 loss Monday night. The series was filled with highs and lows. Lows included Roloson getting injured and knocked out of the series, and losing 5-0 in game 2 and getting beat at every possible part of the game. Highs included Pisani's 4 goal performance of the series and leading goal total of the entire tournament. and the destruction of Carolina against Edmonton at home Saturday night. That game, the Oilers played to perfection and it was probably the best game I ever saw them play.

I wasn't mad at the Hurricanes as a team. They weren't a dirty team...divers yes but not dirty. The only player I disliked was Brind'Amour, the player who could be an extra in The Sopranos. Their fans were respectful and their players were respectful of the Oilers especially after their win. As much as it hurt, I watched them get the Conn Smythe Trophy presented to Cam Ward and the team get the Stanley Cup presented to them.

After the game, I was really depressed. I felt responsible somehow for the loss. I probably watched about 3/4 of the games on tv this year and every playoff game except two (soccer and my sister's grad...but I was informed via text messaging). The regular season, like the playoffs, was filled with highs and lows. This was a low low and there was nothing more that could be done. Like many of my classmates, I had trouble sleeping too.

Now, I have a hole in my life that I have to fill. There is nothing left for me to cheer for. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturday evenings are no longer filled with hockey. I'll have to exercise, play nintendo or god forbid, study to fill my time. It's going to be a total shocker.

Slowly, but surely, I've started to realize the many things that I must do. My ringtone, which proudly was the song for Hockey Night in Canada that I put on right at the start of the playoffs was removed. I couldn't keep it on any longer. I heard it on Tuesday and after hearing it that one time, and was sad. I also own a car flag with the Oilers logo on it. I decided that I should celebrate their run until Friday. Then I will take it off. In my room, it will go, until the first game of the season.

Now, I will have to wait until the Oilers sign many of their free agents. NHL.com will have many hits from this computer. I'll be following many of the transactions that are being made. I'm hoping that the Oilers sign a first line forward and a another big D man that will help ease the workload off of Pronger.

I still have the hockey bug in me....I just have to find some things to do...like golf again.