Stanley Cup Finals

Raise your hands raise them high if you picked the Carolina Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oilers to be the last two standing in June with the Stanley Cup on the line. Anyone? Did not think so? How about at the start of the playoffs in April? Anybody? No, well it’s not that big of surprise because this is as unlikely of a Stanley Cup Final as there could have been. Neither made the playoffs in 2004, and neither was expected to do much this season, and in the Oilers case they did not do much as they just barely got into the playoffs as the 8th seed in the West, while the Hurricanes battled all season but the Carolina Hurricanes cup contenders? Come on be serious. However, they were serious as the Oilers spurred on by the acquisition of Goalie Dwayne Roloson form the Minnesota Wild, became a different team overnight and a force to be reckoned with while the Hurricanes proved to indeed be real beating the Buffalo Sabres in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Now its the Stanley Cup Finals and they are facing each other. The Edmonton Oilers are the 8th seed but they do have the hot goalie, the Hurricanes have whatever goalie is hot at the moment Martin Gerber or Cam Ward. The Hurricanes are coming in healthy and with only a few days off can easily regain their momentum, while the Oilers have the skate on the other foot as they are going to have to battle rust much in the same way the Might Ducks had to in the Western Conference Finals as they have not played in more than a week. With the home ice the Hurricanes will also have the first two games at home and a potential Game 7, so all the advantages lie with Carolina. However, the Carolina Hurricanes skating with the Stanley Cup can you really see that happening? Its just too strange and that is why the Oilers who may start off in an 0-2 hole will due to rust will win the Stanley Cup and bring it back up to Canada, as they won’t lose any in Edmonton and tied 2-2 with new life will take one in Carolina and will skate around the ice with the cup in Edmonton after Game 6, as the Oilers return to glory is complete, as Dwayne Roloson proves to be the difference and wins the Conn Smythe.