Disappointment and hope: Edmonton's history-making dreams crushed in Oilers' Game 7 loss
CBC
The giant screens that had projected the Stanley Cup final at the watch party next to Rogers Place snapped to black Monday night, extinguished along with the hopes of thousands of Oilers faithful.
Cries of dismay erupted from the massive crowd gathered in the pavilion next to the arena to watch the Edmonton Oilers take on the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the finals as the Panthers clinched the win in their home arena in Sunrise, Fla., 2-1.
Some in the crowd threw their beers in anger. But as Green Day's Time of Your Life played from the speakers and the crowd thinned, a more sombre mood emerged. Some fans sat on the ground disconsolately, others hugged each other and wiped away tears.
Over in the Moss Pit — the other outdoor watch party in the arena district — heartbreak all around.
"It's just a missed opportunity," said Jacob Golka, who was mourning the loss with his friends.
"There's appreciation for the greatest run that I've ever seen as an Oilers fan. But it hurts. It hurts."
The loss crushed lofty, history-making aspirations: It's been 34 years since the Oilers have won a Stanley Cup, and 31 years since a Canadian NHL team has won the title.
And after starting the series in a three-game deficit, had the Oilers pulled off a comeback it would have been the first time a team came back from 3-0 since the Toronto Maple Leafs did it in 1942.
Earlier Monday, downtown Edmonton was abuzz, as throngs of people in jerseys flooded the streets, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety in anticipation of the game.
"I'm just nervous. I hope I don't die, you know what I mean? I'm gonna get a heart attack right now just thinking about it," longtime fan Victor Fodor said.
Fodor went to a couple of the playoff games at the Coliseum, the Oilers' old arena, the last time the Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1990, beating the Boston Bruins.
He said back then, the team had some pretty good players – the likes of Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Grant Fuhr.
But Fodor was confident in today's roster too. Belief in the team's ability to finally hoist the cup again 34 years later was running through multiple generations of Oilers fans ahead of the game.
"If there's any team that can do it, it's these guys," said Paul Sulja, who was feeling confident they'd take the cup.
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