GDT: Retro GDT: Oilers at Hurricanes, 2006 Stanley Cup Finals Game 1

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ROD THE BOD

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Anton Dubinchuk

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Ok I just watched this whole thing. I was in the stands and 12 years old. So more than half a lifetime ago for me.

Obviously I was a fan (I was there), but as a 12 year old wasn’t the “knowledgeable” fan I am now (using that term tongue in cheek, but I certainly know a lot more about what I’m watching now). Because of that, watching this was a treat. A few observations:

- Hockey was a LOT more fun when shooters could cleanly beat goalies without traffic. Whitney’s first goal. Stillman’s series winning goal against Montreal (deflection or not). Just more fun.

- Hedican was ahead of his time. I always knew he was a good skater because people said it, but he was far and away the best skater on the ice, and the style of play sort of neutralized it a bit. Put him in this era and he would’ve been very, very highly regarded.

- Again, more than half a lifetime ago for me, but I genuinely have no recollection whatsoever of faceoffs just being wherever the hell play stopped on the ice. With a few min left, there was a faceoff in the Canes defensive zone, literally directly in front of Cam Ward just slightly above the circles. Like, WHAT the hell is that and when did it end?

- Time, and probably debates on this website and others, had morphed my memory of the Bergeron/Ladd/Roloson incident into kinda an “iffy” one. Man, it’s black and white. Ladd is so clearly “in” control, then blatantly pushed into Roloson causing him to lose control. 100% of the blame on Bergeron. Black and white.

- This one might’ve been because of the angle of my seats at the time, from which Conklin’s body covered most of the turnover, but man that’s as much on Jason Smith as it was on Conklin. What is Smith doing there? It’s like he’s trying to steal the puck from his own goalie when Brind’Amour is clearly pressuring. Honestly kinda felt bad for Conklin there.

- Time and debates on this website have also made me think Brind’Amour should have won the Conn Smythe. Maybe so, but man don’t take away what Cam did. That game alone he was just incredible. Man. What a fun game.
 

Nikishin Go Boom

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Well I thought maybe we'd get commentary from John and Tripp afterwards but I guess not. Bring on game 2!
Id wish they allowed J&T to commentate the games sense they were on FS. Much better than the guys that did it tonight. I believe he mispronounced hedican at least twice and lost who had the puck a few times.
 
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HisIceness

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Good news is we have prime Doc for game 7 IIRC. I can't remember if he was the announcer for game 3, I know he wasn't for game 2

I assume he was (game 3) since the series moved to NBC full-time, I think I remember the DVD hearing him call Smyths winner. Who was calling game 2?

I remember having to tell people games 1 and 2 (and a good chunk of the playoffs after round 1) that every non-NBC/Fox Sports game was on, the Outdoor Life Network. Good times having to explain that. Even today I hate telling people that 2 games of the Finals are always on the f***ing cable channel. Hopefully the next TV deal corrects that, not likely but one can dream yeah?
 
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GIN ANTONIC

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Aug 19, 2007
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This series was ALL about momentum.

Canes come from behind and take game 1 in miraculous fashion. Edmonton loses their starting goalie and is crushed. They lay an egg in game 2. Canes lead 2-0.

Edmonton regroups and guts out a close win in game 3 to get back in the series.

Canes counter in game 4 with a close hard fought win of their own to push the series to 3-1.

Game 5 showcases an insane 1st period and goes down to the wire. OT and Canes have a chance to win it all on home ice. A stick tap leads to a broken pass and the puck is on Pisanis stick for a breakaway. The leading goal scorer in the playoffs doesn’t miss. The series moves back to Edmonton.

Coming off a devastating emotional loss in game 5, the Canes lay an egg in game 6 and Edmonton ties up the series 3-3 at home.

Here we are. Game 7. All the chips are on the table. Doug Weight is out of the lineup with an injury but the Canes get a boost from a soldier solely missing in action the last few months. Erik Cole-train is back. Canes take an early lead on a Frankie Kabs blast and the rest is history. Justin Williams seals the deal with an empty netter with Pronger flailing face first on the ice. Victory baby. It feels good.
 

bleedgreen

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Ok I just watched this whole thing. I was in the stands and 12 years old. So more than half a lifetime ago for me.

Obviously I was a fan (I was there), but as a 12 year old wasn’t the “knowledgeable” fan I am now (using that term tongue in cheek, but I certainly know a lot more about what I’m watching now). Because of that, watching this was a treat. A few observations:

- Hockey was a LOT more fun when shooters could cleanly beat goalies without traffic. Whitney’s first goal. Stillman’s series winning goal against Montreal (deflection or not). Just more fun.

- Hedican was ahead of his time. I always knew he was a good skater because people said it, but he was far and away the best skater on the ice, and the style of play sort of neutralized it a bit. Put him in this era and he would’ve been very, very highly regarded.

- Again, more than half a lifetime ago for me, but I genuinely have no recollection whatsoever of faceoffs just being wherever the hell play stopped on the ice. With a few min left, there was a faceoff in the Canes defensive zone, literally directly in front of Cam Ward just slightly above the circles. Like, WHAT the hell is that and when did it end?

- Time, and probably debates on this website and others, had morphed my memory of the Bergeron/Ladd/Roloson incident into kinda an “iffy” one. Man, it’s black and white. Ladd is so clearly “in” control, then blatantly pushed into Roloson causing him to lose control. 100% of the blame on Bergeron. Black and white.

- This one might’ve been because of the angle of my seats at the time, from which Conklin’s body covered most of the turnover, but man that’s as much on Jason Smith as it was on Conklin. What is Smith doing there? It’s like he’s trying to steal the puck from his own goalie when Brind’Amour is clearly pressuring. Honestly kinda felt bad for Conklin there.

- Time and debates on this website have also made me think Brind’Amour should have won the Conn Smythe. Maybe so, but man don’t take away what Cam did. That game alone he was just incredible. Man. What a fun game.
Hedican was very much like J-bo, and he was in fact pretty highly regarded. The skating was amazing but neither ever had A) high end offensive skill despite the appearance of it with the skating and B) killer offensive instincts with or without the puck when closing in at the net. Hedican would look brilliant all the way up the ice right until he got to the tops of the circles, then he’d hesitate or just make the wrong choice. Wrong pass at the wrong time. Not a threat to snipe. Some people just have that knack in those areas, Hedican did not. He had long been a favorite of mine all the way back to his Vancouver days, I was pumped we got him.

Rutherford was good at getting Dmen. Jeff Brown, Wesley (too expensive a price), Curtis Leschyshyn and Hedican amongst others were always guys I loved watching for other teams and was pretty pumped we got. Danny Markov was great for his brief stretch.

I didn’t get to watch this game like you guys, hopefully I’ll have time to sit down and watch it in the future. I remember it being nuts. Ward deserved the Conn as much as anyone but I do remember thinking Rod could’ve been a choice.
 

GIN ANTONIC

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Aug 19, 2007
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Toronto, ON
It easily could have been Rod for the Conn but Cam was deserving as well. Staal you have to put into the conversation as well but if it wasn’t Cam then I think the nod has to go to the captain here. A regret I have of him not getting it is that adding it to his trophy case gives him a much better chance at the HOF which I hope he gets in one day.
 
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