Oilers Levee Breaks

Hurricanes take Game One in wild finish:

Rod Brind'Amour scored his second goal of the game in the last minute of regulation to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game One of the Stanley Cup Final in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Ty Conklin, who had entered the game in the third period after Dwayne Roloson was injured, fumbled with the puick behind the net and it squirted out in front of the empty net where Brind'Amour tapped it in.

The Hurricanes had erupted in the third period to take a 4-3 lead over the Oilers, who had opened up a 3-0 lead in the second period. Ales Hemsky put the Oilers back on even terms late in the final frame.

What a terrible way to end what was up to that point a tremendous game. The Nihilist is right that the NHL's TV contract is ridiculous, but the game itself has never been better.

Tonight's game had it all: hard hits, pretty goals, incredible saves (especially by Cam Ward), and even a penalty shot (by Chris Pronger and he scored!). But the giveaway with thirty seconds left that gave the 'Canes the game? Ugly. You gotta feel bad for Ty Conklin.

Let's hope that Duane Roloson can return and the Oilers can regroup in Game Two on Wedneday night. I don't want to think about the possibility that the South may indeed do it again.

UPDATE: ESPN just announced that Roloson is done for the rest of the series. I fear that with him go the Oilers chances of drinking from Lord Stanley's Chalice.