Their Cup Runneth Over

So after a painful game one, and an even more painful game two, and a split at home, the Edmonton Oilers became only the sixth team in Stanley Cup finals history to force a game 7 after going down 3 games to 1 in the best of seven series. Game 6 was the high point for Edmonton fans, as the Oilers clobbered the 'Canes 4-0 in front of thousands of overjoyed fans.

Three-to-one was featured prominently in the past few games. 27 teams had gone down 3-1, 16 of those teams lost game 5 and six more lost in game 6. Only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs came back to win (and in their series, they had actually gone down 3-0 before winning 4 in a row to pull off the ultimate Cup coup).

It was fitting, then, that score at game's end was Carolina 3, Edmonton 1.

For the second finals in a row, Canada's entrant failed to bring the Cup home after losing the seventh game. The past two champions now are Carolina and Tampa Bay - two hockey havens, for sure.

Oh well ... maybe next year.