EDMONTON — Success is rarely achieved without facing difficulties.
These two teams have needed nine full periods of intense hockey just to determine the outcome of the initial pair of games in this Stanley Cup Final. Following their tough 5-4 loss in double overtime during Game 2, the Edmonton Oilers will need to draw heavily upon the extensive playoff experience they`ve accumulated over the past four seasons, having participated in 13 different series.
The series for the Stanley Cup is now effectively a best-of-five contest. This means there`s no time for the team to dwell on their disappointment.
“There’s going to be some disappointment,” acknowledged Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “But we’ve maintained a consistent mentality: no matter what happens – whether it`s a poor performance, a tight contest, an overtime finish, a heartbreaking loss, an easy win, whatever the situation – we move past it and focus on preparing for the next game.”
“In the playoffs, you quickly learn that events don’t always unfold precisely as you might want. Sometimes things go your way, and sometimes they don’t,” he added.
Given that both opening games were decided in overtime, the series could realistically have seen either team holding a 2-0 lead. However, a 1-1 tie as the series shifts to Florida appears to be a fair reflection of the competitive level of play displayed throughout Games 1 and 2.