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.”
Edmonton Oilers fans watch on in the Ice District during the final minutes of Game 7 between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers on Monday, June 24, 2024. (Timon Johnson/CBC)
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.
Sulja was still very young the last time the Oilers made the Stanley Cup final series in 2006, when they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7.
He said he grew into being a diehard fan during the decade of darkness that followed, when the Oilers didn’t make the playoffs again until 2016.
After years of standing by the team at their worst, Sulja was ready to go all out to celebrate them at their best.
Sulja, who doesn’t live in Alberta anymore, flew back to Edmonton for two of the playoff games.
He thought about heading to Florida for Game 7 but decided Edmonton was where he needed to be on Monday.
People began lining up to get inside the Moss Pit on Monday morning.
By early afternoon, the line had grown so long it snaked around multiple city blocks. As game time grew closer, the lineup became chaotic as people pushed and shoved.
Both Edmonton police officers and RCMP were out in full force ahead of and during the game, along with a significant private security presence in hopes of keeping revelry in check — no doubt, with the memory of riots on Whyte Avenue during the 2006 playoffs top-of-mind.
CBC News observed one arrest near the arena downtown following the game, but as the temperature dropped and the wind picked up, most of the crowds drifted away peacefully.
An Edmonton Oilers fan kneels in the Ice District following the team’s 2-1 loss against the Florida Panthers in Game 7 on Monday, June 24, 2024. (Timon Johnson/CBC)
While the Monday lead-up to the game felt like a holiday for Oilers fans, Tuesday may feel like a hangover – both literally and emotionally.
In the fan zone next to Rogers Place, Ty Gour and his friends patted each other’s shoulders and hugged – commiserating about the loss.
“Could’ve done better,” Gour said.
Despite the heartbreaking loss in the final, ultimately the Oilers managed to come just a couple of goals away from winning the Cup, after being in the basement of the league in November.
Oilers fans reflect on a storybook Cup run
5 hours ago
Duration 2:09
The Edmonton Oilers may have lost the Stanley Cup to the champion Florida Panthers, but fans are looking back joyously on a run that seemed unbelievable. Travis McEwan spoke with them about the highlights that brought a different feeling to the city for months.
Not long ago, many fans were just hoping for the team not to get swept, and they ended up getting a lot more than that.
As a member of a fandom that has weathered decades of disappointment, Gour is already looking forward to next season.
“Dang good team, a young team — a young team that’s going to come back even better next year, even hungrier,” Gour said.
“But right now, they just didn’t have enough to bring it home.”
Montreal police say they’ve arrested a man in connection with the theft of tens of thousands of dollars in golf merchandise tied to the Presidents Cup PGA Tour being held this week in the city.
Police say that on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21 a person entered a downtown Montreal hotel and stole numerous official items and clothing “from a major golf tournament.”
The tournament is taking place at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in the city’s L’Île-Bizard–Ste-Geneviève’s borough through Sunday.
Police say a 46-year-old man was arrested in downtown Montreal on Thursday and was arraigned Friday on a number of charges including theft.
The accused remains detained until his next court appearance.
Police say the investigation is ongoing to locate the stolen golf items and apparel, adding that anyone with information is invited to come forward.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.
TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors are expected to confirm today that Vince Carter’s No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
Carter will attend an MLSE Foundation event this afternoon at the renovated Vince Carter Court at a park in the city’s northwest end.
Raptors president and vice-chairman Masai Ujiri will also be on hand along with some current players and city officials.
Reports this week said that Canada’s lone NBA team would honour Carter on Nov. 2 when Toronto plays the Sacramento Kings at Scotiabank Arena.
Carter, an eight-time all-star, played parts of seven seasons with the Raptors. He was named NBA rookie of the year in 1999 and won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2000.
He was the Raptors’ first superstar and is credited for raising the profile of the team and igniting enthusiasm for basketball across Canada.
Carter guided the Raptors to the Eastern Conference semifinal in 2001. Toronto had a chance to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 but Carter’s shot at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced out.
He asked for a trade in 2004 and was dealt to New Jersey in a mid-season deal that saw the Raptors receive little in return. The Nets, who are now based in Brooklyn, plan to retire Carter’s number in January.
Carter played 22 seasons in the NBA before retiring after the 2019-20 season. He’ll be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame next month.
The Raptors are celebrating their 30th anniversary this season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 58th home run, going deep for the fifth straight game to help the New York Yankees wrap up their second AL East title in three years with a 10-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
Giancarlo Stanton had four RBIs that included his 27th homer, Alex Verdugo also homered and Gerrit Cole outpitched Corbin Burnes in a possible postseason preview. Judge and Stanton homered in the same game for the 14th time this year, tying Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961 for the most in Yankees history.
New York assured itself a first-round bye and home-field advantage in a best-of-five AL Division Series starting Oct. 5.
Baltimore, which clinched a postseason berth by winning Tuesday night’s opener of the three-game series, will be in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.
Stanton homered in the second to put the Yankees ahead and hit a three-run double in a six-run sixth.
Judge hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Bryan Baker and has 144 RBIs, the most in the major leagues since Ryan Howard’s 146 in 2008. Judge matched his career best by homering in five consecutive games.
Making his last start before the playoffs, Cole (8-5) allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings, struck out five and walked one, lowering his ERA to 3.41. He struck out Anthony Santander with a 98.1 mph fastball that ended the eighth after plate umpire David Rackley called a ball on the previous pitch, a knuckle-curve that appeared to be just above the strike zone. Cole glared as the umpire as the pitcher walked back to the dugout.
Cole was given a standing ovation when he walked to the dugout with two outs in the seventh and tipped his cap to the crowd of 42,022.
Burnes (15-9) allowed two hits in five innings, one walk and nine strikeouts — including eight on cutters. Burnes came out after 69 pitches and is likely to start the Orioles’ postseason opener on Tuesday. He had a 1.20 ERA in five September starts.
Stanton lofted a slider at the bottom of the strike zone into the left-field seats after missing badly at a slider on the prior pitch.
Austin Wells, in a 4-for-42 slide, forced in a run when he walked with the bases loaded against Cionel Pérez. Stanton drove the next pitch on one hop to the wall in right-center for a 5-1 lead. Stanton has 72 RBIs after hitting 6 for 18 with two doubles, two homers and eight RBIs in his last five games.
Anthony Rizzo added a two-run single against Baker.
Emmanuel Rivera hit a ninth-inning sacrifice fly for the Orioles.
UP NEXT
Orioles: LHP Cade Povich (2-9, 5.59) starts a series opener at Minnesota on Friday, when LHP Pablo López (15-9, 4.11) will be on the mound for the Twins.
Yankees: LHP Carlos Rodón (16-9, 3.98), 7-2 with a 2.87 ERA since the All-Star break. starts Friday’s series opener against Pirates RHP Jared Jones (6-8, 4.14).
