Oilers fans were feeling déjà vu after losing the Stanley Cup final to the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row.
Diehards and band-wagoners alike gathered in the pavilion next to Rogers Place and looked on as the Panthers hoisted the cup after winning 5-1 in Game 6 of the finals.
Fans cried out in frustration as the team struggled to break through Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky’s wall. Rolls of toilet paper could be seen flying through the air and fans kicked at crumpled plastic beer glasses as the clock ticked down.
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Kevin Follett stood in disbelief next to his upturned plastic Stanley Cup with a beer on top.
“It’s been a back-and-forth series. I really didn’t think Game 6 would go 5-1.
“It’s been really stressful,” he said. “Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are only young for so long. We have got to take advantage of it while the going is good — we can’t wait forever.”
Sullen faces put up their hands in disbelief and started to disperse in the third period after the Panthers scored their fourth and fifth goals.
Princess Kailes said seeing fans throw rolls of toilet paper and beer cups feels disrespectful after watching the players work so hard.
“I feel like I’ve been walking through like a funeral this time and it’s really sad,” Kailes said.
“We still made it as the front runners and this is how we’re treating our city.”
Despite the disappointment, Kailes said she’s hopeful for next year.
Earlier Tuesday, car horns blared throughout downtown in anticipation. One fan in line for the Moss Pit responded with an air horn of his own. He raised a fake Stanley Cup above his head and danced.
Some out-of-towners couldn’t miss out on the energy and said no matter the result, it was worth the drive.
Tammy Routley from Calgary says she’s grown a few grey hairs this playoffs run — but she had to come see the action for herself in Edmonton.
“The city is just on fire right now. The energy is so contagious and as a former Edmontonian, you can’t miss this — it’s too good.”
Next to her in line, Chris Pagett and his son were visiting the city from Penticton, B.C.
“I wanted to show my son the electricity that’s in the city of Edmonton. I know it well. I used to live here and I wanted to be here myself to feel it,” Pagett said.
He remembers being eight years old when the team won their first cup in 1984 and couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to recreate the experience for his 10-year-old son.
“It’s in my blood, right? It’s the Oilers. I’ve never given up on them even through the whole decade of darkness. I watched all the games, made sure my son was an Oilers fan. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like for them to win a cup.”
Fans believed their team could win when the odds were stacked against them last year in the final.
They rallied around them this year after a tough regular season, and despite a disappointing loss, promised to be back next year — orange pom-poms in hand.
One of those diehard fans is Edmontonian Micah Pelster.
“It hurts really bad,” he said.
“Second year in a row, but I mean it’s okay, we’ll come back. McDavid is going to re-sign.”
