How A Playoff Game Starting a Riot Changed NHL History

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Rollie is still a legend in Edmonton. The drama that season was almost a dream season. 8th seed...check. Yzerman retirement game check...backup goalie hero...so close. Edmonton is still proud of that team. Great video.

Losing Roloson lost us the cup that year. I lived on Whyte Ave that year and still remember all the damage to shopfronts walking to work.

Hearing Bob Cole now hits hard 😢

NHL RULE: When a penalty shot is awarded because an opposing player closed his hand on the puck in the blue paint:: ONLY players on the ice during the infraction can take the penalty shot. Oilers had 4th line on the ice when that happened. That's why Pronger took the shot. You cant use any player from the bench.

Man, I remember that 06’ cup run. I was eight years old and it was the year that got me into hockey. I was so sad to see Rolly the Goalie (as we called him in my house) get injured as even at 8 years old I knew that it was pretty much a death sentence for the Oilers cup chances. I remember sitting in front of the TV, eyes glued, during Game 7, only to have my heart broken by Cam Ward. After that it was so many years of watching the Oilers lose, but I have never wavered in my support for the team. Let’s go get that cup that eight year old me wanted Edmonton!

The excitement in Edmonton during that run was something special. I remember it fondly.

The Edmonton Oilers not only missed the playoffs for the next 10 years. They were the first team in league history to make the finals and miss the playoffs the next year... Carolina was also the first team to win the cup then miss the playoffs the next year, so at least the oilers don't hold that record.

Lol I didn't know about this. Makes it painfully ironic that Oilers fans were mocking Cancuks fans over their riot when they played each other this playoffs.

I still rock my Roli jersey every Oilers game I attend. I despise “what ifs” and excuses. Not to mention Jussi Markanen filled in and carried us to a game 7. But Roloson was so white hot that postseason, it’s literally impossible to imagine us losing with him in net. You truly felt the team was unbeatable with him. He almost got Tampa to the finals in 2011 at 40-41 years old. He was just such a workhorse and he could get so clutch.

Youre making me re live that run. I forgot how much it hurt at the end.

I was 7 years old in 2006 and Rollie the goalie was my hero, I still love him, seeing the play that put him out actually mad me tear up a bit

I will always remember the comic that was posted in the Edmonton newspaper after it was confirmed that Roloson was out for good, it was a man flying one of his oiler flags on his car at half mast

This was the year I started really following hockey. The decade of darkness that followed made it tough to be an Oilers fan, but boy was it worth it!

Watching those clutch roli saves gave me goosebumps

I was there on Whyte Ave every night of the finals. I've never high-fived so many people. The final night after game 7 was fine until people started throwing random beer bottles into the shoulder -to-shoulder crowd.

After the 2017 showing the Oilers have made the playoffs every year since 2020. This team is on the ups they are currently 2 wins away to getting back to the finals. We are in way better times right now when people complain about a 2nd or 3rd round exit just remember where this team use to be.

I don't know. I'm a Vancouver fan but I affectionately remember watching Edmonton in the playoffs when Van wasn't in it. That was the Doug Weight, Bill Guerin, Curtis Joseph, young Ryan Smyth era. Between Gretzky and the era you're talking about. They always seemed to be the underdogs in the first round but somehow found a way to win. Of course they never won a cup but they were fun to watch. So it seems insulting to say there was nothing between those 80s cup winners and the 2006 team.

I remember the pain like it was yesterday

congrats on 100k subs Rob, huge accomplishment! Been since the early days!