Stanley Cup Final Goes Retro

The Edmonton Oilers are going to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1990.

That might not sound like a big deal, especially considering that Edmonton is among the NHL's smallest markets, a city of less than 700,000 that most Americans couldn't find on a map. But for hockey fans of a certain age, the Oilers are as much a part of their youth as the Thompson Twins and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

For those still catching up on hockey history, Edmonton's 1990 championship was the last blast of the trumpet for possibly the greatest NHL team of all time.

Postscript: If you missed the games and need to know what happened to the Mighty Ducks, start with what must be the worst power play in the history of the Stanley Cup semifinals.

Postscript II: The latest word from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is that it doesn't matter which teams make the final, or how big the Television markets are. “This is about how entertaining the product is on the ice,” he told reporters Friday. "We don’t really care what markets are involved.” So maybe this will end all the moaning about the absence of teams from New York, Toronto and L.A. And if the Stanley Cup Final ratings are that bad, perhaps someone might organize a bake sale for the poor, downtrodden television networks. Any volunteers?

Postscript III: Best headline of the playoffs: "Roloson the Duke of Hurl."