GONGSHOW IN EDMONTON!
Thursday, June 15, 2006

Posted by GSH-Webby

EDMONTON — Thousands of fans erupted into a huge roar at Rexall Place on Wednesday as the Edmonton Oilers scored in overtime to win Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final in Raleigh, N.C. “Tonight was payback and we got 'em in overtime short-handed!” whooped Gary Zuidema, who was among the fans watching on giant TV screens in the Edmonton arena. “That's payback for when they took us 5-0 in Game 2 in Carolina. Right on!” Going into Wednesday's game just 60 minutes away from the possibility of losing the Stanley Cup, there were only about 4,000 people who turned out at Rexall — about half the number of fans who paid $5 each to watch the first two games of the series last week.

“It's an incredible turnaround for our team,” said Curtis Jaffray as he left the arena with a group of friends. “It was pretty sweet.”

Bars along the Edmonton's Whyte Avenue erupted into bedlam as the Oilers grabbed the victory, silencing the sellout crowd at the RBC Center in Raleigh.

Rexall is already sold out for Game 6 on home ice Saturday night and Oilers fans are brimming with confidence after seeing their team stave off elimination and head home down 3-2 in the best-of-seven final series.

“It's nice to see them pull it off. I'm happy,” said Dan Thiel, who was twisting balloons for kids at the Edmonton arena before the game. “It was amazing. Go Oilers. Get electric.”

Welder Trevor Miller, 29, said the Oilers appeared hungry for a victory compared to their performance on Monday night, when they lost 2-1 at home.

“We need the win,” said Miller. “I'm pumped man, we're going to get her.”

The horn honking began on downtown streets the moment the Oilers sealed the overtime victory, but the most action was on Whyte Avenue on the south side, which is lined with bars and restaurants.

Police stationed at the arena were immediately deployed to Whyte Avenue after the game. Dozens of police were keeping an eye on the crowd and had made several arrests before midnight.

Police in riot gear were also on standby but not making a show of their presence. Thousands of people were walking the streets celebrating, but the crowd was smaller than at some other victory gatherings.

More than 200 people were arrested after the Oilers' Game 3 victory Saturday night, a crackdown that followed a near-riot after the Oilers won the Western final when more than 30,000 people filled the street, smashing several storefront windows and lighting bonfires that were doused by firefighters stationed on rooftops.