THURSDAY COMMENTARY – BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

IT’S EITHER THE ULTIMATE IRONY, OR THE ULTIMATE JUXTAPOSITION. ONE OF THE TWO.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA IS COMING OFF ITS HINGES WITH BOTH THE FLAMES AND OILERS IN THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS.

BUT THE PERSPECTIVE OF BOTH CITIES COULDN’T BE MORE DIFFERENT.

HERE IN CALGARY – WHERE THE FLAMES ARE UP 1-0 ON DALLAS WITH GAME 2 AT THE SADDLEDOME TONIGHT – JUST AS MUCH OF THEIR FOCUS IS GAZING NORTHWARD AT EDMONTON.

FLAMES FANS SNICKERED UNCONTROLLABLY WHEN THE OILERS STUBBED THEIR TOE IN GAME 1 AGAINST L-A MONDAY NIGHT, LOSING 4-3.

AS MUCH AS THEY DESPISE THE OILERS HERE, EVERYONE’S FINGERS ARE CROSSED THAT EDMONTON BEATS L-A TO SET UP A ROUND 2 MEETING WITH THE FLAMES.

SO, IN THE WEIRDEST OF WAYS, THEY’RE ACTUALLY PULLING FOR THE OILERS IN CALGARY. FOR NOW.

MEANWHILE IN EDMONTON, THEY DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT CALGARY. NEVER DO. (IT’S ACTUALLY A PHOTOCOPY OF THE SASKATOON/REGINA RIVALRY).

THE OILERS HAVE THEIR HANDS FULL WITH THE KINGS, BUT SPANKED ‘EM 6-0 IN GAME 2 TO PULL THE SERIES EVEN AT 1-1.

BAD BOY EVANDER KANE HAD THREE POINTS IN THE THIRD PERIOD AND ONLY TWO OTHER OILERS HAVE PUT UP MORE IN A SINGLE FRAME. BY NAME, THEY ARE WAYNE GRETZKY AND GLENN ANDERSON.

IT’S TOUGH TO SAY KANE’S NAME IN THE SAME BREATH AS THE OTHER TWO, BUT YOU CAN’T DENY HE EARNED IT.

SO WE ARE MARCHING TOWARDS A FLAMES-OILERS ROUND 2 MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS.

I AM NOT DISAPPOINTED I’LL BE GONE BY THEN. I’M REALLY NOT SURE THIS PROVINCE CAN HANDLE IT.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)