They've had to overcome a deluge of adversity to be one win away from getting their names engraved in sports most coveted trophy:
1) They clinched a playoff berth upon the completion of their 81st game in an 82-game regular season (on a last-minute game-winning-goal, no less).
2) They were seeded 8th in the conference, meaning they had to take on the Detroit Red Wings, winner of the President's Trophy for being the league's "best" team in the regular season.
3) They were down two games to none to another "better" team--a team that boasted the offensive talents of Joe Thornton and Johnathan Cheechoo, winners of the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophies, respectively.
4) You think battling the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim might have been enough of a challenge for the Oilers during the Western Conference Final? Nope! Most of the players had to battle the flu bug as well. It seems as though the team from Anaheim took to their new name a little too early.
5) An early Conn Smythe candidate is irrevocably knocked out of the first game of the Stanley Cup Final and the back-breaking goal that ensued to seal the defeat. Could this be the beginning of the end of the magical run?
6) Down three games to one on the 12th of June, it seemed like the clock was inevitably striking 12.
7) Game 5 goes into overtime and a penalty, and a weak one at that, is called and the smell of pumpkins are in the air...
... but wait! Oh, there was something in the air that night. The stars were bright, Fernando! The Oilers escape with the first ever Stanley Cup Final Shorthanded Overtime goal. Three nights later, momentum builds as the spOilers win 4-0, playing a complete game.
Win one more game and the Oilers can complete the most unheralded Stanley Cup victory of all time (or at least, of MY time). So please, hockey gods, don't be cruel and bring the Cup back home to Canada.
