National Baseball League

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“A cool October night here in Denver… the air is crisp, the stands are full, and the season — for one team — is very much on the line.”
With the sun long set behind the Rockies and 51,561 fans bundled up against a light, misting rain, the Edmonton Oilers took the field at Ball Arena knowing exactly what had to be done. Down three games to two in the series, it was win… or go home. And tonight, they played like a team that planned to keep the lights on a little longer.
Shuhei Kunda, the left-hander, was simply marvelous. Seven innings. Four hits. One earned run. A steady heartbeat on a night that demanded it.
“You could almost hear the rain tapping his cap brim between pitches,” Vin would muse. “And all he did was keep making Colorado tap the ball softly.”
The Oilers struck first, and they struck loud. In the top of the first, a leadoff double, a triple into right-center, and before the Avalanche faithful could even settle in, the score was already 3–1. Then came the second inning. A one-out, hanging sinker from Alexis Castaneda… and Adrie Sijtsma sent it soaring into the night. A two-run homer.
“Oh, and you could just tell as soon as he hit it. He didn’t run. He admired. A moment like that, in October… you earn it.”
It was 5–1, and the tone was set.
Colorado, to their credit, never quit. Nathan MacKinnon tripled early and homered in the ninth to keep the Avalanche within shouting distance. And J. Sanchez — what a series he’s having — crushed his eighth home run in the eighth inning, trimming the deficit.
But every time Colorado got close, Edmonton found a way to lean back on its pitching. Romo held the line, Yamamoto — with a touch of drama — sealed it.
“If you’ve ever seen a heart skip a beat, you saw it there with two outs in the ninth,” Vin might say softly as MacKinnon’s drive sailed deep… and died at the track. “And the Oilers’ season lives to see another night.”
A final score of 6–4. Ten hits to seven. One team forcing a Game 7. One team heading north with hope.
Player of the Game: Shuhei Kunda — calm, precise, and brilliant when it mattered most.
Next Stop: Rogers Place. Tuesday night. A winner-take-all Game 7.
*“And as they say,” Vin would smile, pausing just long enough for the crowd noise to swell, “there’s nothing quite like October… when everything comes down to one game.”

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Hartford Whalers: 1st Conference Finals berth
2006

“Good evening, everybody. What a night it was in Hartford, Connecticut… history has been made at the Civic Center.”
On a crisp October night, the Hartford Whalers delivered a performance for the ages — and they did it against the defending Stanley Cup champions. Final score: Hartford 11, Long Island Islanders 1. In Game 7 of the Conference Semifinals, the Whalers didn’t just win — they dominated.
From the opening frame, Hartford took command. A first-inning burst, highlighted by Mike Zuke’s booming double, set the tone. And from there, it was relentless. Three more in the third. Two in the fifth. Three in the sixth. They piled on, inning after inning, never looking back.
And what a night for Zuke. Four hits, including a home run and two doubles, driving in two and scoring twice. It capped off a postseason series where he batted a staggering .656 with 16 RBIs. That’s MVP-caliber, and tonight, he was officially named the series Most Valuable Player.
Gabe Reyes, meanwhile, was lights out on the mound. 8 and 2/3 innings, just one run allowed, eight strikeouts, and he had that look of complete control. No moment too big. No stage too bright. His Game 7 performance was everything a club could hope for from its ace.
Long Island, to their credit, came in battle-tested, but they never found their footing tonight. Their lone run came in the fourth inning. Beyond that, they were overwhelmed by Hartford’s pitching and outslugged by Hartford’s lineup. This was not the same Islanders team that hoisted the Cup a year ago — and Hartford made sure of it.
For the first time in franchise history, the Whalers advance to the Conference Finals. The fans here in Hartford — over 43,000 of them — stayed on their feet to the very last out, savoring every pitch, every swing.
And their reward? A matchup with the New York Rangers, who swept the Montreal Canadiens. A new chapter begins… and if tonight was any indication, Hartford will not be intimidated.
“This is why you play the game. Moments like this. For the Whalers, a night to remember.”
Final: Whalers 11, Islanders 1. Hartford takes the series, four games to three, and moves on to the Conference Finals.

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Edmonton Oilers: 3rd Conference Finals berth
1978 1994 2006

“Alright… let’s talk about this, folks. Because what happened last night in Edmonton… that’s the kind of game people in that city are gonna be talkin’ about for a long time.
The Edmonton Oilers—down three games to one in the series—come all the way back. They force a Game 7. They build themselves a comfortable 5–0 lead through seven innings. At that point, you’re thinkin’… alright, they’ve got this. They’re cruisin’. Put the Avalanche to bed, book the flight to the Conference Finals.
And then… it almost became a disaster.
Nathan MacKinnon—who, by the way, is just a flat-out star—steps up in the eighth, two outs, and boom… three-run shot. Suddenly it’s 5–3. You feel the tension start to creep in. Ninth inning, Kali Alisjahbana—guy’s been quiet all series—ties it up with a two-run bomb. Rogers Place goes from a party to a funeral in a matter of minutes. The crowd is stunned.
And listen, Edmonton’s bullpen had a meltdown there. No excuses. They let Colorado right back in this game. You’ve gotta close that out cleaner.
But… champions—or teams with championship DNA—respond. Tenth inning. Rodolfo Cesena, who comes off the bench cold, steps into a pressure cooker… and delivers. A clean single up the middle. Series over. 6–5. Edmonton wins it. Avalanche fans go home gutted.
And you know what? Give Edmonton credit. Down 3–1 in the series, their season’s basically on life support. They scratch and claw their way back. They win Games 5 and 6. They barely survive Game 7, but they did it. And now they’re headed to their third Conference Finals in franchise history.
Wayne Gretzky—what else is new?—he gets MVP of the series. Hitting over .560, three homers, nine driven in. You can’t ask for more from your best player. And Adrie Sijtsma—terrific all-around game. Set the tone early.
Now, let’s not sugarcoat this: that bullpen’s a concern. You don’t want to blow a 5–0 lead in an elimination game. That’s not sustainable. You can’t do that against a team like the Chicago Blackhawks in the next round. But… they advanced. And at the end of the day, that’s what matters.
Colorado… tough break. MacKinnon did everything he could. A star performance. But the Oilers had the answer when it counted.
Edmonton wins it 6–5. They take the series 4–3. And folks… that was an instant classic.”

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2006 NHL Conference Finals