Edmonton Oilers history: Mark Messier scores twice to lead team to decisive conference final win over Detroit Red Wings, May 13, 1987
Mark Messier took matters into his own hands, scoring twice to give the Oilers the lead on their way to a 6-3 win and their third Stanley Cup berth in the past four years.
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This day in Oilers history: May 13
Oilers 6 Red Wings 3
Oilers win series 4-1
1987: Nobody was writing the Detroit Red Wings’ obituary prematurely yesterday, though in fact the Little Red Train that Could ground grudgingly to a halt last night at 10:02 p.m. Mountain time, a full 103 games after its first exhibition match last September.
There was good reason not to count them out.
For there is something undeniably weird about these Stanley Cup playoffs that has seen teams fall behind three games to one, then rub their hands in glee and say: “Now we’ve got them right where we want them.”
First the Islanders trail the Capitals 3-1 and come back to win. Then the Red Wings do the same to the Maple Leafs. Now the Canadiens are two games away from doing it.
The Wings, also down three games to one entering last night’s game, came close to matching the Habs’ feat in Philadelphia of Tuesday night. After 38 minutes they led 3-2. But then Oilers centre Mark Messier, hockey’s Raging Bull, took matters into his own hands, scoring twice to give the Oilers the lead on their way to a 6-3 win and their third Stanley Cup berth in the past four years.
“We just ran into too much Messier tonight as far as we’re concerned,” Detroit coach Jacques Demers said.
“He’s like a galloping thoroughbred in the wind,” Oilers coach Glen Sather said. “When he gets that look in his eye . . . I played against The Rocket. He has the same look if not more.”
Summing up the series, Sather said: “All the games were basically the same but I think the series was crazy in a way. Everybody was panicking with the puck. There seemed to be a lot of pressure on everybody.”
Kent Nilsson scored two empty-net goals, giving Edmonton the 6-3 victory.
A former Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Messier demonstrated again that he is one of the top post-season players in the game.
His winning goal, at 4:48 of the third period, showed his tremendous strength. Standing in the slot with Detroit’s Shawn Burr on his back, Messier used his feet to redirect a pass from Glenn Anderson onto his stick. Once on his blade, he smacked the puck past goalie Greg Stefan.
Stars 3 Oilers 1
Stars lead series 3-1
1998: Presumably, the Oilers’ theory is that if you win a series after trailing 2-1 in games, nobody notices.
But rebound from 3-1, and the Stanley Cup is your oyster.
Having received rave reviews for overcoming a 3-1 deficit to beat Colorado in the opening round of the playoffs, the Oilers once again are on the brink of elimination after losing 3-1 to Dallas on Wednesday.
“We’ve got some experience at it, that’s for sure,” said Oilers goalie Curtis Joseph. “Anytime you get experience at something, that’s good.”
Game Five goes Saturday in Dallas.
For the second straight game, Benoit Hogue figured prominently in the Stars’ win.
Hogue, who scored the overtime winner in Game Three, scored twice Wednesday in front of 17,099 fans at the Coliseum — the winner at 13:52 of the second period and the insurance marker at 11:45 of the third.
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