Edmonton Oilers: Remembering Rexall Place

Tonight is the Edmonton Oilers final Saturday night game at Rexall Place as well as the 130th “Battle of Alberta” against the rival Calgary Flames in this historic building.

Every Oilers fan that has ever attended a game at Rexall Place has surely made some memories in the historic building. Some good. Some bad. 10 years ago today I attended my first NHL game. After many years of watching the Oilers through my TV screen, I was finally at Rexall Place in Section 128 watching the Oilers take on the Flames.

I rarely inject myself into my writing, but today I wanted to look back on my five favourite memories of watching the Oilers at Rexall Place.

5) September 23, 2015 – After jumping out to a 2-0 lead through 40 minutes, the Oilers allowed the Winnipeg Jets comeback and tie it up in the third period. Matt Hendricks had a short-handed breakaway, but was taken down in front of Jets goalie prospect and Edmonton native Eric Comrie and was awarded a penalty shot. Hendricks scored the game-winning goal on his penalty shot to lift the Oilers to a 3-2 victory. The atmosphere in the building was electric after Edmonton’s blue-collar hero scored that goal. For a pre-season game, this was good hockey.

4) April 1, 2006 – It was my first Oilers game. I was 17-years-old and could barely contain my excitement of being at Rexall Place for the first time to watch the Oilers play. Although the Oilers lost 4-1 to the Flames, no one could wipe the smile off my face that night. Having the chance to watch my childhood hero Ryan Smyth suit up for the Oilers was alone worth the price of admission! I remember sitting next to a next to several fans who were very down on the team that night, but I would say the Oilers more than made it up to us that spring with an incredible run to the Stanley Cup Final.

3) On March 25, 2015 – Martin Marincin, Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall all scored in the first 11 minutes of the game, chasing Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov from the net. However, the Avalanche controlled the game for the next period and a half and came back to tie it 3-3. The momentum shifted back in the Oilers favour in the third period and just over halfway through the frame, Derek Roy scored to give Edmonton a 4-3 win. Although it was a match-up of two non-playoff teams, this was one of the most exciting games I had been to.

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2) March 5, 2010 – Mike Comrie scored the first goal of the game as well as the shootout winner in a 2-1 victory over the Wild. Jeff Deslauriers was excellent between the pipes for the Oilers, despite having the league’s worst defence playing in front of him, stopping 28 of the 29 shots he faced. This was the first time the Oilers had won that I was in attendance for.

1) March 30, 2013 – Taylor Hall scored his third career NHL hat-trick in a 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Hall scored three goals on three shots in the first 7:58 of the first period, breaking Wayne Gretzky‘s team record for the fastest hat trick to start a game. Gretzky set the record for fastest hat trick to start a game (12:38) in a 5-3 win over the Quebec Nordiques on December 17, 1986. The Oilers also broke the franchise record for fastest three goals to start a game (2:43). Edmonton’s previous record for fastest three goals to start a game (3:25) was set in a 7-4 win over the Colorado Rockies on December 16, 1981. I will never forget that night. It was easily the loudest crowd I have ever seen at Rexall Place.

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I attended my 10th and final Oilers game at Rexall Place earlier this week and made sure to soak up every minute of it. They lost 2-1 to the Anaheim Ducks, and while I was disappointed in the result, I was proud of their effort and more than anything was just thrilled to be in the old barn one final time. To all the fans going to the game tonight, make it one to remember.

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