Longtime Edmonton Oilers followers will bear in mind 1981. It was the season the Oilers took a historic step ahead, marking their arrival as a pressure within the NHL with their first playoff collection victory. It was a conflict of eras, because the younger and hungry Oilers confronted the Montreal Canadiens, a group simply two years faraway from their dynasty that had gained 4 consecutive Stanley Cups.
Final night time, through the Oilers and Canadiens hockey sport, Mark Messier mirrored on that pivotal collection. In doing so, Messier captured the youthful vitality and dedication of the Oilers on the time. “We had been a younger group making an attempt to win a Stanley Cup, and we knew with Wayne [Gretzky] on our group, it was solely a matter of time,” Messier shared.
The Oilers had been brimming with expertise and pace however lacked playoff expertise. Nonetheless, their perception in Gretzky’s game-changing capability and their collective potential drove them ahead.
Maybe, it’s not not like the Oilers of at present. Struggling a brutal and emotional loss in Sport 7 of the Stanley Cup Ultimate, the group is struggling this season, however there’s an unwavering perception within the capability of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to deliver the group to glory.
Gretzky vs. Lafleur: A Conflict of Generations
The collection additionally symbolized a transition in hockey’s panorama. Coming off a outstanding common season, Wayne Gretzky represented the longer term, whereas Montreal’s Man Lafleur epitomized the Canadiens’ adorned previous. Regardless of being the underdogs, Edmonton shocked the hockey world by dominating the Canadiens.
The Oilers confirmed what was to come back by demonstrating their offensive firepower and resilience by turning a 3-1 deficit in Sport 1 into a shocking 6-3 victory. Messier recalled this efficiency as a defining second for the Oilers as a group.

Although inexperienced, the Oilers displayed extraordinary poise. Their victory was a testomony to their talent and a chance to study from a championship-caliber opponent. Messier mirrored on his respect for the Canadiens’ legacy and the way their expertise helped form the Oilers’ future success.
“They taught us what a championship group seems like,” Messier admitted, emphasizing how Montreal’s dominance set the usual the Oilers aimed to emulate.
1981 Was a Turning Level for Edmonton
This victory was a turning level for Edmonton. It proved they may compete with and defeat NHL powerhouses, setting the stage for their very own dynasty later within the Eighties. Because the Oilers celebrated their first playoff triumph, in addition they laid the groundwork for the sustained excellence that may quickly make them certainly one of hockey’s most legendary groups.
The 1981 playoff win wasn’t only a collection victory. It grew to become a symbolic passing of the torch. For a metropolis like Edmonton, it was a dream come true and the start of a hockey legacy that may encourage future generations.
Associated: 3 Takeaways from Oilers’ Disheartening 3-0 Loss to the Canadiens
