The battle of Alberta is a rivalry that has evolved over the years and continues to grow today. This rivalry started many years ago but really came to light as one of the best rivalry’s in the league during the eight year span from 1982-1990. “In the eight National Hockey League (NHL) seasons from 1982-1990, each Stanley Cup final featured an Alberta-based team. The Oilers represented the Campbell Conference six times, while the Calgary Flames went to the final twice. The two teams accounted for six Cup wins (Edmonton five, Calgary one) and there was a general feeling among the Oilers that Calgary, and not the champions of the Eastern-based Wales Conference, represented their biggest threat to the Stanley Cup.” That is fairly impressive as both these teams back then were young and not expected to make it to the final year after year.
Because the cities of Edmonton and Calgary are so close it creates more than just sports rivalries actual economic and political rivalries can arise as well. The Oilers and Flames rivalry not only stems from the people of the respected cities hating the players of the opposing team, but disliking people from the opposite city for doing other things. The cities minor sports teams play against each other and can create animosity from a young age.
We will see this year who will come out on top of the series between the two rivals. “Calgary won all six meetings last season between these Northwest Division rivals, the first time in the 29-year history of the Battle of Alberta that one team swept the series.” That will not be the case this year as Edmonton won the first meeting of the season, and Calgary was able to come out on top the second time around.
http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/transformation_events_battle_alberta.html
sports.ca.msn.com Retrieved October, 2010
manovrboard.wordpress.com Retrieved October, 2010
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