Oilers Fans Hype Playoff Run

0:00It's April 21st. I'm Cory with the story, and this is Canada News Today, local news powered by AI. Thousands of Edmonton Oilers fans turned out hours early for the tailgate party before Game 1 against the Anaheim Ducks. It was just past 6 p.m. on Monday, and the line already snaked through the ice district plaza for blocks. Blue and orange everywhere. Folks ready to watch the Western Conference playoff opener on the big outdoor screen. Fans traveled from all over to join the hype. Some came from the Okanagan Valley. Others from the Thunderchild First Nation, way up in Northwest Saskatchewan. They made the long trips to bring that playoff energy right from the jump. Treating it like a fresh start, where the regular season means nothing. The vibe was pure optimism. People called it duck hunting season, figuring that Ducks' young squad has no shot without their old stars like Ryan Getzlaff or Cory Perry. Bowl predictions flew. Oilers sweeping through the first round, and maybe even hitting the cup final against Pittsburgh.

1:02Locals chimed in too, saying the Oilers flipped the script. Now that the battle tested Vets facing inexperienced kids, a role reversal from past years when Edmonton was the upstart team. With the puck about to drop, that fanfire is set to carry the squad deep into these playoffs.