EDMONTON, AB - It was fun while it lasted.

In fact, it was a blast being back in the hunt for the Stanley Cup.

It was the kind of enjoyment that you cannot ever explain or understand until you live it. Fans of the Oilers from near, far and everywhere in between had a chance to jump on the victory train to the Western Conference Final. As the old saying goes -- don't be sad because it's over, smile because it happened. There really was a lot to smile about thanks to the Oilers and their fans. I've always felt like nothing brings people together like a common bond and love for one entity. In this case, it was the Edmonton Oilers. 

It really was a wild ride of emotions. From the highs and lows of three rounds, a total of 16 games played over the course of 35 days, it was five weeks of fantastic entertainment. By the time it was all over, the Oilers record was 8-8. That doesn't stand out, which seems kind of weird because the time spent achieving that record definitely stands out.

Literally, it was a game every second night plus a few days off for good behaviour and results from Round 2 to Round 3. Los Angeles had a Hollywood ending written for the opener, but the Oilers did a rewrite by staving off not one (Game 6) but two (Game 7) elimination games. From there it was a 31-years-in-the-making process to see Edmonton and Calgary fighting for provincial hockey supremacy and the right to advance another round. It wasn't easy, but their game was effective in silencing the southern part of the province in five games.

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It set the stage for a final-four match with Colorado. To be the best, you have to beat the best and that's what the Avalanche are. The top team in one conference is what stood in the way of the Oilers first trip to the Stanley Cup since 2006. Try as they did by pushing for a rally in Game 1 to nearly force overtime, it was maybe an example of what this series would end up being -- close, tight, marginal differences and turning points that would eventually lead to a series loss in four games.

But with at least two if not three of those contests left hanging in the balance, I will not say Edmonton was the better team, but they weren't far from getting the better of Colorado. A post here or there (Game 3 by Evan Bouchard ) and who knows if this series might still be on the ice. 

However, in the end, when you beat a team four straight times as Jay Woodcroft said during the playoffs: "sometimes you just have to give credit to the other team." We can do that but there is plenty of credit to pass around the Oilers as well.

Let's start with General Manager Ken Holland, who built the team and then Jay Woodcroft who coached them. He did a masterful job taking the players given to him and pushing them to the best performance possible. There were individual accolades to be passed around, starting with Connor McDavid or one-legged Leon Draisaitl . Evander Kane cranked it up to lead the entire league in goal-scoring during the playoffs through three rounds.

There was the hard-hat, lunch-box work ethic of Zach Hyman ; Darnell Nurse playing when most humans wouldn't be getting out of bed; while Mike Smith did something any 40-year-old would and should be proud of in net.

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I choose a few, but it is obvious this was a 'team' success story. Those above couldn't have done it with those below on the roster. Whether your name is Derek Ryan or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins , you could be another Zack named Kassian or a Tyson named Barrie. Every single Oiler should be proud of what they accomplished and how they brought a city and a following together when they needed it most.

The playoffs also taught us about humanity and supporting people like Ben Stelter. They inspire us every day to be better, and in the case of the Oilers, even better players who were motivated by a recently turned six-year-old role model. Not to mention the many millions raised by the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation through the incredible online 50/50 raffle to help those that need a hand in their lives.

This wasn't the ultimate ending, but it did feel like a new beginning. A deep trip into the playoffs to ignite the passion for the players, the team, the organization and the city. Thanks for reading all season long. It's been a thrill to be a small part of your lives in the winter. Enjoy the summer and we'll see you in September for training camp.

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