This is the 13th postseason since Gary Bettman and Co. flipped the NHL's playoff format for the 1993-94 season from divisional to conference-based. Here's the next entry for the Top 13 Stanley Cup Quarterfinal Series since the big format flip:
No. 7: Detroit Red Wings (1 seed) vs. Edmonton Oilers (8 seed), 2006
Edmonton Oilers 2-3 at Detroit Red Wings (2 OT)
Edmonton Oilers 4-2 at Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings 3-4 at Edmonton Oilers (2 OT)
Detroit Red Wings 4-2 at Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers 3-2 at Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings 3-4 at Edmonton Oilers
Not every first-round classic needs to go seven games. The best quarterfinal of the post-lockout era saw another chapter written in the storied history of the President's Trophy curse, as the Oilers got two goals from Fernando Pisani and two from Ales Hemsky in the third period of Game 6 to pull off the stunner. Game 5, however, was the turning point in the series and featured a monster game from Chris Pronger, who had three assists and blocked three times as many shots in front of Dwayne Roloson, who faced 57 shots in Game 1 of the series.
The Red Wings' first-round flop was the single biggest embarrassment in the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs...at least until Ty Conklin decided to show off his puck-handling skills in the Finals (NSFW...unless you have headphones).
Obviously, this series is currently haunting every Detroit fan as Calgary has stormed back to tie the teams' 2007 quarterfinals series at 2-2 - a rally which should keep Jim Playfair from being fired by Bob McKenzie, at least until after the season. There is, however, a big difference between the eighth-seeded Oilers that the Red Wings faced in 2006 and the eighth-seeded Flames they're facing now: Unlike Calgary, Edmonton actually resembled an NHL team when playing away from home.
Previously: Flippin' Quarters No. 8: Oilers Ignite a Rivalry, 1997
