FACEBOOK: OILERS ARE FLAMERS?

With back-to-back wins over the Vancouver Canucks, I’m guessing the Edmonton Oilers have been romping through the showers in the team bathhouse with more flair than usual in the last four days.

At least that’s what one is led to believe based on this Facebook page, www.facebook.com/group.php, posted by somebody alleging to be a fan of the Calgary Flames. What’s next with this crazy internet thing, pictures of naked women?

With the Oilers coming off 4-1 and 2-0 wins over the Canucks and with a chance to officially eliminate the Flames from playoff contention tonight in Calgary, I thought I’d do some research.

I typed "Flames eliminate Oilers" into Google looking to refresh my memory on the circumstances of how Calgary bounced Edmonton from post-season contention a few years ago and got the Facebook page as one of the results.

As if fans of the Oilers need yet another reason to hope their peers down Highway 2 will be joining them on the first tee box a week from after their Flamers spit the bit yet again in the latest instalment of the Battle of Alberta . . .

I’ve been hanging around the Oilers dressing room for the last 22 years or so, and I’ve seen a lot with my own two eyes in that stretch — much that I can’t and won’t mention here.

I’ve seen the depths of despair. I’ve witnessed joyous celebrations. I’ve seen Joe Moss battling for the title belt. I’ve seen guys take pies in the face and watched epic ping-bong battles.

I can say without hesitation, though, I have never witnessed any of the post-game activity — not that it’s a bad thing — this particular Facebook page suggests. I have not once heard Liberace music. Frankly, I don’t believe it, even if it’s right there on the internet on one of the world’s most popular websites.

Then again, I’ve been told repeatedly since I waded into this blogging thing that my eyes deceive me, that what I have and haven’t seen isn’t necessarily so, that I’m just not looking deep enough. Perhaps some of the advanced stats guys can help me reconcile this.

Oilers win 3-2.