The Edmonton Oilers were back on the ice Saturday as they await their opponent for the Western Conference Final, and a lot of us were holding our breath when we found out that Connor Brown was not on the ice with his teammates. The good news is that Kris Knoblauch confirmed it’s only a maintenance day, which certainly makes it nice for our boys to have a little break between rounds.

Connor Brown was nowhere to be seen on the ice for practice this afternoon, and you could almost hear the collective gasp from Edmonton to Fort McMurray. Thankfully, Kris Knoblauch confirmed after the skate that it’s just a maintenance day for Brown, and he’s expected to be back in the lineup, ready to roll for Game 1 whenever that may be. That’s huge news for a guy who’s been so damned good throughout the first two rounds, with four goals and three assists for seven points in 11 playoff games. Brown’s been crashing nets, making plays like a man possessed, and coming up with clutch offence when we need it, so knowing he’s just catching a breather is a huge win. .

Then there’s Calvin Pickard, who was also missing from practice, which tracks with word we got last week that the 33-year-old goaltender would be sidelined for the early part of the next series. I’m still playing detective on what exactly his injury might be, but it’s hard not to imagine some kind of leg issue after Tomas Hertl fell on him in the crease late in Game 2 against Vegas. Pickard managed to finish the game and close out that win, but his absence still stings given how good he was for the team in the six games played. Of course, Stuart Skinner wrapped up the second round with a pair of shutouts, so I also feel like we’re in good hands.

While the Oilers got back to work for practice, they’re still waiting to see who they’ll face in the Western Conference Final after wrapping up their series in five games. The Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets are still slugging it out, with Game 6 going down tonight in Dallas. Winnipeg stayed alive with a huge win on Thursday, but they also haven’t found a way to win a single game on the road in these playoffs. I’ll leave whether or not that matters in an elimination game up to you. If Dallas wins, we’re heading back to the American Airlines Center for a rematch of last year’s WCF. If Winnipeg wins, the series buses back to the Peg for what would be an electric Game 7. Either way, we wait.

With Brown set to return and Pickard’s absence already on everyone’s radar, the Oilers have started their prep for what is sure to be a wild ride in the third round. This playoff run has been magic from an Edmonton perspective, and it already feels like forever since we’ve been able to watch the boys play. The city is buzzing, car flags are popping up en masse, and I cannot wait to get this next round going. But with days still left to wait until the Western Conference Final, it’s nice to sit back and enjoy a stress-free sports weekend while the final four teams duke it out to see who gets through. Man, I love sports.