Borders and oceans are no barrier for Oilers fans bent on seeing Game 2 in Edmonton

Oilers fans Kennedy Folland and Mataya Auxi in Edmonton on Friday, June 6, 2025. (Nav Sangha/CTV News Edmonton)

No distance, border or ocean’s vastness will keep some dedicated Oilers fans away from Edmonton to cheer on their team in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.

In a twist from 2024, the Oilers won Game 1 in overtime thanks to a goal from Leon Draisaitl.

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Friday, the team is ready to extend that lead to two, and Oilers fans travelled from near and far to see if that will happen.

“We drove 12 hours to be here, we are disloyal to our province, but there is no team like the Oilers,” said fans Kennedy Folland and Mataya Auxi from B.C.

Canucks country is a long way to travel, but nothing like the journey from the land down under that fans Stuart and Adam Donaldson took to get to Oil country.

“We were in an aircraft for about 22 hours yesterday, so we’ve had very little sleep (but) we’re all good, we’re ready to go,” said Stuart.

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He picked up his love for the team on vacation in the city of champions 41 years ago.

“We went and checked in the hotel and nobody was in the reception, they’re all out the back watching the ice hockey,” Stuart said.

“From that point on I was sold … never seen the sport at all from Australia, but (I) fell in love with it.”

The two of them watched Game 1 in the Sydney airport and hope the team can keep the momentum generated from Wednesday’s win.

“I’m hoping for five so we win it at home,” said Adam.

“I don’t think we can handle seven, not after last year,” added Stuart. “Five, six, not too unreasonable.”

Younger fans made the trip too, Chris Kok found out Thursday evening from his dad Mike that they would be making the journey from Ontario.

“I came home from soccer practice and I was on the couch, (dad) was talking to me, told me to go quickly, shower and go to bed, because we’re going on a plane at midnight,” said Chris. “(I was) very excited.”

The Oilers hit the ice for Game 2 against the Florida Panthers at 6 p.m. at Rogers Place.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Nav Sangha