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If you are going to have a real Battle of Alberta hockey best-of-seven playoff series, it has to be a series.

I mean, if the Edmonton Oil Kings handled the Calgary Hitmen like they did in the regular season — going 7-0-1-0 — it’s not going to be compelling.

From that point of view, what happened Saturday night at Rogers Place while Leon Draisaitl was scoring his 50th goal in the other Calgary-Edmonton match-up to wrap up the Oilers season in the Saddledome, you could make a case that it was a good thing.

Out-played early, Calgary grew into the game to take a 2-0 lead that held up late into the third period when Parker Gavlis scored. With the goaltender out and Edmonton pressing for the equalizer, Jake Neighgbours tied it up with 13.3 second to go.

Overtime in Game 1.

In storybook fashion, Neighbours pulled the trigger three minutes and 20 seconds into overtime to win it.

Steve Hamilton’s upstart Hitmen, who were 1-5 against Lethbridge this season but won a seven-game series against the Hurricanes to get here, sent it to a fourth period for openers.