“Nothing but Positive”: The Psychological Impact of the Battle of Alberta

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Psychiatrist PJ White knows everything about playoff pressure.

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He was a newcomer to Edmonton in 1990 and visited his Irish family that spring when he learned that Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets would be in Round 7 of the Smyth Division Semifinal Series.

“I had to wait to fly from Dublin to London to check out the London Times, because it was the only paper with hockey results,” he recalled.

Determined to witness a decisive match, White returned on a plane and landed in Edmonton at 5 pm on the night of Game 7.

He arrived at the Northlands Coliseum, where the Oilers returned from a 3-1 series deficit, beating Jets 4-1 behind a goal they had won in a Markram match, and on their way to winning the team’s fifth Stanley. I finished the series with. cup.

Thirty-two years later, he is still a fan of the Oilers and says that glasses like the Battle of Alberta can improve mental health, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“Over the last two years, we have had a lot of conflict and emotional difficulties,” Smith said.

“It is positive for society to have the opportunity to show collective enthusiasm for one goal.”

Smith says the psychological benefits of friendship and celebration that accompany the victory of each Oilers playoffs work to offset some of the tensions felt while suffering from the pandemic of the last two years.

“It’s great for the community,” he said. “People had a terrible time.”

And shouldn’t the scoreline go the way for your team? Smith gives some simple advice: “Go for a walk”.

Christine Kershaw, a psychologist at the University of Alberta, is studying how groups interact with each other, including participants at the University of Alberta.

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She states that Calgary and Edmonton have been competing with each other for generations, and this year’s Alberta battle is the latest iteration of an ongoing contest between the two cities.

“People really equate with their sports team,” she said. “It’s really important for them and how they see the world where their sports team is doing well.”

Unlike other competitions such as headquarters, institutions and infrastructure, she says sports provide concrete comparisons that are easy to understand.

“I can really support my team very hard and it feels like I can give them something.”

A Philadelphia-born car show familiar with the competition between Flyers and Pittsburgh penguins says competition can foster support at each camp.

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“Building rivals is the best way to improve relationships within a group,” she said.

“Blaming people in other groups is the easiest way to improve relationships within the group, improve identity with the group, and encourage people to do more for that group. It’s one of the ways. “

The rivalry in the Battle of Alberta divides the state and separates the city from the ice, but she says it can also impose performance on the playoff stage on the two teams.

“Their rivals only increase the chances of going to the finals,” she said.

“What is a better motivation than people who are three hours away from you?”

mblack@postmedia.com

@ByMatthewBlack