Dave Hyde: Miracle on top of miracle — Panthers can win Cup and I’m in Edmonton to watch

I’m about to say something that restores my faith in humanity, underlines my belief in the natural order and reflects the can-do spirit of getting to any far-flung geographical corner of the world if your job requires no matter the obstacles:

I woke up Saturday in Edmonton.

I’ll be on hand to watch the Florida Panthers try to win the Stanley Cup in Game 4 on Saturday night.

If at first you don’t succeed, fly, fly again.

And keep flying if Edmonton is the destination.

All it took to get here was: One miserably failed travel day due to Wednesday’s Biblical rainstorms; a Florida Panthers win in Game 3 to put them one win from the Cup; an editor’s demand of, “We’ve got to be there if they win it”; a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Montreal on Transat (had never heard of that airline); a five-hour layover in Montreal; a four-and-a-half-hour flight to Edmonton on Porter (had never heard of it, either); and, most importantly for the 2,543-mile trip, no rain at take-off.

There’s a reason why in the Panthers winning locker room after Game 3 Matthew Tkachuk held up the game puck that goes to the night’s big star and said, “I’m going a little off the board here.” He awarded the puck to Mike Huff, the vice president of player engagement, “who got us to Edmonton safely and ready to go,” as the Panthers’ Twitter account said.

The Kentucky Derby might be the most exciting two minutes in sports, as it’s billed. But this Panthers-Oilers series is the toughest itinerary in sports. some South Florida TV folks flew into Calgary and drove the four hours to Edmonton. One went to Orlando to fly out for a better connection. It can be a crazy business, following teams to the ends of the earth. Not that Edmonton is the end – but it must be a dogsled trip away.

This isn’t a South Florida sports team’s first foray into Edmonton, though. The Marlins first Triple-A affiliate was the Edmonton Trappers. Perfect name. Imperfect location. Marlins officials used to say it took demoted players two days to get to Edmonton it was such a banishment while those promoted to the big leagues somehow reached South Florida in a day.

All I know is after a 17-hour, home-to-hotel trip, I reached hockey weather in mid-June. It was 46 degrees when I stepped out of the airport just before midnight. The band of the sun could still be seen on the horizon

Then again, sunrise was 5:04 a.m.

That’s how far up the latitudal ladder Edmonton is.

Will this trip be worth it? That brings an odd question about Saturday night’s game. As a fan, would you rather the Panthers win the Cup in Edmonton in Game 4? Or would you rather they lose Saturday night and try to win it before the home crowd on Tuesday in Sunrise?

I know what I want. I’ve had two travel days from hell to see this game. The last thing I want is this series to add days to it, tempting a possible Game 6 back in Edmonton, meaning this cross-continent journey I’m making would have to be repeated.

Let’s go Panthers.