from Kristen Shilton of ESPN,

Iconic sports rivalries are built to stand the test of time.

No matter the players. No matter the coaches. No matter the standings. No matter who won the last game -- or the last 10.

It's a seed planted between two teams that can't be uprooted. The bad blood is merely transfused, one generation to the next.

The Battle of Alberta -- featuring the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames -- is that kind of rivalry. Like a fine wine, it has only gotten better with age. And the latest vintage (Game 1, 9:30 ET, ESPN) could be a classic.

On opposite ends of a 300-kilometer -- or 186-mile -- stretch of Alberta's provincial highway sit dueling hockey markets rife with passionate fans. They've been waiting more than 30 years to see the long-simmering enmity between these teams peak in a postseason series.

The time, at last, is here.

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