Oilers fan, auntie of Avalanche player torn by playoff battle

When Oilers enforcer Zack Kassian tore the helmet off of Colorado defenceman Bowen Byram on Thursday, Sarah Tweddle didn’t immediately know what to do.

She’s an Oilers fan, but she’s also Byram’s aunt.

“While Kassian is our favourite player, when he’s near Bowen I’m like, ‘Hands off!'” she told CTV News Edmonton, with laugh.

“So, I texted my sister (Bowen’s mom) and said, ‘That’s my favourite moment of the playoffs so far.'”

It’s been a perfect post-season so far for the proud auntie and die-hard Edmonton fan.

The Oilers beat the L.A. Kings and Calgary Flames.

Colorado swept the Nashville Predators and took out the St. Louis Blues.

Now they’re playing each other, with a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals on the line.

“Watching them win, obviously both teams, was great, um…and here we are,” she said with a laugh.

But now, Tweddle is trying to cheer for both teams equally. She even swaps jerseys and hats every period. Game 1, when the score ended up 8-6, was quite the ride for all fans. But especially Tweddle.

“I cheered 14 times, for the 14 goals,” she laughed.

“She’s kind of dividing her time very well, with what jersey and what hat and who she’s cheering for,” said Stacey Byram, Bowen’s mom.

She’s not conflicted at all. The Cranbrook B.C. native became a full-on Avalanche fan when Colorado drafted her son fourth overall in 2019.

“I think in her heart, I know she’s cheering for Bowen too. So she may not be cheering for Colorado to win, but I know she’s cheering for Bowen,” Byram said of her sister.

With the Oilers one loss away from elimination, Tweddle admits blood is starting to feel thicker than water. Or in this case, oil.

“I haven’t washed the Avs jersey. I have washed the Oilers jersey. So I’m under strict instructions from my family to not wash this Avs jersey,” she explained.

After all, she knows how much sacrifice and dedication it’s taken for Bowen and his immediate family to get this far.

“It’s more and more exciting to see him get closer to what is really his NHL dream,” she said.