Welcome Calgary Flames fans to a new edition here on Flame for Thought called “Throwback Thursday”, a fun segment every Thursday where we bring you back to some fun Flames memories.
Welcome to the very first edition of Calgary Flames Throwback Thursday here on Flame for Thought! We’ll be bringing you back to some fun Flames memories, whether that was 30 years ago, or maybe just last year.
For the very first one, we’ll be talking about Johnny Gaudreau‘s very first hat trick. Now, normally a player’s first hat trick isn’t the biggest deal, however in this case, I still think about this particular game all the time for a number of reasons, which I’ll get into. If somebody were to ask me my all-time top five favorite regular season games that I’ve watched, this game would probably make the cut. So let’s get into it.
2014-2015 season
If you’ve been a Calgary Flames fans for a few years now, you probably remember this season. The 2014-2015 season was Johnny Gaudreau’s rookie season, where he put up an impressive 64 points in 80 games. This season was also the first season the Flames made the playoffs in six years and a big reason for this was that top line – Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, and Jiri Hudler.
Pretty impressive for a kid who was taken in the fourth round, hey?
The Flames this season were also known as ‘the comeback kids’ or even ‘the cardiac kids’. The cardiac kids was a bit of a joke since they always managed to be down heading into the third period. But they’d end up tying up the game and were phenomenal in overtime – ergo giving many people ‘heart attacks’.
Moving on, let’s get into the game.
December 22nd, 2014
This game, the Calgary Flames were playing the Los Angeles Kings. Now like I said, this was the first time in six years that the Flames made playoffs. They even made it past the first round too, a feat they haven’t done since 2004. Again, pretty impressive.
They were basically in a playoff spot from the beginning of the season onward.
However, December came and something happened to this team. They were heading into that game on December 22nd against the Kings coming off of eight straight losses. They fell out of a playoff spot for the first time that season because of that losing streak. So this was a big game for them. And it proved to be huge because they ended up clinching a playoff spot in the second last game of the regular season – against the Kings, no less. So imagine if they lost this one.
Yikes, it hurts just to think about it. Moving on.
Calgary Flames
Like I mentioned earlier, the Flames were known this season as the comeback kids. And this game was no different.
They were down 3-0 nearing the end of second period and it was starting to look like they may have a ninth consecutive loss.
But then the Flames had a powerplay and Gaudreau managed to make it 3-1 with less than two minutes left of the period. Then third period came, and the score was still 3-1 with about 2:30 left. So naturally, the Flames would take out their goaltender for that sixth skater on the ice.
And with 2:12 left in the game, Gaudreau had a sneaky wraparound where he came much further out than you’d expect a wraparound to be shot from and he cut the lead to one with still over two minutes left.
Wait, so you’re telling me.. there’s a chance?
Then about a minute left, Gaudreau on a breakaway goes past the net and passes it back hoping for a teammate trailing, but he gets somewhat of a lucky break because the puck bounces off Drew Doughty‘s skate and in.
The Flames tied it!
I actually specifically remember something funny that happened about this. My uncle and cousin were at our place watching the game with my dad and I, and we had just witnessed Gaudreau’s second goal of the night. Then for some reason, something happened with out cable box and the TV went out. I said out loud, “I swear, if the Flames tied it while the stream cut out, I’ll be mad”. Right when the stream came on, the Flames were cheering and we saw it was 3-3 and we all started jumping.
Looks like I wasn’t mad after all.
Then came OT and none other than Flames captain Mark Giordano gets the OT winner to finish off a great comeback for the comeback kids.
Via Calgary Herald:
"“Yeah, it’s really, really special for us,” said Gaudreau. “The guys were clinching the sticks pretty tight throughout the two or three weeks we were losing games. It’s great to get a comeback against a team like this and get the win.”“It’s going to be pretty special when I think (about it),” Gaudreau said of the evening. “Snapping the losing streak. Guys winning the game. Getting to go home tonight, see my family for Christmas.“It’s just a pretty special moment right now.”"
And boy, look how angry Jonathan Quick was. Also a pleasure seeing great goaltenders frustrated by the team you root for. Like, it fuels me. I thrive off of this.
Am I a bad person?
Next: Flames Fail at Using Opportunity to Clinch
Maybe, but at least the Calgary Flames have someone as fun as Johnny Hockey to watch on a nightly basis.