Welcome to another edition of Calgary Flames Throwback Thursday! Today, let’s talk about how the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions haven’t been able to defeat the Flames for two straight seasons.
Well, the Pittsburgh Penguins may have won back-to-back Stanley Cups, but there’s one team they haven’t been able to beat in both of their champion-winning seasons: the Calgary Flames. Last season, during the 2015-2016 season, the Flames were one of three teams who the Pens couldn’t get a single point against.
This season, they may have gotten some points against the Flames. But the Flames beat them twice in a shootout.
Let’s start with 2015-2016.
Calgary Flames
Game #1: November 7th, 2015
This was a fun game because up until this point, the Calgary Flames weren’t doing so hot. Their record was 4-9-1 until this game, and three of their four wins went to overtime. Not exactly the best way to start the first month of the season.
So winning 5-2 against the team that would end up winning the Stanley Cup a few months down the road was exciting. Especially when they were coming off of another win and managed to get their first win-streak of the season.
Joe Colborne opened up the scoring and the Flames were up 3-1 after the first period. A couple of players had quite the game:
- Johnny Gaudreau: Two goals, one assist
- Mikael Backlund: Three assists
- Sam Bennett: One goal, one assist, game-winning goal
Next game.
Game #2: March 5th, 2016
This time, the Penguins would open up the scoring by none other, Sidney Crosby. He also got another goal later that game, to get the only goals for the Pens. The Flames won this one 4-2. This was a fun win because the Flames were on a seven-game losing streak up until this game. Wow, the Flames DIDN’T make it an eight-game losing streak? Well, you may as well just hand them the cup.
Crosby opened up the scoring early on, just 30 seconds into the game. That was fun for Flames fans, hey? But no fret because the one who opened up the scoring in the first meeting between the two, Joe Colborne scored less than two minutes later. Keeping the score tied at one a piece after twenty minutes of play.
Then Sid the Kid strikes back and scored about five minutes into the second period, making it 2-1 Pens. But again, no need to fret, because Flames captain, Mark Giordano came through and made it 2-2 less than two minutes later, again. Then later in the period, thanks to Flames savior Mikael Backlund who made it 3-2 and that would end up being the game-winning goal.
Now let’s get into this past season.
Both of these games were fun because they both had to go to a shootout.
The first game was especially fun for this reason:
ELITE Micheal Ferland steals the puck from Crosby to give the Calgary Flames a 1-0 lead late in the first period. WOW, when will your fave ever, right? The Flames won this won 3-2 in a shootout. However, this game made me slightly angry because in overtime, Sean Monahan looked to get his 100th career goal, but they disallowed it since Matt Murray‘s helmet came off. I mean, safety reasons, however, rules state that if the goaltender takes off his helmet himself (which Murray shook off himself) and if the opposing team has an impeding scoring opportunity (which they did), then the play is allowed to be continued.
Hey, I’m just saying what the rules state! I went into more detail about that here.
Related Story: More Frustration Coming From The Officiating?
Now for the next game which happened in March, this was even more exciting. Because this win marked a ten-game win streak for the Flames – the most in Calgary Flames history. And a tie for the most in all-time franchise history – dating back to 1979 when they were still the Atlanta Flames.
This one would also go to a shootout. Actually, it’s funny. Both times it went to a shootout, and both times the one shootout goal was done by Kris Versteeg.
Also, just look at this BEAUTIFUL goal by Johnny Hockey:
Gaudreau goal pic.twitter.com/O9mTL9fe6O
— steph (@myregularface) March 14, 2017
Man, this kid makes it look easy.
Next: In Defense of Mike Smith
Yeah, the Penguins may have won back-to-back Cups. But they haven’t been able to beat the Flames in their cup-winning years. So they may as well just hand the Cup over.