Calgary Flames Throwback Thursday: Winning 13-1 Against the Sharks
By Ramina Shlah
As we wait for the regular season to start up again, let’s look back on a fun time: When the Calgary Flames won 13-1 against the San Jose Sharks.
Hello Calgary Flames fans and welcome to another edition of Throwback Thursday! The segment we here at Flame for Thought bring you on Thursdays about something that happened in the past, whether that was last season or 25 years ago.
Last week, we looked at another fun time. Two years ago when the Flames beat the Vancouver Canucks in game 6 of the first round in the playoff to advance to the second round. The Flames also came back from a 3-0 deficit in that game to win it 7-4. This week, let’s take it a little further back.
Let’s go back to a game when I wasn’t even born yet. 1993 when the Calgary Flames won 13-1 against the San Jose Sharks.
Related Story: Throwback Thursday - Game 6 Against the Canucks
It was a typical February day in 1993 at the Saddledome (called the Olympic Saddledome then). Flames D Gary Suter got a penalty quite early, just 2:31 into the game and unfortunately for the Flames, the Sharks scored 20 seconds into that PP. It would remain that way for almost ten minutes into the game.
When finally, the one who got the penalty, Gary Suter, would score at the 12:26 mark. Yay, the score is now tied! But not so fast. The Flames had three more goals that period making the game 4-1 by the end of the first period.
Flames goaltender, Jeff Reese, had one assist in that period.
We now get to the second period and the Flames scored three more goals. Now they’re up 7-1 and there’s still 20 whole minutes left. And in that period? Flames goaltender, Jeff Reese, got another assist. Now giving him two assists in a single NHL game. That’s pretty impressive, right?
Let’s turn it up a notch.
The third period starts and the Calgary Flames opened up the scoring 17 seconds in. And they scored two more by the 53 second mark. This made it the fastest three goals to open up a period (three in 53 seconds). Note: this isn’t the fastest three goals scored, just the fastest three to open up a period.
Calgary Flames
The Flames would end up scoring three more in the period, now giving them that 13-1 lead. And Jeff Reese? He got another assist.
Let’s look at some point impressive points stats in this game:
- Theoren Fleury: 1 g, 5 a, +9
- Gary Suter: 2 g, 3 a, +6
- Robert Reichel: 3 g, 3 a, +7
In fact, both Robert Reichel and Ron Stern had hat tricks in this game.
Jeff Reese currently holds the record for the most points and most assists by a goaltender in a single game. The 13-1 win is also the largest margin in NHL history since the expansion (the Detroit Red Wings won 15-0 against the New York Rangers in 1944).
Theo Fleury’s +9 rating is the second best in an NHL game, after a player named Tom Bladen where he had +10 in a game in 1977. Sharks player, Doug Wilson, has the record for the worst +/- in a single game with -7. Ouch, not exactly a record you want to beat. This was actually Wilson’s last NHL season.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to find highlights or a video of this game anywhere on the internet, but trust me, if I find it, I will immediately post it.
My dad told me that he was at this game and he said when there was a minute left, when the Flames were up 13-1, he started yelling, “Take out the goalie!!”
Next: 35 Days Until the Season Starts: #35 Jeff Reese
What a fun game this would have been. Sometimes, I feel like I was born too late.