FANS ERUPT AS FLAMES END PLAYOFF DROUGHT
They entered to the sort of reception usually reserved for an unscheduled Justin Bieber appearance at an all- girls juniorhigh sock hop.
And left, reluctantly, congregated at centre, sticks raised in triumph, clustered around a logo they’ve rescued and made relevant again, and did it in grand style, slaying the titans.
They lingered there out on the ice, unwilling to let the feeling go, allowing waves of noise to wash over them.
The din must have clearly audible as far away as High River. Playoffs. Just when many hereabouts had probably secretly despaired of ever connecting that word with the Calgary Flames, or of hearing that sort of noise, again. At least not in his or her lifetime.
Don’t try and come up with a logical explanation. Just go with it.
“It was crazy,” said Flames’ coach Bob Hartley, following the 3- 1 playoff- cementing victory. “Guys were jumping. Sticks were flying everywhere. We could almost feel fans going through the glass ... It’s a great feeling. To pull through in front of our fans was a classy way to do it
“The most important thing about this was that we did it in front of our fans. That was unbelievable. Throughout the game, we felt their support.
“Everyone who was coming in the rink this afternoon before the game was commenting that they were on MacLeod or downtown and there were busses that had ‘ Go Flames Go.’ Plenty of flags and jerseys. Hey, there’s a fever out there.”
Capping a superb regular season, right winger Jiri Hudler scored twice ( Nos. 30 and 31), including the second into an empty L. A. net at 19: 10 of the third period with the champs furiously trying to push the game into OT and salvage their season, to book Calgary passage into their first playoff in six years.
This night was a microcosm of all that’s been so compelling about this. It was about youthful zeal. About resiliency. About speed. About playing an attacking style. About showing no fear, no awe. About self- belief.
The man signed to provide a solid 1- 2 punch between the pipes, Jonas Hiller, played superbly over the final 40 minutes, as the Kings outshot Calgary 26- 10. The two kids and old veteran who have emerged as one of the game’s most dangerous lines — Hudler, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan — once again led the charge. In the absence of skipper Mark Giordano, Dennis Wideman, T. J. Brodie and Kris Russell were once again immense on the blueline. Derek Engelland stepped in and logged nearby 25 and a half minutes on defence.
“It was a playoff style game,” said Wideman afterwards. “They were coming hard at us and finishing every check. We came out quick and had a great first period. We weathered the storm in the second and they threw everything they had at us.
“We did a great job of clearing rebounds in the slot and not giving up too many Grade ‘ A’ chances.”
Yes, and what of the Kings? In truth, the titleholders appeared frayed, worn down, the gas gauge perilously close to empty after three years of playing a hard game long into the summers.
They did conjure up a push at the end, Jordan Nolan cashing a rebound with 15 minutes left, but couldn’t muster up more must- win magic and back- toback losses in Alberta — Darryl Sutter’s home — did them in.
The key was a lightning- fast Calgary start. Kings’ goalie Jonathan Quick resembled a man lashed to the mast as a typhoon raged around him as the Flames kept pursuing, attacking, pushing. Relentlessly.
The Kings tried to push back in the second, outshooting Calgary 12- 4, but, in truth, they never seemed menacing. In fact, they kind of resembled mime Marcel Marceau’s walking- against- thewind routine: A lot of huffing and puffing, but not really getting anywhere.
It wasn’t until the third period that they recaptured championship form.
So the Flames drop the curtain on the regular season Saturday in Winnipeg, able to relax and get ready for the Sedin twins, Alex Burrows and the rest of the Vancouver Canucks in Round 1.
“That should be exciting, huh?” said Wideman. “It’s great. But right now, it’s just great to be in the playoffs. Vancouver, it’s going to be an exciting series. ”
For the moment, was a night that this city had waited.
Mostly, though, what stuck with you in its aftermath weren’t the goals or the hits or the saves.
It was the noise. A noise reminiscent of the past, of good times, heady moments, indelible memories. Of ’ 86, and ’ 89 and ’ 04.
A noise that must have still been reverberating slightly in nooks and crannies and corners long after the building had been cleared.