I keep many hockey books, calendars, etc in my basement that go years without being looked at.

  The suggestion has been made more than once that I get rid of them, even by me.  However, they stay on shelves. It’s for moments like these they are required to research something.

   Our Fan960 hockey host Rob Kerr wondered on the air on Dec. 23, have the Flames had ever played 4 games in 5 nights as they will this week starting Sunday at home vs Vancouver.

   The answer is yes, but not lately in meaningful games.

   As recently as Sept. 2008 the Flames played 4 games in 4 nights. That was during the pre-season when plenty of players were around and the line-up changed every night.

   Going back to the mid-80′s the first round of the playoffs started with a schedule, for all teams, of 4 games in 5 nights.  If it went to a 5th game, it would mean 5 games in 7 nights as the Flames are doing extending into next week.  Even 2-3 years after that playoff plan was dropped, there was actually a campaign from the players to have it return. The NHL ruled against and ever since the post-season has extended into June, or close to it.

   In the regular-season, four times in their history in Calgary, the Flames have played 4 games in 5 nights.  The last time was in late March of 1989 just a week before the Flames would embark on a playoff trail that would see them win their only Stanley Cup. Thus, this time would seem to be a good omen. The Flames won 3 of those 4 games with the only loss in OT as they clinch #1 overall in the entire NHL.  In, fact, twice in the ’88-89 campaign the Flames played 4 in 5 nights. The other time was in Nov. when they had a 2-1-1 record.

   In Jan. of 1985, the Flames were 2-1-1 with the 4 games in 5.   The first time it occured was Jan. of 1982 when the Flames lost the first game in Vancouver but won the next 3.

   This is a first for the team over the Holiday Season.

   Overall, in these hectic schedule times, in the 80′s, the Flames had a 10-3-3 record. Based on that success, perhaps 4 games in 5 nights should be on the schedule more frequently.

   However, that was 3 decades ago. The meter on 2009 started counting Sunday. 

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