The Flames are too good a team to lose a game 9-1 as they did in San Jose on Monday.
But, then, so was the last Flame team allow 9 goals in a game.
In fact, for the 1987-88 Flame squad it happened twice in a span of 6 games. Feb 2 9-0 at Winnipeg and Feb 15 it was 9-3 at the NY Islanders.
The up side to those disasters 22 year ago is that the ‘87-88 Flames ended up winning the President’s Trophy as the NHL’s #1 reg-season team.
This Flame club is now 14pt behind the Sharks and their next opponent, Chicago, for #1 overall.
However, with 32 games left a first place NW Div pennant is possible even with a 4-point current deficit.
It was 9-1 but still just one game and maybe precisely what the team needs to get jumped started.
Clearly now the coaching staff should have the full attention of all hands on deck.
If a team has to hit rock bottom before it rebounds, Brett Sutter’s skaters are clearly there.
Another positive historic note from Monday. The last Flame team to lose a game, 9-1 was the ‘85-86 club, which would go to the Stanley Cup finals.
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Ask San Jose how important it is to win the President’s Cup? Who cares about the President’s Cup? It’s an irrelevant accomplishment if it doesn’t translate into a Stanley Cup ring.
- DarrenPeter,
- GazzaI love your work and applaud all that you have done for the Flames organization. I wrote to you earlier congratulating you on your selection to play-by-play the olympics.
I just wanted to note that you made reference this morning to the last time the Flames had 9 goals against happened twice in 1987-88 and still were 1st overall.
I recall in 1991-92 that the Flames lost 11-0 in Vancouver and that year missed the playoffs.
Thanks again.