The second weekend in June is traditionally the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs. This season, due to the worldwide pandemic, June is just a period of time where we wait for hockey’s return. But as we wait, let’s look back at the 16 times the Calgary Flames advanced in the playoffs and the goals that got them there.

April 11, 1981 – Willi Plett (in double overtime) – Flames sweep Chicago in first round 3-0

The Flames never advanced past the first round during their time in Atlanta. Their first trip to the playoffs wearing the Flaming C was much more fruitful. After beating Chicago in the Corral by 4-3 and 6-2 scores in the first two games, it took 35:17 of extra time for Willi Plett to give the Flames a 5-4 win, their first-ever series sweep and their first-ever trip to the second round. (For trivia buffs, the game-winner was scored on Chicago netminder Tony Esposito and Guy Chouinard had the only assist.)

April 26, 1981 – Ken Houston – Flames beat Philadelphia in second round 4-3

The Flames and Flyers went the distance in their second round series in 1981, with the Flames winning Games 2, 3 and 4 but failing to snuff out Philadelphia in Games 5 and 6. Back in Philly for Game 7, the Flames led the entire time and won 4-1. Ken Houston’s power play goal on Rick St. Croix midway through the first period to make it 2-0 held up as the game (and series) winner. Chouinard and Paul Reinhart had the assists.

April 10, 1983 – Greg Meredith (in overtime) – Flames beat Vancouver in first round 3-1

After suffering a sweep at their hands the year prior, the Flames got some revenge on Vancouver in the 1983 playoffs. Vancouver made it challenging, though, tying the game with 2:22 left in regulation to force overtime. But Greg Meredith scored on Richard Brodeur 66 seconds into extra time – with assists from Mel Bridgman and Jim Jackson – to advance the Flames past the Canucks. It was the first of five playoff eliminations of Vancouver by the Flames, the most against any team.

April 8, 1984 – Hakan Loob – Flames beat Vancouver in first round 3-1

A year later, lightning struck again (and this time the Flames got it done in regulation). The Flames beat Vancouver 5-1 to send them to the golf course, with Hakan Loob’s first period goal on Brodeur enough to cement the win. Mike Eaves and Steve Konroyd had the assists.

April 12, 1986 – Lanny McDonald (in overtime) – Flames sweep Winnipeg in first round 3-0

The Flames managed a sweep in the opening round in 1986, but they needed overtime to get it done. 8:25 into bonus hockey, Lanny McDonald put a feed from John Tonelli past Daniel Berthiaume to eliminate the Jets. (This was part of a string of three consecutive seasons where the Flames and Jets met in the first round; the Jets won the series in 1985 and 1987.)

April 30, 1986 – Perry Berezan – Flames beat Edmonton in second round 4-3

Yes, that goal.

Midway through the third period of Game 7, Perry Berezan dumped the puck into the Edmonton end and went for a change. Steve Smith’s outlet pass mistakenly bonked off Grant Fuhr’s skate and into the net to give the Flames a 3-2 lead they would never relinquish. To date, this is the only time the Flames have beaten Edmonton in a playoff series.

May 14, 1986 – Colin Patterson – Flames beat St. Louis in third round 4-3

The Flames needed seven games to eliminate St. Louis in the third round to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. Patterson scored on Rick Wamsley in the second period to spot Calgary a 2-0 lead and they held on for the win. (Reinhart had the assist.) Coincidentally, Wamsley would go on to be the Flames’ backup three years later as they won a Stanley Cup.

April 12, 1988 – Tim Hunter – Flames beat Los Angeles in first round 4-2

While he had a reputation more as a pugilist than a goal-scorer, Tim Hunter had a knack for scoring at the right time. In the middle of a rather scrappy series with the Kings, Hunter scored on Glenn Healy in the third period to give the Flames a lead. It held up as the game (and series) winner.

April 15, 1989 – Joel Otto (in overtime) – Flames beat Vancouver in first round 4-3

Remembered more for Mike Vernon’s epic save on Stan Smyl that led up to it, the burly Joel Otto crashed the net and finished a scrambly passing sequence from Jim Peplinski and Loob by putting the puck past Kirk McLean with 39 seconds left in overtime. For decades, Canucks fans have insisted that the goal shouldn’t have counted because it went in off Otto’s skate.

April 24, 1989 – Joe Mullen – Flames sweep Los Angeles in second round 4-0

The Flames managed to get a series sweep against the Kings. Joe Mullen beat Kelly Hrudey in the third period en route to a 5-3 win. Doug Gilmour and Patterson had the assists.

May 10, 1989 – Brian MacLellan – Flames beat Chicago in third round 4-1

The Flames needed five games to get past Chicago. They won 3-1 in Game 5 to ice things, with Brian MacLellan beating Allan Chevrier in the third period to cement the series win. Ric Nattress and Otto had the helpers.

May 25, 1989 – Doug Gilmour – Flames beat Montreal in Stanley Cup Final 4-2

The most important goal in club history was one of two Gilmour goals in the game – he also had the empty netter that made it 4-2. But the third goal held up as the game winner, with Gilmour’s shot beating Patrick Roy. Otto and Al MacInnis were credited with assists.

April 19, 2004 – Martin Gelinas (in overtime) – Flames beat Vancouver in first round 4-3

This game was pretty insane, as was the entire series. Vancouver was on their third goalie of the series. The Flames had a 2-1 lead. Vancouver pulled their goalie and Jarome Iginla nearly scored into an empty net, but missed (while a fan threw a jersey onto the ice, something Iginla later admitted had nothing to do with his poor aim). Matt Cooke scored with six seconds left to force overtime – just two days after the Flames lost in triple overtime. But before everybody could panic, Martin Gelinas beat Alex Auld early in OT to get the Flames their first series win in 15 years. Iginla and Stephane Yelle had assists.

May 3, 2004 – Martin Gelinas, again (in overtime, again) – Flames beat Detroit in second round 4-2

The second round in 2004 was more tight-checking and defensive. Case in point? The clinching game, where nobody scored a damn goal for nearly five whole periods. With 47 seconds left in the first OT period, Gelinas beat Curtis Joseph to clinch things. Craig Conroy and Iginla had assists. Joseph would go on to join the Flames a few seasons later.

May 19, 2004 – Martin Gelinas, yet again – Flames beat San Jose in third round 4-2

After an overtime in Game 1, the third round series with the Sharks was primarily full of one-sided games. In the decisive Game 6, Gelinas beat Evgeni Nabokov in the second period and the Flames held on for a 3-1 win. Conroy had the assist.

April 25, 2015 – Matt Stajan – Flames beat Vancouver in first round 4-2

This may have been the wildest deciding game in Flames history, all apologies to the 2004 series with Vancouver. The Canucks staked themselves to a 3-1 first period lead before the Flames woke up. They got their first lead of the game late in the third period, as Matt Stajan jumped on a rebound after Micheal Ferland and David Jones couldn’t bury their chances. Stajan’s shot beat Ryan Miller to give Flames their first series win in 11 years.

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