Throwback Thursday: Today in 1982, Pekka Rautakallio helps lead Calgary Flames to playoff win
By Zach Laing
3 years agoWelcome back to another edition of Throwback Thursday!
Today in the Calgary Flames inaugural season in 1981, Pekka Rautakallio helped lead the club to a 3-2 game two playoff victory over the Minnesota North Stars. 
Calgary had a great first season posting a 39-27-14 record and squared up against the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs. Calgary cruised to a 3-0 series sweep before being matched up against the Philadelphia Flyers in round two.
The Flames were up 3-1 in the series, but let the Flyers back into it forcing a game seven — a game Calgary wound up winning 4-1.
In the third round, Calgary and the North Stars were set for battle. Calgary fell in game one 4-1, but charged back in game two.
Rautakallio got Calgary on the board at the 5:11 mark of the first frame as Guy Chouinard scored at the 8:35 mark of that same frame, assisted by Rautakallio. An early 2-0 leadwas one Calgary didn’t look back on.
Curt Giles and Steve Christoff both scored for Minnesota, while Kevin LaValle also got on the board for Calgary.
While Calgary was able to get back in the series with the game two win, they ended up falling to Minnesota in six games.
On Twitter: @zjlaing
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