The Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks have been the best of friends since the Flames moved from Atlanta in 1980. It didn’t take long for them to take the relationship to the next level, in the form of a series of playoff battles that cemented that friendship into something special: pure, abject hatred for one another.
The teams have battled one another six times in the Stanley Cup playoffs, including three times in three years. All of their meetings have been in the opening round of the playoffs. Following four of these meetings, the winner has gone on to the Stanley Cup Final – twice each for Calgary and Vancouver.
Here’s a brief look back at the most interesting rivalry in the NHL that doesn’t yet have a name.
1982 Smythe Division Semis
Vancouver finished second in the Smythe, Calgary finished third.
- 5-3 Vancouver
VAN: Smyl, Boldirev, Lindgren, Molin (GWG), Lupul; Brodeur 22 saves
CGY: Bridgman (x2), Plett; Riggin 30 saves - 2-1 Vancouver (OT)
VAN: Crawford, Williams (GWG); Brodeur 39 saves
CGY: Houston; Riggin 38 saves - 3-1 Vancouver
VAN: Gradin (x2), Williams (GWG); Brodue 42 saves
CGY: Peplinski; Riggin 21 saves
3-0 Vancouver sweep. They went on to beat Los Angeles and Chicago in subsequent rounds before losing to the New York Islanders in 4 games in the Stanley Cup Final.
1983 Smythe Division Semis
Calgary finished second in the Smythe, Vancouver finished third.
- 4-3 Calgary (OT)
CGY: Chouinard, Russell, Peplinski, Beers (GWG); Edwards 20 saves, Lemelin 10 saves
VAN: Smyl, Lupul, Halward; Brodeur 34 saves - 5-3 Calgary
CGY: McDonald (x2), Konroyd, Jackson (GWG), Bridgman; Lemelin 21 saves
VAN: Gradin, Hlinka, Lindgren; Brodeur 18 saves - 5-4 Vancouver
VAN: Snepsts, Lanz (x2), McCarthy, Smyl (GWG); Garrett 26 saves
CGY: Nilsson, Lavallee, Dunn, Bridgman; Lemelin 33 saves
Smyl scores with 57 seconds left in regulation to avoid overtime. - 4-3 Calgary (OT)
CGY: Meredith (x2, GWG), Risebrough, T.Hunter; Lemelin 32 saves
VAN: Kirton, Smyl, Butcher; Brodeur 21 saves
3-1 Calgary win. They went on to lose to Edmonton in the next round in 5 games.
1984 Smythe Division Semis
Calgary finished second in the Smythe, Vancouver finished third.
- 5-3 Calgary
CGY: Patterson, Eaves, Bozek, Loob (GWG), Risebrough; Lemelin 32 saves
VAN: Gillis, Smyl, Tanti; Brodeur 20 saves, Garrett 4 saves - 4-2 Calgary
CGY: Peplinski, Eaves, MacInnis (GWG), Risebrough; Lemelin 32 saves
VAN: Williams, Gillis; Brodeur 42 saves - 7-0 Vancouver
VAN: Belland (GWG), Halward (x3), Delorme, Neely (x2); Brodeur 15 saves
CGY: none; Lemelin 14 saves, Edwards 13 saves - 5-1 Calgary
CGY: Reinhart (x3), Loob (GWG), Jackson; Edwards 28 saves
VAN: Smyl; Brodeur 25 saves
3-1 Calgary win. They went on to lose to Edmonton in the next round in 7 games.
1989 Smythe Division Semis
Calgary finished first in the Smythe, Vancouver finished fourth.
- 4-3 Vancouver (OT)
VAN: Adams, Nordmark, Striko, Reinhart (GWG); McLean 43 saves
CGY: M.Hunter, Mullen, Macoun; Vernon 27 saves - 5-2 Calgary
CGY: Otto, Patterson, Fleury (GWG), Gilmour, Loob; Vernon 23 saves
VAN: Adams, Bradley; McLean 24 saves, Weeks 8 saves - 4-0 Calgary
CGY: Loob (x2, GWG), Nieuwendyk, Mullen; Vernon 21 saves
VAN: none; McLean 11 saves - 5-3 Vancouver
VAN: Bradley, Bridgman, Linden, Nordmark, Reinhart (GWG); Weeks 27 saves
CGY: Fleury, Nieuwendyk, Otto; Vernon 16 saves, Wamsley 8 saves - 4-0 Calgary
CGY: Nieuwendyk (GWG), M.Hunter, Loob, Mullen; Vernon 18 saves
VAN: none; Weeks 36 saves - 6-3 Vancouver
VAN: Linden, Sandlak, Sutter (x2), Butcher (GWG), Bradley; McLean 29 saves
CGY: MacInnis, Peplinski, Loob; Vernon 19 saves - 4-3 Calgary (OT)
CGY: Nieuwendyk, Roberts, Mullen, Otto (GWG); Vernon 42 saves
VAN: Nordmark, Linden, Lidster; McLean 42 saves
One of the most famous games in Flames history, featuring an end-to-end overtime where Stan Smyl was robbed by Mike Vernon, leading to Joel Otto’s game-winning goal at the other end.
4-3 Calgary win. They went on to beat Los Angeles and Chicago before beating Montreal in six games in the Stanley Cup Final.
1994 Western Conference Quarters
Calgary finished second in the West, Vancouver finished seventh.
- 5-0 Vancouver
VAN: Bure (GWG), Running, Babych, Linden, Brown; McLean 31 saves
CGY: none; Vernon 23 saves - 7-5 Calgary
CGY: Nieuwendyk (x2), Sullivan, MacInnis (x2), Fleury (GWG), Titov; Vernon 23 saves
VAN: Brown, Courtnall, Ronning, Gelinas, Linden; McLean 27 saves - 4-2 Calgary
CGY: Walz, Fleury (x2), Roberts (GWG); Vernon 26 saves
VAN: Momesso, Adams; McLean 23 saves - 3-2 Calgary
CGY: Stern, Walz, Fleury (GWG); Vernon 42 saves
VAN: Gelinas, Linden; McLean 25 saves - 2-1 Vancouver (OT)
VAN: Bure, Courtnall (GWG); McLean 21 saves
CGY: Titov; Vernon 30 saves - 3-2 Vancouver (OT)
VAN: Diduck, Charbonneau, Linden (GWG); McLean 30 saves
CGY: Roberts, Walz; Vernon 22 saves - 4-3 Vancouver (2OT)
VAN: Bure (x2, GWG), Courtnall, Adams; McLean 46 saves
CGY: Fleury (x2), Stern; Vernon 31 saves
4-3 Vancouver win. They went on to beat Dallas and Toronto before losing to the New York Rangers in seven games in the Stanley Cup Final.
2004 Western Conference Quarters
Vancouver finished third in the West, Calgary finished sixth.
- 5-3 Vancouver
VAN: Rucinsky, Salo, H.Sedin, Ohlund (GWG), Morrison; Cloutier 26 saves
CGY: Simon, Saprykin, Oliwa; Kiprusoff 17 saves - 2-1 Calgary
CGY: Iginla, Lombardi (GWG); Kiprusoff 25 saves
VAN: Naslund; Cloutier 22 saves - 2-1 Vancouver
VAN: Naslund, Cooke (GWG); Hedberg 19 saves, Cloutier 11 saves
CGY: Simon; Kiprusoff 23 saves - 4-0 Calgary
CGY: Yelle (GWG), Clark, Donovan, Iginla; Kiprusoff 20 saves
VAN: none; Hedberg 28 saves - 2-1 Calgary
CGY: Conroy, Iginla (GWG); Kiprusoff 32 saves
VAN: H.Sedin; Auld 18 saves - 5-4 Vancouver (3OT)
VAN: Ruutu, D.Sedin, May, Sanderson, Morrison (GWG); Auld 36 saves
CGY: Saprykin, Nieminen, Gelinas, Clark; Kiprusoff 47 saves - 3-2 Calgary (OT)
CGY: Iginla (x2), Gelinas (GWG); Kiprusoff 26 saves
VAN: Cooke (x2); Auld 25 saves
4-3 Calgary win. They went on to beat Detroit and San Jose before losing to Tampa Bay in seven games in the Stanley Cup Final.
