The franchise's all-time leader in most every goaltender category stepped into the spotlight for the last time to have his number retired
Young goaltenders from every minor hockey association in Calgary lined the red carpet when Miikka Kiprusoff stepped into the spotlight one last time. Naturally, the Flames goaltender was saluted in the manner he always did towards the crowd during his playing days — stick held high.
Du Hast by Rammerstein, the song that belted through the Saddledome after the hundreds of thrilling saves Kiprusoff made during his nine seasons backstopping the club, was played one last time.
With a plethora of former teammates, as well as Darryl Sutter — who as GM acquired Kipruosff from the San Jose Sharks in a trade that turned the fortunes of the franchise — and the others who have their number retired, Mike Vernon and Jarome Iginla (Lanny McDonald was unable to attend because of his recent health scare that, fortunately, he on the road to recovery from) — Kiprusoff received the adulation deserved from a franchise and fan base as his No. 34 was raised to the rafters on Saturday before the Flames used a thrilling finish to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3.
“Nine years went by too fast, but it was the best nine years that my family and I will always remember,” Kiprusoff said. “Thank you.”
The franchise leader in almost every goaltending category showed his witty side, noting that Iginla was an amazing player but couldn’t “score on me during practice.”
On the occasion, he donated $34,000 to Calgary Minor Hockey, a legacy beyond the generation of children who wanted to be goalies just like him.
Naturally, the crowd roared and relished every minute of seeing him again, not to mention how the flood or memories from the 2004 run to the Stanley Cup Final returned and Kiprusoff’s goaltending partner for many seasons and close friend Jamie McLennan spoke with respect and, unsurprisingly, a series of jokes in a fantastic celebration.
The capper, of course, was the raising of his number, which Kiprusoff — whose eyes were misty at times — had his family at his side, notably his sons Aaro and Oskar.
“They really enjoyed today, on the ice,” Kiprusoff said. “The younger one asked me, ‘Was it like this when you played?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, it was crazy.’ He was like, ‘That’s cool dad, it’s amazing.’ ”
