Photo: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/bb0a76c8-a7b5-49b8-8c4e-916bc78215e6.jpeg] Photo: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images On this day, 44 years ago, one of the most memorable post-season runs in Flames franchise history came to an end. After the Flames had relocated from Atlanta to Calgary in May 1980, the franchise was warmly welcomed as Flames fans sold out every game at the Stampede Corral. In what was a rare feat for a relocated team, the Flames put up their then-best season record and secured third in the Patrick Division of the Clarence Campbell Conference. As a result, Calgary were pitted against the Chicago Blackhawks in the opening round of the 1981 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In their first ever series in their new home, Calgary swept Chicago 3-0 in the five-game series. This was also their first ever playoff series win and series sweep in franchise history. The Flames’ next opponents were the Philadelphia Flyers in the quarterfinals. Calgary took the series all the way to Game Seven with a 4-1 win. With the win, the Flames became the first relocated team in the NHL to qualify for the semifinals of the playoffs in their inaugural season in their new location. This achievement was later bettered by the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 who would go on to win the Stanley Cup that year. Unfortunately, the Flames’ Cinderella playoff run would end 4-2 at the hands of the Minnesota North Stars. The hero of the playoffs then was someone eerily similar to current Calder Trophy nominee of the Flames, Dustin Wolf. An undersized goaltender from a small town in a densely populated state/province: Pat Riggin. He would register his best playoff save percentage at 90.4, including three 40-save games, one being a 47-save Game Three win against Philadelphia. Riggin would never go that deep into a post-season in his career with any team, or register a save percentage as high ever again. As for the Flames, they found themselves in the Stanley Cup Finals five years later in 1986, and after three more seasons, the team finally succeeded in bringing Lord Stanley’s Cup to Southern Alberta in 1989. The first post-season run showed what this team was capable of, and brought out the passion of the Calgary-faithful that continues to this day.
