In Calgary Saturday night, Matt Stajan, scored with less than five remaining in regulation to break a four-all tie and send the Calgary Flames to the second round and the Vancouver Canucks to a disappointing off-season.
“I don’t know what to say,” Stajan said. “We found a way. A win’s a win this time of year. To eliminate a team like that, it’s not easy.
“We persevered through. We’re able to move on.”
The Flames won the series in six games and now have the unenviable task of facing the Anaheim Ducks in the next round.
“This season, the season is way bigger than the game,” Flames coach Bob Hartley said. “From Day 1 of camp, what we invested in those players, the way those players represented not only this great organization but also this community. They never stop. They never stop. Our players are role models. I have so much respect for my group.
“I have to say that in my book, this team ranks as probably one of the most enjoyable bunch of athletes to work with. Not only are they great hockey players, they’re great athletes, but they’re unbelievable human beings.
“I think that looking at my team, looking at this community, I’m having lots of fun.”
The disappointment was clear on the Vancouver side; the Canucks held a 3-0 lead in the first period.
“You have to give them credit,” Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins said. “They found ways all year, and they found a way again tonight. I’m proud of our guys; 101 points this year was a good run. I thought our fans were great, we wanted to get back there for a Game 7 because they’ve been so good, they deserved a Game 7. It just didn’t go our way.
“I knew coming in it was going to be a hard series, and leaving I knew it was a hard series. I think the games were there, we just didn’t quite seize it to get it.”
But the Flames rallied as they have done all season and forced the game to a point where overtime seemed inevitable.
Hartley was impressed with the team approach to the game-winner from Stajan.
“You look at the winning goal, it’s the Calgary Flames,” Hartley said. “That’s the way we do business. That’s the way that we’ve cultivated our identity three years ago. We still have a long way to go to climb the mountain but I’m so proud of those guys. Everyone showed up. We were blocking shots. We tied the game. They got the fourth one. We still kept going and then in the third period we were who we are — a bunch of young guys that go and no fear and we don’t care. We always find a way to get it done.”
Jonas Hiller was chased early after one save on three shots. Karri Ramo relieved Hiller in the eight-minute mark of the first.
“When you coach a group of athletes that believe, you get crazy games like this one,” Hartley said. “Look at the scoreboard – it was 3-0, there was nine minutes gone in the period and guys were still saying, ‘There’s plenty of time, let’s get the next one. Those guys are just amazing. And what about the crowd? The crowd never left us. When we were down 3-0 we felt, still, their support. What a great story.”
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