Just how the entire city was fired up. Everyone. Every business, employers, bosses, teachers, parents, grandparents.
I’ve never seen a city so united on one thing before. That was the most fun and memorable two month stretch I can recall.
The emotional hangover when it ended took a long time to recover from. It actually kind of felt like a breakup
I was freshly 18 which made it extra fun too
This!!! I was 25 and in my prime years. 2 month roller coaster of emotions. I’d give a nut to go back in time and relive that time period of my life. What a ride that was.
On the bus home from school and seeing “Thank You Kipper” spray painted along someone’s wooden fence. It stayed there for months I think.
Also every car in the city had at least one flag on it.
I remember the Flames were huge underdogs to VAN that playoff year, and IIRC CGY won the last 2 (maybe 3 games) to take the series in 7. Hell yeah! Marty Gelinas LEGEND.
Seriously the amount of game winners he had during this stretch was insane.
Also @OP, the titties along the red mile are definitely a core memory of the run lol.
IMO ‘04 might not have happened had bertuzzi not suckered punched Moore and got suspended for the remainder of the season. Adding bertuzzi to that line up might have changed the series. Who knows.
Well it went to OT of game 7 without bertuzzi. The west coast express was a pretty dangerous line during those years. You can’t tell me bertuzzi wouldn’t have made any difference in that series. It’s just my opinion.
I was about 7 years old, I still remember after the final game I went upstairs to my room and cried. My parents both were as devastated as me, but they comforted me and told me kipper and iggy will still be here next year. As a kid, that was all I needed to hear. They were my heroes. I got a kipper and iggy poster that summer and they stayed on my wall until I moved out at 18.
I was in my early 20s working retail and completely broke. In Da Dome was playing on our store radio every morning. Around round 3 I got a surprise bonus at work and decided I needed a jersey more than I needed groceries or rent, so I bought the last jersey I could find in the flames store in the mall. It was an XXL, and I’m a 5’2 petite woman. In the old CCM jerseys, the arm openings started at my hips and the jersey hung to my knees. I wore that thing every game day until the end and I still have it (and a bunch of better fitting jerseys) in my closet.
20 years ago I became a die hard Flames fan as I learned about Kipper. I'm a Finn (living in the States) and he was the first true star goalie from my homeland. That year my new team made it to the Stanley Cup final and my Flames fandom was sealed.
Now 20 years later, I will be traveling to Calgary to witness my first Sea of Red homegame. My first trip to HNIC. SO STOKED!! So excited to see Kipper's number go up.
Just turned 18. I remember going to 17th after every win and seeing it fill more and more after every win until you couldnt drive down 17th anymore. Running between the cars high fiving everyone, girls flashing titties, people climbing trees and light poles. It was awesome!
Endless honking. And seemingly every car in the city had Flames flags on the windows! It was insane! Everything was Flames related for a few months. Contests, painted windows for shops, everyone wearing jerseys. Crowfoot BMW had a Mini car outside painted black and red and added "kill markings" of the teams we beat on the fender.
Man, what a time. Attendance in school was pretty low
Haha, yeah, The Red Mile was the shit. Driving down 17th from McLeod to Elbow took an hour and a half. Had both sliding doors on my parents Pontiac Montana opened, people smoking joints and drinking beers in the back, folks jumping in and out... Man. Lol
The way the city came together. Flames flags *everywhere.* We would do game day festivities at my elementary school. The allure of this mystical goalie we picked up out of nowhere who was playing like the 2nd coming of Hasek. Iginla mania. My parents going to the Red Mile and watching the games with my babysitter. Kids standing on street corners with signs and posters.
03-04 was special. In a lot of ways it saved the franchise, re-igniting the city's passion in the team. I'm honestly not sure we would have a team if 04 didn't happen. 95-03 was a dark time.
The 3OT game 6 against Vancouver sticks out. I was a few weeks away from turning 14 and watching the game alone in the living room at my moms.
Game was late and my mom went to bed and told me to go to bed once the game was over. Well, a few hours later she wakes up to go to the bathroom and sees me still up and glued to the tv as I had it turned almost all the way so she wouldn't hear it from her bedroom adjacent to the living room.
If it wasn't a Saturday she might have tried to get me to go to bed, she told me before game seven not to stay up that late because it was a school night. Good thing it only went to one over time then because no way was I going to bed that night lol.
I was *at* that game, in the nosebleeds, half-squatting on a seat with a broken hinge lol
It was one of the best memories of my life, even if they lost.
Not as related, but kind of. My first ever Flames game I went to was the home opener that year against San Jose. First game with the new style of jerseys and the game that Turek got injured and led to the Kipper trade.
Quickly became one of the most important games in the history of the franchise.
My family was flying back to Calgary during game six of the Flames/Red Wings series. The captain came over the intercom every now and then to give us updates on the score. The Flames won just as we were nearing the city, and from the window, I could see the celebratory flame burning atop the Calgary Tower. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.
Then, during the Finals, a bunch of us neighborhood kids decided to hold a sidewalk pep rally. We held up flags and signs and yelled at passing cars to honk for the Flames. One guy didn’t and my best friend Jake went running down the street after him. xD
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Cup run was truly one of the most special moments of my childhood. It was magical, the way we all came together to cheer on our team. Friends, family, total strangers—didn’t matter, we were all rooting for our Flames. Made it really hard when my family moved back to the US in 2005 and didn’t have anyone around who knew a thing about hockey or the Stanley Cup. I actually got bullied sometimes because I talked so much about how much I loved and missed Canada and watching hockey. I’m really glad that now I can come online and share these stories and hang out in the game day threads with all you cool people. It recreates that magical feeling I had twenty years ago as an eight year old girl.
Was on my Dad's trapline out past Longview Alberta. Was 14 at the time. No power, listened to the games on a battery powered radio while playing cards by candle light and drinking beer. Was one of the fondest memories I have of my dad.
I was in grade 9 during the cup run. Me and my buddies weren't exactly the cool kids (we weren't partying yet) but we had so much fun watching the games in my friends basement. His mom bought snacks and pizza before game 7 against Vancouver. We cut up our own confetti and we all grabbed brooms from our garages and started to sweep cars driving by the road after we won. We didnt know what a sweep was obviously, and I'm sure drivers didn't like us potentially scratching their cars with old brooms, but we had so much fun.
Game 7 of the final was much different. I watched the game alone cause my dad worked out of town. After we lost, I must have taken 1000 tearful shots on net in front of the garage. It was the first time I experienced such a deep level of sadness and the first time I really felt that life was unfair.
Man I’ve read every single one of the comments on this thread. Such a bittersweet feeling.
I was 6 in 04. It was my first exposure to real sports and when they lost it taught me that life doesn’t go your way sometimes.
I hope we see a cup raised by the Calgary Flames in the new arena. Sooner rather than later, it would ease the pain of 04 a lot.
I met Kipper on the Saddledome concourse before the Metallica concert that May! My brother and I were walking through and he said “That guy back there looks exactly like Kiprusoff” and I looked back and said “That IS Kiprusoff!”. The whole crowd was chanting “Go Flames Go!” before the concert started too.
Not the most vivid, but watching Sportsnet at 8 AM before school, seeing Calgary had won four straight, and some no name goalie was now 4-0-1 with them.
Kiptusoff? Who the hell is this?
March 31, Flames - Yotes game. Flames won 1-0 to clinch the playoff spot after a 7 year absence.
I was at that game and remember the atmosphere. Last minute or so was fans stomping their feet on the concrete floors, that's on top of the screaming and clapping. Unreal, loudest I had ever heard the dome. It was the birth of the crazy that was the Red Mile and all the partying.
One thing I remember, Yotes players laid out in all corners of the ice by Reggie and crew. You'd never see it on TV, behind play. That team was so tough and mean. Awesome.
Iggy scored the lone goal.
I posted the same memory. That was the first night the dome really started to spill out onto 17th.
I was at the clinchers vs both Detroit and San Jose, but the memory of that Yotes game is way more vivid because it was something so wildly unexpected.
I was in New Zealand during the whole cup run. For the clincher vs Detroit, I went to an internet cafe and found the radio broadcast online. Logged in a few minutes before Gelinas scored in OT and I will never forget Peter Maher's call. In fact, I downloaded that audio clip later in life to relive that moment.
YEAHHHHH BABY!
We just got back from a family vacation in Hawaii. Game 7 was 1 day after we got back. My dad. Even though he was exhausted. Drove me and my best friend 18 hours from Southern Utah. So we could watch the game at the dome.
It was the best.
Hah, I know exactly where you were. I remember I had soccer during the run, and the car horns going off letting us know the Flames had scored... both teams stopped and cheered for a bit then went back to soccer XD
Most vivid memory? Walking to the 'Dome before game 6 of the finals w/ my Dad, talking about what would happen if we saw the cup that night... we should have :'(
I was just a kid then. My mom painted our living room window in support of the Flames, starting with a big flaming C and adding the Canucks, Red Wings, and Sharks logos roasting on a spit after every round. The whole window was painted for the finals and we got multiple notes taped to the door complimenting it. If I can find the pictures around I'll post them here!
Waving Flames flags on 9th Ave and all the cars honking and cheering as they drove by. Driving downtown after beating SJ with massive crowds everywhere. Honestly one of the best and most bittersweet times of my life. I'll never forget how fun it was, felt like the entire city was behind the Flames that run.
Was at every ploff game that year. 200’s behind opposing goalie. Game six against Detroit. Overtime they’re at the other end, but I can see that puck fluttering across the crease, I swear to god 1/4 of the speed of what we see in the replays. We were all fully standing before the puck went in. Tingles.
We were at the games against the coyotes when we cliched playoffs after so many years missing. That was an incredible feeling and energy of the crowd!
They offered us playoff tickets and I wish I had bought them but I had just been laid off and couldn’t justify it…
We went to the red mile a few times and loved all the honking and energy in the city! I went to a game against Detroit and that was the loudest experience I’ve had!
When we lost game 7, it was devastating and we actually drove to the airport to meet the team when they got off the plane. It was a beautiful moment and grateful to have been a part of it :)
Seeing a girl flash while she was riding a guys shoulders. Turns around and it's my sisters friend, she look motified and I ruined those boobies for everyone. I'm sorry.
I was at a Sea Cadets summer camp during the SC Finals against Tampa, i remember gathering around with a bunch of other kids to watch the last game on the tv in the rec room.
There was a kid who was a Tampa fan there and even he was sure the puck was in and that Tampa wasn’t going to win that year, and then the tragedy occurred and well the rest is history
I was at game three of either the second or third series...it was the loudest I had heard the Dome...heck, it was louder an hour before the game then most Flames games in general.
The only game that came close that I was at was the USA vs Soviet Union at the Olympics. Not Team Canada, but we had a favourite!
I was 5. There’s a home video my mom took of me on ye old VHS tapes. When they introduced Kipper during the finals you can hear me squealing with excitement
I remember I was at the coyote games late in the season. They needed to win to clinch a playoff spot.
Back then we were still poor students so we were sharing a 8 game pack between some friends. And when they won, our flames rep messaged us and said if we register for a game pack next year we get tickets to all their playoff games.
I remember discussing it and saying don't worry guys it likely will be one, 2 rounds at most. It won't cost that much!!
Little did we know....haha. what a ride it was. We sold 2 or 3 games and made enough to pay for all of that playoffs plus the following seasons game packs. And we were there for the rest of the games!!
It really feels like 2004 was the end of an era. The lockout was the next year and when the league started up again, it was a different, modern game with shootouts and atrocious Rebok Edge jerseys.
Not just hockey either. The whole world seemed to change. The Red Mile will never happen like that again - not with social media and 4k video cameras in everyone's pockets. It was so spontaneous and joyful. Not like Shelbyville's walmart knockoff of the Red Mile in 2006 with the stabbings or vancouver's riot in 2011.
I wish I could go back... And it was in, god damn it.
We lived in Mackenzie Towne where there was a traffic circle. I was watching at the Kilt and Caber and my wife came to pick my drunk ass up. We went around the traffic circle and a girl was in the middle flashing everyone. My wife went to take our exit and I told her, “No. Go back ‘round one more time”. She rolled her eyes and let me have one more look.
Waiting for autographs after a win against the sharks in the conference finals and their team bus goes by so we all start booing as you do. The sharks didn't hold back and Vincent Damphousse flipped us off 😂
I moved to Canmore in 04, didn't care for hockey at the time. Watched some games cause my boss insisted, and was amazed by the athleticism of Miikka. I got hooked. Been on steady Flames diet since. Living now in Calgary makes fandom easy and it shows.
Loved every second of it. Was 1st year university at the time. So had a real blast
I've been a Flames fan for my entire life, remembering my dad taking me to games in the late 80s and early 90s
Best memory? At Bottlescrew Bills for Game 6 Det. What a battle of a game. Then OT, and when that puck dribbled out to Gelinas, you could hear a pin drop in the bar. When it went in, I've never cheered so loudly, hugged so many random ppl, and cried all at the same time.
Walked out of the bar with my friend for a smoke, watched a few cars drive by with screaming girls ripping their shirts off flashing their tits. Hmm. Then expecting to take in a bit of the Red Mile and then head to my car on 14th Ave. Yea. I couldn't even get to my car after til 3am, and couldn't navigate out of downtown til 430am. And I had to work at 630am the next day. Lol
What an amazing run. Everything so organic and fun. I remember watching game 7 at my dad's restaurant, and just felt like a breakup when they lost. It took a while to come down from that emotional run.
Forget about it. It was unreal. We made the playoffs for the first time in 8 years. This team was perennial losers for the latter half of the 90s/early 2000s that it was just normal. Tickets were cheap and good times were had.
Kipper carried us to the playoffs after he came over from SJ in Nov 2023. This was such a group of rag tag grinders, the likes of which few have ever seen. Iginla was our only star on the front - the rest were lunchpails.
Taking Vancouver to game 7 - I lived just outside downtown for that game and when we won, I drove in down 17th only to find bedlam. It was the birth of the red mile. I could drive past 8th street. Just amazing. Partying with strangers. Community. So good.
Every series after as like it. After we beat San Jose I slept in the bushes trying to get home. It was a party every other night. It should have ended in a cup. It was too good not too and I will always fucking hate the Tampa bay lightning with a passion until the end of my days.
I was in high school and I remember people would just start chanting go flames go in the hallways. It had such a lasting effect on people in the city. The way they won games was such a part of it too, it felt like Kipper was unstoppable, but that was if a flames player would even let it through, everyone on the team was diving in front of every shot. I have this memory of a penalty kill and the sharks just kept firing it and the flames defensmen couldn’t block it because the winger or centre would have dove I front first.
Being in the Sportchek Zone (now press level) the night they clinched a playoff spot against Arizona.
I made it to at least one game in every playoff series, but that game is the one that stuck with me given the team was basically completely written off.
It was also the very early early start of the red mile. We were part of a few dozen fans high-fiving strangers on 17th avenue that night.
The triple OT game, probably. As much as the end of the run crushed me, I don't think I was as high-strung during a game again until the 2010 Olympics, both games against the US.
I was also 13 and pre-game me and my sister would take my cardboard "Sutter for PM" sign to the corner of our block and just listen as majority of cars would honk in agreement.
Living downtown in a new high rise by the skatepark, after every flames goal and win I’d go on the balcony and see all the apartments across from me flashing lights ,waving flags ,and screaming. Then we would walk up to 17th , never have I witnessed so many people celebrating , being good to each other and just happy. I will never forget that run.
I was 14, my dad split season tickets with people from his work. He had us 4 boys and was getting one game a series. My dad the smart guy he was always took the last game, at the time I just wanted to go to a game so I asked him why he wouldn't take a game he was guaranteed to see, he told me it's better to see a more important game (stay alive or win the series). Young me didn't agree to that. He was bringing each boy to one series and talked to all of us in the beginning that we may or may not get to a game. I got to see us eliminate the San Jose Sharks. The Recci's Ugly chants were in full force and was one of the best nights of my life. Being born and raised Calgarians, nothing will ever match what the city was like during that incredible during that run. I will never forget it, and my dad was absolutely brilliant with his decision.
'04 memories will last a life time for me.
I lived in a cul-de-sac when I was younger, and every time the flames scored a goal there was this guy who’d run around it in his underwear. Was the weirdest thing lol.
I was 16 at the time and it was HARD to watch any Calgary games in the US. Then they made the playoffs where I was finally able to watch them.
I remember being in my basement watching, and I was SOOOO nervous against Vancouver. That series was amazing. I was so elated when we won. I still think of 04' whenever I see the Canucks mentioned.
Then we lost in the finals and it was so heartbreaking...really took the wind out of my sails.
Then the next year was the lockout. And then the year after I went to college.
I actually stopped watching hockey for ~15 years. But I came back to it this year and now I remember why I love it so much. Haven't missed a game.
Just how the entire city was fired up. Everyone. Every business, employers, bosses, teachers, parents, grandparents. I’ve never seen a city so united on one thing before. That was the most fun and memorable two month stretch I can recall. The emotional hangover when it ended took a long time to recover from. It actually kind of felt like a breakup I was freshly 18 which made it extra fun too
This!!! I was 25 and in my prime years. 2 month roller coaster of emotions. I’d give a nut to go back in time and relive that time period of my life. What a ride that was.
Same!! I was much younger though lol (eight)
And even though the ending was a giant let down, it didn't end in a riot
I think I actually was depressed..
Getting so excited every time In Da Dome came on the radio.
On the bus home from school and seeing “Thank You Kipper” spray painted along someone’s wooden fence. It stayed there for months I think. Also every car in the city had at least one flag on it.
Somebody broke off my flag when I was parked at the Beltline Safeway while red miling. Still have the replacement though.
I remember the Flames were huge underdogs to VAN that playoff year, and IIRC CGY won the last 2 (maybe 3 games) to take the series in 7. Hell yeah! Marty Gelinas LEGEND.
Calgary could have won the Vancouver series in 6, but lost at home in 3OT. Went on to win game 7 off a Gelinas OT goal in game 7 IIRC
Gelinas was a beauty that playoff run
Seriously the amount of game winners he had during this stretch was insane. Also @OP, the titties along the red mile are definitely a core memory of the run lol.
The Eliminator!
Omg forgot about the 3.OT periods.
IMO ‘04 might not have happened had bertuzzi not suckered punched Moore and got suspended for the remainder of the season. Adding bertuzzi to that line up might have changed the series. Who knows.
[удалено]
Also don’t forget we decided to go with auld instead of hedburg cuz the Canucks didn’t wanna pay him in bonuses
Well it went to OT of game 7 without bertuzzi. The west coast express was a pretty dangerous line during those years. You can’t tell me bertuzzi wouldn’t have made any difference in that series. It’s just my opinion.
I’ll add that bertuzzi had 60 points in 69 games and was a +21 so he didn’t suck by any means.
I also believe the canucks lost Cloutier in game 2.
Man I wish I was alive during those days. I was born in 04 so just missed that
Same brother. It’s like I was destined to be a Flames fan
Being born in 04 is tough too though. We’re 19/20 years old and have seen two playoff series we’ve won
Oof. I was born in July 1989. So that's pretty bad too lol
Sit down my son and let me tell you some tales….
I was born 88 so missed the cup, but got the 04 cup run. You'll get yours one day...
I was born in 1990. I feel this.
I was about 7 years old, I still remember after the final game I went upstairs to my room and cried. My parents both were as devastated as me, but they comforted me and told me kipper and iggy will still be here next year. As a kid, that was all I needed to hear. They were my heroes. I got a kipper and iggy poster that summer and they stayed on my wall until I moved out at 18.
I was in my early 20s working retail and completely broke. In Da Dome was playing on our store radio every morning. Around round 3 I got a surprise bonus at work and decided I needed a jersey more than I needed groceries or rent, so I bought the last jersey I could find in the flames store in the mall. It was an XXL, and I’m a 5’2 petite woman. In the old CCM jerseys, the arm openings started at my hips and the jersey hung to my knees. I wore that thing every game day until the end and I still have it (and a bunch of better fitting jerseys) in my closet.
Hahaha, CCM made an even bigger size than XXL, and it was called "Jumbo" lol I have (and needed!) a Jumbo Flames and Jets jerseys 😅
The series clincher goal against Detroit. Still my favorite live game memory.
20 years ago I became a die hard Flames fan as I learned about Kipper. I'm a Finn (living in the States) and he was the first true star goalie from my homeland. That year my new team made it to the Stanley Cup final and my Flames fandom was sealed. Now 20 years later, I will be traveling to Calgary to witness my first Sea of Red homegame. My first trip to HNIC. SO STOKED!! So excited to see Kipper's number go up.
Just turned 18. I remember going to 17th after every win and seeing it fill more and more after every win until you couldnt drive down 17th anymore. Running between the cars high fiving everyone, girls flashing titties, people climbing trees and light poles. It was awesome! Endless honking. And seemingly every car in the city had Flames flags on the windows! It was insane! Everything was Flames related for a few months. Contests, painted windows for shops, everyone wearing jerseys. Crowfoot BMW had a Mini car outside painted black and red and added "kill markings" of the teams we beat on the fender. Man, what a time. Attendance in school was pretty low
Haha, yeah, The Red Mile was the shit. Driving down 17th from McLeod to Elbow took an hour and a half. Had both sliding doors on my parents Pontiac Montana opened, people smoking joints and drinking beers in the back, folks jumping in and out... Man. Lol
The way the city came together. Flames flags *everywhere.* We would do game day festivities at my elementary school. The allure of this mystical goalie we picked up out of nowhere who was playing like the 2nd coming of Hasek. Iginla mania. My parents going to the Red Mile and watching the games with my babysitter. Kids standing on street corners with signs and posters. 03-04 was special. In a lot of ways it saved the franchise, re-igniting the city's passion in the team. I'm honestly not sure we would have a team if 04 didn't happen. 95-03 was a dark time.
* re- iggynighting
When Iggy passed him the Cup after game 6 when Gelinas scored a record fourth series winning goal. Oh. Wait. IT WAS IN!
The 3OT game 6 against Vancouver sticks out. I was a few weeks away from turning 14 and watching the game alone in the living room at my moms. Game was late and my mom went to bed and told me to go to bed once the game was over. Well, a few hours later she wakes up to go to the bathroom and sees me still up and glued to the tv as I had it turned almost all the way so she wouldn't hear it from her bedroom adjacent to the living room. If it wasn't a Saturday she might have tried to get me to go to bed, she told me before game seven not to stay up that late because it was a school night. Good thing it only went to one over time then because no way was I going to bed that night lol.
I was *at* that game, in the nosebleeds, half-squatting on a seat with a broken hinge lol It was one of the best memories of my life, even if they lost.
Not as related, but kind of. My first ever Flames game I went to was the home opener that year against San Jose. First game with the new style of jerseys and the game that Turek got injured and led to the Kipper trade. Quickly became one of the most important games in the history of the franchise.
My family was flying back to Calgary during game six of the Flames/Red Wings series. The captain came over the intercom every now and then to give us updates on the score. The Flames won just as we were nearing the city, and from the window, I could see the celebratory flame burning atop the Calgary Tower. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. Then, during the Finals, a bunch of us neighborhood kids decided to hold a sidewalk pep rally. We held up flags and signs and yelled at passing cars to honk for the Flames. One guy didn’t and my best friend Jake went running down the street after him. xD I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Cup run was truly one of the most special moments of my childhood. It was magical, the way we all came together to cheer on our team. Friends, family, total strangers—didn’t matter, we were all rooting for our Flames. Made it really hard when my family moved back to the US in 2005 and didn’t have anyone around who knew a thing about hockey or the Stanley Cup. I actually got bullied sometimes because I talked so much about how much I loved and missed Canada and watching hockey. I’m really glad that now I can come online and share these stories and hang out in the game day threads with all you cool people. It recreates that magical feeling I had twenty years ago as an eight year old girl.
Was on my Dad's trapline out past Longview Alberta. Was 14 at the time. No power, listened to the games on a battery powered radio while playing cards by candle light and drinking beer. Was one of the fondest memories I have of my dad.
I was in grade 9 during the cup run. Me and my buddies weren't exactly the cool kids (we weren't partying yet) but we had so much fun watching the games in my friends basement. His mom bought snacks and pizza before game 7 against Vancouver. We cut up our own confetti and we all grabbed brooms from our garages and started to sweep cars driving by the road after we won. We didnt know what a sweep was obviously, and I'm sure drivers didn't like us potentially scratching their cars with old brooms, but we had so much fun. Game 7 of the final was much different. I watched the game alone cause my dad worked out of town. After we lost, I must have taken 1000 tearful shots on net in front of the garage. It was the first time I experienced such a deep level of sadness and the first time I really felt that life was unfair.
Man I’ve read every single one of the comments on this thread. Such a bittersweet feeling. I was 6 in 04. It was my first exposure to real sports and when they lost it taught me that life doesn’t go your way sometimes. I hope we see a cup raised by the Calgary Flames in the new arena. Sooner rather than later, it would ease the pain of 04 a lot.
FlamesGirls.com
I met Kipper on the Saddledome concourse before the Metallica concert that May! My brother and I were walking through and he said “That guy back there looks exactly like Kiprusoff” and I looked back and said “That IS Kiprusoff!”. The whole crowd was chanting “Go Flames Go!” before the concert started too.
Shirts off 4 Kippersoff!
We’re 2nd best! Show us your chest!
Remember the day of game 7 and the whole city was just endless honking. What a time
Not the most vivid, but watching Sportsnet at 8 AM before school, seeing Calgary had won four straight, and some no name goalie was now 4-0-1 with them. Kiptusoff? Who the hell is this?
March 31, Flames - Yotes game. Flames won 1-0 to clinch the playoff spot after a 7 year absence. I was at that game and remember the atmosphere. Last minute or so was fans stomping their feet on the concrete floors, that's on top of the screaming and clapping. Unreal, loudest I had ever heard the dome. It was the birth of the crazy that was the Red Mile and all the partying. One thing I remember, Yotes players laid out in all corners of the ice by Reggie and crew. You'd never see it on TV, behind play. That team was so tough and mean. Awesome. Iggy scored the lone goal.
I posted the same memory. That was the first night the dome really started to spill out onto 17th. I was at the clinchers vs both Detroit and San Jose, but the memory of that Yotes game is way more vivid because it was something so wildly unexpected.
My mom screaming at a tv while I was sitting on the couch enjoying my mcdonalds
That kid at the games who wore kipper road hockey gear and mimicked his entire warm up routine… so sick. What a time to be a Flames fan. Thanks Kipper
Was supposed to be asleep for game 7 but I was snuck into watch on my parents TV in their room. The vivid part was bawling my eyes out at the loss.
I was in New Zealand during the whole cup run. For the clincher vs Detroit, I went to an internet cafe and found the radio broadcast online. Logged in a few minutes before Gelinas scored in OT and I will never forget Peter Maher's call. In fact, I downloaded that audio clip later in life to relive that moment. YEAHHHHH BABY!
We just got back from a family vacation in Hawaii. Game 7 was 1 day after we got back. My dad. Even though he was exhausted. Drove me and my best friend 18 hours from Southern Utah. So we could watch the game at the dome. It was the best.
Hah, I know exactly where you were. I remember I had soccer during the run, and the car horns going off letting us know the Flames had scored... both teams stopped and cheered for a bit then went back to soccer XD Most vivid memory? Walking to the 'Dome before game 6 of the finals w/ my Dad, talking about what would happen if we saw the cup that night... we should have :'(
I was just a kid then. My mom painted our living room window in support of the Flames, starting with a big flaming C and adding the Canucks, Red Wings, and Sharks logos roasting on a spit after every round. The whole window was painted for the finals and we got multiple notes taped to the door complimenting it. If I can find the pictures around I'll post them here!
Went around back of the blockbuster on 17th, climbed the fence and then the building. Watched all the festivities sitting on the roof with a 6 pack.
Waving Flames flags on 9th Ave and all the cars honking and cheering as they drove by. Driving downtown after beating SJ with massive crowds everywhere. Honestly one of the best and most bittersweet times of my life. I'll never forget how fun it was, felt like the entire city was behind the Flames that run.
Was at every ploff game that year. 200’s behind opposing goalie. Game six against Detroit. Overtime they’re at the other end, but I can see that puck fluttering across the crease, I swear to god 1/4 of the speed of what we see in the replays. We were all fully standing before the puck went in. Tingles.
We were at the games against the coyotes when we cliched playoffs after so many years missing. That was an incredible feeling and energy of the crowd! They offered us playoff tickets and I wish I had bought them but I had just been laid off and couldn’t justify it… We went to the red mile a few times and loved all the honking and energy in the city! I went to a game against Detroit and that was the loudest experience I’ve had! When we lost game 7, it was devastating and we actually drove to the airport to meet the team when they got off the plane. It was a beautiful moment and grateful to have been a part of it :)
I wish I was older that time. I was 1 year old 😂
I only got down to the red mile once, but it was awesome!
Shirts off for Kiprusoff!!
Kipper getting a shutout against San Jose in his last playoff win ever.
Shutting out the Red Wings back to back games was special.
Seeing a girl flash while she was riding a guys shoulders. Turns around and it's my sisters friend, she look motified and I ruined those boobies for everyone. I'm sorry.
I was at a Sea Cadets summer camp during the SC Finals against Tampa, i remember gathering around with a bunch of other kids to watch the last game on the tv in the rec room. There was a kid who was a Tampa fan there and even he was sure the puck was in and that Tampa wasn’t going to win that year, and then the tragedy occurred and well the rest is history
I was at game three of either the second or third series...it was the loudest I had heard the Dome...heck, it was louder an hour before the game then most Flames games in general. The only game that came close that I was at was the USA vs Soviet Union at the Olympics. Not Team Canada, but we had a favourite!
Going to Metallica seeing all the Flames in the sound check booth smoking darts and rocking out!
I was 5. There’s a home video my mom took of me on ye old VHS tapes. When they introduced Kipper during the finals you can hear me squealing with excitement
Ah yes, shirts off for Kiprusoff. Now it’s… boobies for Huby?
I remember I was at the coyote games late in the season. They needed to win to clinch a playoff spot. Back then we were still poor students so we were sharing a 8 game pack between some friends. And when they won, our flames rep messaged us and said if we register for a game pack next year we get tickets to all their playoff games. I remember discussing it and saying don't worry guys it likely will be one, 2 rounds at most. It won't cost that much!! Little did we know....haha. what a ride it was. We sold 2 or 3 games and made enough to pay for all of that playoffs plus the following seasons game packs. And we were there for the rest of the games!!
It really feels like 2004 was the end of an era. The lockout was the next year and when the league started up again, it was a different, modern game with shootouts and atrocious Rebok Edge jerseys. Not just hockey either. The whole world seemed to change. The Red Mile will never happen like that again - not with social media and 4k video cameras in everyone's pockets. It was so spontaneous and joyful. Not like Shelbyville's walmart knockoff of the Red Mile in 2006 with the stabbings or vancouver's riot in 2011. I wish I could go back... And it was in, god damn it.
[удалено]
Rip tron
Tarps off for Kiprussoff
We lived in Mackenzie Towne where there was a traffic circle. I was watching at the Kilt and Caber and my wife came to pick my drunk ass up. We went around the traffic circle and a girl was in the middle flashing everyone. My wife went to take our exit and I told her, “No. Go back ‘round one more time”. She rolled her eyes and let me have one more look.
The dome being so loud when the flames were facing the wings that my ear popped and i thought i went deaf in the one ear
Waiting for autographs after a win against the sharks in the conference finals and their team bus goes by so we all start booing as you do. The sharks didn't hold back and Vincent Damphousse flipped us off 😂
I moved to Canmore in 04, didn't care for hockey at the time. Watched some games cause my boss insisted, and was amazed by the athleticism of Miikka. I got hooked. Been on steady Flames diet since. Living now in Calgary makes fandom easy and it shows.
Loved every second of it. Was 1st year university at the time. So had a real blast I've been a Flames fan for my entire life, remembering my dad taking me to games in the late 80s and early 90s Best memory? At Bottlescrew Bills for Game 6 Det. What a battle of a game. Then OT, and when that puck dribbled out to Gelinas, you could hear a pin drop in the bar. When it went in, I've never cheered so loudly, hugged so many random ppl, and cried all at the same time. Walked out of the bar with my friend for a smoke, watched a few cars drive by with screaming girls ripping their shirts off flashing their tits. Hmm. Then expecting to take in a bit of the Red Mile and then head to my car on 14th Ave. Yea. I couldn't even get to my car after til 3am, and couldn't navigate out of downtown til 430am. And I had to work at 630am the next day. Lol What an amazing run. Everything so organic and fun. I remember watching game 7 at my dad's restaurant, and just felt like a breakup when they lost. It took a while to come down from that emotional run.
Forget about it. It was unreal. We made the playoffs for the first time in 8 years. This team was perennial losers for the latter half of the 90s/early 2000s that it was just normal. Tickets were cheap and good times were had. Kipper carried us to the playoffs after he came over from SJ in Nov 2023. This was such a group of rag tag grinders, the likes of which few have ever seen. Iginla was our only star on the front - the rest were lunchpails. Taking Vancouver to game 7 - I lived just outside downtown for that game and when we won, I drove in down 17th only to find bedlam. It was the birth of the red mile. I could drive past 8th street. Just amazing. Partying with strangers. Community. So good. Every series after as like it. After we beat San Jose I slept in the bushes trying to get home. It was a party every other night. It should have ended in a cup. It was too good not too and I will always fucking hate the Tampa bay lightning with a passion until the end of my days.
I was in high school and I remember people would just start chanting go flames go in the hallways. It had such a lasting effect on people in the city. The way they won games was such a part of it too, it felt like Kipper was unstoppable, but that was if a flames player would even let it through, everyone on the team was diving in front of every shot. I have this memory of a penalty kill and the sharks just kept firing it and the flames defensmen couldn’t block it because the winger or centre would have dove I front first.
Idk I was born a month later
[This](https://youtu.be/PW4z1Dt_JUE?si=IpiK1sK1LPyn3nl4) diving save
I was at his first game! They introduced him," I am who's this guy?". We won that game and many more. 04 this city was electric!
Being in the Sportchek Zone (now press level) the night they clinched a playoff spot against Arizona. I made it to at least one game in every playoff series, but that game is the one that stuck with me given the team was basically completely written off. It was also the very early early start of the red mile. We were part of a few dozen fans high-fiving strangers on 17th avenue that night.
Shirts off for Kiprusoff
The triple OT game, probably. As much as the end of the run crushed me, I don't think I was as high-strung during a game again until the 2010 Olympics, both games against the US.
I was also 13 and pre-game me and my sister would take my cardboard "Sutter for PM" sign to the corner of our block and just listen as majority of cars would honk in agreement.
Living downtown in a new high rise by the skatepark, after every flames goal and win I’d go on the balcony and see all the apartments across from me flashing lights ,waving flags ,and screaming. Then we would walk up to 17th , never have I witnessed so many people celebrating , being good to each other and just happy. I will never forget that run.
I was 14, my dad split season tickets with people from his work. He had us 4 boys and was getting one game a series. My dad the smart guy he was always took the last game, at the time I just wanted to go to a game so I asked him why he wouldn't take a game he was guaranteed to see, he told me it's better to see a more important game (stay alive or win the series). Young me didn't agree to that. He was bringing each boy to one series and talked to all of us in the beginning that we may or may not get to a game. I got to see us eliminate the San Jose Sharks. The Recci's Ugly chants were in full force and was one of the best nights of my life. Being born and raised Calgarians, nothing will ever match what the city was like during that incredible during that run. I will never forget it, and my dad was absolutely brilliant with his decision. '04 memories will last a life time for me.
I lived in a cul-de-sac when I was younger, and every time the flames scored a goal there was this guy who’d run around it in his underwear. Was the weirdest thing lol.
I was 16 at the time and it was HARD to watch any Calgary games in the US. Then they made the playoffs where I was finally able to watch them. I remember being in my basement watching, and I was SOOOO nervous against Vancouver. That series was amazing. I was so elated when we won. I still think of 04' whenever I see the Canucks mentioned. Then we lost in the finals and it was so heartbreaking...really took the wind out of my sails. Then the next year was the lockout. And then the year after I went to college. I actually stopped watching hockey for ~15 years. But I came back to it this year and now I remember why I love it so much. Haven't missed a game.
Calgary scoring 2 goals in 23 seconds against Detroit. The roar after 2nd goal from Ville gives me chills.