What a difference a year makes.
Last season the Calgary Flames clinched a playoff spot in game 81, on home ice against the Los Angeles Kings. This year, it’s just the final home game of a disappointing campaign.
It’s certainly not the way this version of the Flames had envisioned this season going.
“We’re trying to keep the mood light for everyone, but at the same time it’s not a good situation,” Head Coach Bob Hartley said. “Playoffs, it’s the passing grade for any organization whether you’re a Canadian team or an American team. It doesn’t come with where you’re playing it comes that you’re an NHL team and you need to be in the playoffs.”
“By no means were we expecting to be in this position come training camp of this season and it’s unfortunate that we are, because we were so focused on doing as well as we did last year,” Brandon Bollig added.
The Flames are also stressing the importance of leaving the fans with a positive taste heading into the summer.
“I think it is important for us to have a good effort here tonight, work hard, get a win leaving these fans excited for next season,” Brandon Bollig said .
“We want to go out with pride, we love this game we know our fans do too, so we want to make sure we get the job done here in the last game,” forward Josh Jooris said. “It has been a disappointing year, hopefully we can learn from it going forward.”
Fitting enough the Flames finish their home schedule against the team they beat in the first round of last years playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks. Neither team will be apart of the postseason dance this season.
“We have a huge opportunity here to go out on a good note and it’s not something that we’re taking lightly,” forward Joe Colborne said. “They have a team that’s in a similar spot to us and there is a lot of pride on the line. Being in a tough playoff series with them last year certainly hasn’t been forgotten by either side and it’s going to be a tough battle.”
Colborne was also the recipient of the Peter Maher Award for the third consecutive year. The award goes to the Calgary Flames’ player who best exemplifies what the Maher, the radio voice of the Flames for more than 30 years stood for.
Colborne is the only players to have his name on the trophy, now it’s third year. The award is voted on by traveling members of Flames media.
A donation in Colborne’s name was made to the Flames Foundation for Life.
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