What Happened
The Calgary Flames beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Saturday night, their third straight win and fourth in five games following an 0-5 start. Goaltender Devin Cooley backstopped the victory. Calgary wore throwback jerseys from the 2004 season, featuring a black flaming C with black pants, gloves and helmets, to honor the team that reached the Stanley Cup Final that year. Green hard hats were visible around the Saddledome as part of the tribute.
Key Details
- Calgary opened the season 0-5 and was outscored by 19 goals in that span
- The Flames have won four of their last five games
- Devin Cooley was the winning goaltender against Detroit
- Throwback uniforms featured a black flaming C, black pants, gloves and helmets
- The 2004 Flames lost the Stanley Cup Final one game short of the title
- Craig Conroy's rebuild is in its first year
What It Means
The win continues a sharp reversal for a Calgary team that opened the season as the league's worst and has since climbed among the hotter clubs over a five-game stretch. The 2004 tribute ties the current group to a Flames team that made an unlikely playoff run, though the source notes no one is suggesting the playoffs are a realistic goal in the first year of the rebuild.