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Was it in? Calgary Flames fans think they got robbed like 2004

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Apr 2 2025, 3:58 pm
Was it in? Calgary Flames fans think they got robbed like 2004
Sportsnet

Calgary Flames fans are having some bad flashbacks to the ’04 Stanley Cup Final run after last night’s game.

Playing in what felt like a must-win game, the Flames were unable to come up with two points, falling to the Utah Hockey Club by a 3-1 final. It was a game that came right down to the wire, with Utah scoring their final goal on an empty net to seal the deal.

The most frustrating part of the loss was that many in Calgary felt their team was robbed on a controversial no-goal call in the second period.

Trailing 1-0 early in the second period, Mikael Backlund tried to find Blake Coleman in the slot from behind the net. The puck instead went off Nick DeSimone and appeared to be kicked off the goal line by Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka. A closer look, however, shows that the puck may have crossed the entire goal line.

The play wound up being reviewed, but the original no-goal call that was made by the on-ice officials stood.

Flames fans were and continue to be quite upset about the ruling, which feels very similar to a play from their Cup run back in ’04, where Martin Gelinas had appeared to score a goal in Game 6 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning which could have very well resulted in the franchise’s second Stanley Cup championship.

What makes it all the more frustrating is that last night’s loss puts a serious blow in the Flames’ playoff hopes.

The St. Louis Blues, who the Flames have been chasing, were able to win their tenth straight with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings last night. They now sit seven points ahead of the Flames, while the Minnesota Wild, who now occupy the final wild-card spot, are six points up.

nhl-standings

NHL.com

The Flames aren’t completely out of the race, though their chances are looking quite dire. MoneyPuck odds are currently giving them just a 12 per cent chance of getting into the postseason, while the Wild sit at 88.2 per cent.

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