The 2003–04 Calgary Flames season was the 24th National Hockey League (NHL) season in Calgary, and the 32nd for the franchise in the NHL. The Flames ended a seven-year playoff drought, qualifying for the post-season for the first time since 1996. The Flames defeated three division winners en route to an appearance in the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals. The Flames were defeated in the finals by the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games. The run to the finals captured the imagination of the city, while the Red Mile celebrations gained international attention for the "Mardi Gras-like" atmosphere as up to 80,000 people celebrated in the streets after each playoff game.
Head coach Darryl Sutter succeeded Craig Button as the Flames' general manager. Sutter made numerous changes to the roster as he worked to remake the Flames into a fast, physical club. Chris Drury was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres for Rhett Warrener and Steve Reinprecht before the season began. A knee injury to starting goaltender Roman Turek led Sutter to trade for Miikka Kiprusoff, a player he knew from his days with the San Jose Sharks. Kiprusoff responded to the deal by posting an NHL record low goals against average of 1.69.
The Flames were led offensively by Jarome Iginla, who tied Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash for the league lead with 41 goals as the trio shared the Rocket Richard Trophy. Iginla represented the Flames at the 54th National Hockey League All-Star Game in Minnesota, and was named a second team all-star for his performance during the season. Iginla's charity work and leadership both on and off the ice led to his also being awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and NHL Foundation Player Award.
Regular season The team started with an injury to starting goaltender Roman Turek in the first game of the season, an early November trade for San Jose Sharks third stringer Miikka Kiprusoff sparked the Flames, as Kiprusoff led Calgary into the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
Defenceman Mike Commodore became a cult hero for his unruly red mop of hair during the playoffs, leading many fans to wear red afro wigs to playoff games. Craig Conroy brought a team building idea from his days with the St. Louis Blues, having the team award a green hard hat to the hardest working player each time the Flames won. As the exercise gained popularity, fans also began wearing green hard hats to the arena themselves.
The Flames allowed the fewest short-handed goals during the regular season, with just 2.
Season standings
Playoffs
Calgary's defeat of the Vancouver Canucks in the first round was the first playoff series victory for the Flames since they won the Cup in 1989. Jarome Iginla scored two goals and assisted on Martin Gelinas' overtime winner in game seven, sending fans in Calgary into the streets to celebrate the victory. The Flames pulled off an even bigger upset in round two, knocking off the Presidents' Trophy winning Detroit Red Wings in six, including back-to-back 1–0 shutouts in the final two games. Once again, Gelinas scored the overtime winner on a rebound on a play set up by Iginla. In doing so, Gelinas became the first player in NHL history to record three career OT winners to end a series.
The third round series pitted the Flames against head coach Darryl Sutter and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff's old team – the San Jose Sharks. After jumping out to a 2–0 series lead on the road, the Sharks returned the favour, defeating Calgary twice at home. After blanking the Sharks in San Jose in game five, the Flames returned home with a chance to go to the Stanley Cup Finals. Led once again by Iginla and Gelinas, the Flames cruised to a 3–1 victory. Gelinas once again scored the series-clinching goal, this time in the second period, to return the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since winning it in ; this was the first Finals appearance by a Canadian team since the Vancouver Canucks lost to the New York Rangers. In addition, the Flames became the first team to defeat the 1st, 2nd and 3rd seeded teams in their conference en route to the Stanley Cup Finals (which was only repeated in 2012 by the Los Angeles Kings).
The Final versus Tampa Bay became known for controversy. First, referee Kerry Fraser was pulled from his game six assignment in Calgary after drawing the ire of Flames fans following several calls in game four that upset the local fans. Fraser would instead officiate game seven in Tampa.Veteran ref drew ire of Calgary fans, espn.com, June 5, 2004. Retrieved November 30, 2006. The officiating in game four prompted a rant by Sutter, in which he alleged that the NHL did not want Calgary to win.Flames' Sutter sticks by his claims , tsn.ca, June 3, 2004. Retrieved November 30, 2006.
Late in game six, with the score tied, a shot that deflected off of Gelinas' skate was stopped by Tampa Bay goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin on the goal line. Later replays indicated that the puck may have crossed the line, however the play was not reviewed at the time, and the NHL would later rule the video was inconclusive, since the puck was in the air, not on the ice.Christodero, Damian, One last shot , St. Petersburg Times, June 6, 2004. Retrieved November 30, 2006. Instead, the Lightning would win in double overtime, and go on to win game seven by a 2–1 score.No cup, but Flames' season still a success, cbc.ca, June 8, 2004. Retrieved November 29, 2006.
Despite the game seven loss, the playoff run lifted the city to a new high. Over 30,000 fans celebrated the Flames run at a rally at Olympic Plaza shortly after the Final had ended.Calgary salutes Flames, slam.canoe.ca. Retrieved November 30, 2006.
Schedule and results
Regular season
| 1 || October 9 || Calgary || 1–4 || Vancouver || || Turek || 18,630 || 0–1–0–0 || 0 ||
| 2 || October 11 || San Jose || 2–3 || Calgary || || McLennan || 17,039 || 1–1–0–0 || 2 ||
| 3 || October 14 || Edmonton || 0–1 || Calgary || || McLennan || 16,009 || 2–1–0–0|| 4 ||
| 4 || October 18 || Buffalo || 2–0 || Calgary || || Turek || 14,139 || 2–2–0–0 || 4 ||
| 5 || October 21 || Calgary || 3–2 || Minnesota || || McLennan || 18,064 || 3–2–0–0 || 6 ||
| 6 || October 24 || St. Louis || 2–1 || Calgary || || McLennan || 15,454 || 3–3–0–0 || 6 ||
| 7 || October 25 || Calgary || 4–2 || Edmonton || || McLennan || 16,839 || 4–3–0–0 || 8 ||
| 8 || October 28 || Calgary || 2–4 || Colorado || || McLennan || 18,007 || 4–4–0–0 || 8 ||
| 9 || October 29 || Calgary || 3–4 || Dallas || OT || Sabourin || 18,209 || 4–4–0–1 || 9 ||
| 10 || November 1 || Columbus || 0–3 || Calgary || || McLennan || 14,539 || 5–4–0–1 || 11 ||
| 11 || November 4 || Detroit || 3–0 || Calgary || || McLennan || 15,259 || 5–5–0–1 || 11 ||
| 12 || November 7 || Minnesota || 3–0 || Calgary || || McLennan || 13,839 || 5–6–0–1 || 11 ||
| 13 || November 9 || Calgary || 3–4 || Columbus || || Sabourin || 17,957 || 5–7–0–1 || 11 ||
| 14 || November 12 || Calgary || 6–2 || Chicago || || McLennan || 11,988 || 6–7–0–1 || 13 ||
| 15 || November 13 || Calgary || 1–4 || Nashville || || Sabourin || 9,630 || 6–8–0–1 || 13 ||
| 16 || November 15 || Calgary || 1–2 || Edmonton || OT || McLennan || 16,839 || 6–8–0–2 || 14 ||
| 17 || November 18 || Toronto || 2–3 || Calgary || OT || McLennan || 17,509 || 7–8–0–2 || 16 ||
| 18 || November 20 || Montreal || 1–2 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 16,139 || 8–8–0–2 || 18 ||
| 19 || November 22 || Chicago || 1–2 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 15,549 || 9–8–0–2 || 20 ||
| 20 || November 27 || Colorado || 6–5 || Calgary || OT || Kiprusoff || ?? || 9–8–0–3 ||21 ||
| 21 || November 29 || Vancouver || 4–4 || Calgary || OT || McLennan || 18,159 || 9–8–1–3 || 22 ||
| 22 || December 2 || San Jose || 1–3 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 13,059 || 10–8–1–3 || 24 ||
| 23 || December 4 || Calgary || 4–1 || Vancouver || || Kiprusoff || 18,630 || 11–8–1–3 || 26 ||
| 24 || December 5 || Minnesota || 1–2 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 14,669 || 12–8–1–3 || 28 ||
| 25 || December 7 || Pittsburgh || 1–6 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 15,009 || 13–8–1–3 || 30 ||
| 26 || December 9 || Calgary || 1–2 || Minnesota || || Kiprusoff || 18,568 || 13–9–1–3 || 30 ||
| 27 || December 11 || Carolina || 0–1 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 14,119 || 14–9–1–3 || 32 ||
| 28 || December 13 || Colorado || 1–1 || Calgary || OT || Kiprusoff || 16,809 || 14–9–2–3 || 33 ||
| 29 || December 16 || Calgary || 3–2 || Philadelphia || OT || Kiprusoff || 18,931 || 15–9–2–3 || 35 ||
| 30 || December 18 || Calgary || 5–0 || Boston || || McLennan || 10,659 || 16–9–2–3 || 37 ||
| 31 || December 19 || Calgary || 2–1 || Columbus || || Kiprusoff || 16,561 || 17–9–2–3 || 39 ||
| 32 || December 23 || Edmonton || 1–2 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 18,389 || 18–9–2–3 || 41 ||
| 33 || December 26 || Vancouver || 2–0 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 18,419 || 18–10–2–3 || 41 ||
| 34 || December 28 || Calgary || 2–1 || Edmonton || || Kiprusoff || 16,839 || 19–10–2–3 || 43 ||
| 35 || December 29 || Minnesota || 2–2 || Calgary || OT || Kiprusoff || 16,279 || 19–10–3–3 || 44 ||
| 36 || December 31 || Colorado || 2–1 || Calgary || || McLennan || 18,469 || 19–11–3–3 || 44 ||
| 37 || January 3 || Vancouver || 3–1 || Calgary || || McLennan || 18,269 || 19–12–3–3 || 44 ||
| 38 || January 5 || Calgary || 5–0 || NY Rangers || || McLennan || 18,200 || 20–12–3–3 || 46 ||
| 39 || January 6 || Calgary || 3–2 || NY Islanders || || McLennan || 12,576 || 21–12–3–3 || 48 ||
| 40 || January 8 || Calgary || 1–3 || Chicago || || McLennan || 10,865 || 21–13–3–3 || 48 ||
| 41 || January 10 || Florida || 2–4 || Calgary || || McLennan || 16,809 || 22–13–3–3 || 50 ||
| 42 || January 13 || Calgary || 1–4 || Toronto || || McLennan || 19,310 || 22–14–3–2 || 50 ||
| 43 || January 14 || Calgary || 3–3 || Washington || OT || McLennan || 14,537 || 22–14–4–3 || 51 ||
| 44 || January 17 || Dallas || 3–2 || Calgary || || Turek || 17,909 || 22–15–4–3 || 51 ||
| 45 || January 19 || Calgary || 5–1 || Anaheim || || Turek || 13,146 || 23–15–4–3 || 53 ||
| 46 || January 20 || Calgary || 1–4 || Los Angeles || || Turek || 18,118 || 23–16–4–3 || 53 ||
| 47 || January 22 || Nashville || 0–4 || Calgary || || Turek || 16,629 || 24–16–4–3 || 55 ||
| 48 || January 24 || Tampa Bay || 6–2 || Calgary || || Turek || 17,109 || 24–17–4–3 || 55 ||
| 49 || January 27 || Calgary || 2–1 || Phoenix || || Turek || ?? || 25–17–4–3 || 57 ||
| 50 || January 28 || Calgary || 1–4 || San Jose || || Turek || 15,119 || 25–18–4–3 || 57 ||
| 51 || January 30 || Chicago || 5–3 || Calgary || || Turek || 17,139 || 25–19–4–3 || 57 ||
| 52 || February 1 || Anaheim || 4–6 || Calgary || || McLennan || 15,189 || 26–19–4–3 || 59 ||
| 53 || February 3 || Los Angeles || 4–4 || Calgary || OT || McLennan || 14,169 || 26–19–5–3 || 60 ||
| 54 || February 5 || St. Louis || 2–1 || Calgary || || Turek || 15,389 || 26–20–5–3 || 60 ||
| 55 || February 10 || Atlanta || 2–5 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 16,549 || 27–20–5–3 || 62 ||
| 56 || February 11 || Calgary || 3–2 || Vancouver || || Turek || 18,630 || 28–20–5–3 || 64 ||
| 57 || February 13 || Anaheim || 1–2 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 17,749 || 29–20–5–3 || 66 ||
| 58 || February 15 || Calgary || 2–1 || Minnesota || || Kiprusoff || 18,568 || 30–20–5–3 || 68 ||
| 59 || February 19 || Calgary || 1–4 || Montreal || || Kiprusoff || 21,273 || 30–21–5–3 || 68 ||
| 60 || February 21 || Calgary || 1–2 || Ottawa || || Turek || 18,500 || 30–22–5–3 || 68 ||
| 61 || February 22 || Calgary || 1–3 || New Jersey || || Kiprusoff || 17,733 || 30–23–5–3 || 68 ||
| 62 || February 24 || Calgary || 2–0 || Colorado || || Kiprusoff || 18,007 || 31–23–5–3 || 70 ||
| 63 || February 26 || Detroit || 2–1 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 18,862 || 31–24–5–3 || 70 ||
| 64 || February 29 || Phoenix || 2–4 || Calgary || || Kiprusoff || 17,579 || 32–24–5–3 || 72 ||