#atlantaflames

[nickdewolfarchive]

boston garden 12/17/1974

boston bruins vs atlanta flames

photograph by nick dewolf https://www.flickr.com/photos/dboo/27187025166

[vintagehockeycardsreport]

Ken Dryden and Dan Bouchard Stole the Show at The Omni in 1976

81 shots. 77 saves. No winner.

On November 10, 1976, Ken Dryden and Dan Bouchard put on an unforgettable goaltending display as the Canadiens and Flames battled to a 2-2 tie at The Omni in Atlanta. All four goals came during a brief second-period burst before both netminders slammed the door shut for the rest of the night.

Some nights, the goalies are the entire story.

We take a closer look at this game here: Dryden Vs. Bouchard 1976

[vintagehockeycardsreport]

Bobby Clarke’s Rare Special-Teams Hat Trick (1974)

On March 28, 1974, at the Omni in Atlanta, Philadelphia Flyers captain Bobby Clarke recorded one of the most unusual hat tricks of his NHL career.

In a 3–3 tie against the Atlanta Flames, Clarke scored all three Flyers goals but none of them came at even strength.

Just 12 seconds into the game, Rick MacLeish was sent to the penalty box for hooking. Instead of Atlanta taking advantage, Clarke struck first. At 1:06 of the opening period he scored shorthanded, his 31st goal of the season, with assists from Barry Ashbee and Bill Barber.

Atlanta carried a 2–1 lead into the third period thanks to goals by Jacques Richard and Bryan Hextall. Hextall also made his presence felt physically, fighting Bob Kelly in the first period and Andre Dupont in the second.

Clarke tied the game at 5:40 of the third period on the power play with Butch Deadmarsh serving a hooking penalty. Bill Barber and Tom Bladon picked up the assists.

Just 17 seconds later, Keith McCreary restored the Flames’ lead but Clarke had one more answer.

At the 9-minute mark of the third period, he completed the hat trick with another shorthanded goal. Ed Van Impe had been in the penalty box for just nine seconds when Clarke scored to secure the 3–3 draw.

Two shorthanded goals. One power-play goal. A hat trick with zero even-strength tallies.

Clarke finished the 1973–74 season tied with Ralph Stewart for the NHL lead in shorthanded goals with five. Over his Hall of Fame career, Clarke scored 32 shorthanded goals, still well behind Wayne Gretzky’s record of 73.

[vintagehockeycardsreport]

Pat Quinn’s Rare Offense: Two Memorable Goals in 1972-73

Pat Quinn wasn’t known for scoring goals and the numbers prove it.

Over 606 NHL games, Quinn scored just 18 times. In 1972-73 with the expansion Atlanta Flames, he managed only two goals. But both came in meaningful moments.

One was shorthanded against Pittsburgh. The other was the game-winner against his former team, Vancouver.

Quinn made his limited offense count, proving sometimes it’s not how often you score, but when.

A closer look can be found here: Pat Quinn 1972-73

[vintagehockeycardsreport]

Opening Night 1972-73: Islanders vs. Flames: A Game Full of Firsts

Two brand-new NHL teams met for the first time on October 7, 1972: the New York Islanders and Atlanta Flames. From first goals to first penalties, the night was packed with history.

Morris Stefaniw scored the very first goal, and first shorthanded goal, in Flames history. Ed Westfall responded with the first goal (and first power-play goal) in Islanders history. Bob Leiter later netted the first game-winner for Atlanta, and Phil Myre earned the Flames’ first franchise victory.

[vintagehockeycardsreport]

When the Flames’ Original Goalie Duo Went Head-to-Head

The Atlanta Flames’ original goaltending tandem, Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard, shared the crease through the team’s early 1970s seasons. But after a December 1977 trade sent Myre to the St. Louis Blues, the two faced off as opponents for the first time just weeks later. In their first showdown, Bouchard was pulled after three goals, replaced by Yves Bélanger, the same goalie traded for Myre. Atlanta won 5-4, with both sides featuring players battling their former teammates. By their next meeting, Bélanger shined again, posting 35 saves and an assist in a 6-2 Flames win. Hockey’s small world never fails to deliver dramatic storylines.

[vintagehockeycardsreport]

🎆 New Year’s Eve 1976 at Madison Square Garden 🎆

Bill Clement powered the Atlanta Flames to a 4-2 win over the New York Rangers with a goal and two assists. Atlanta peppered Gilles Gratton with 45 shots, while Tim Ecclestone chipped in three helpers.

Phil Esposito was held off the scoresheet and nearly dropped the gloves with Pat Quinn in the game’s fiery closing seconds.

A big night for the Flames, and a New Year’s Eve to remember.

[vintagehockeycardsreport]

Real Cloutier stole the spotlight in the Quebec Nordiques’ first NHL game on October 10, 1979

The Nordiques lost 5-3 to the Atlanta Flames, but Cloutier scored all three Quebec goals, including the very first in franchise NHL history. His natural scoring touch, which had made him a WHA star, carried over in a big way that night.

All three goals were assisted by Marc Tardif, and although the Nordiques would struggle through their inaugural season, Cloutier’s debut hat trick remains a defining moment in team history.