Time to put a bow on 2017 with the aid of glancing again at the Calgary sports scene’s high-quality and worst carrying moments of the 12 months.
BEST MOMENTS
5. The Streak: In the latter degrees of an otherwise ordinary Flames 2016-17 season, the group pieced together a franchise-tying file with 10 direct wins from Feb. 21 – March thirteen.
It got them returned right into a playoff race few figured they’d parent into.
There had been lots of different heroes along with the manner. However, none bigger than goalie Brian Elliott, whose leap-again from early-season woes landed the Flames a playoff spot.
The streak was a part of a 21-9-1 end to the season, making them one of the league’s most up-to-date heading into the put up-season.
Four. The Record: Calgary Stampeders sophomore Alex Singleton changed into the quality participant at the CFL’s best shielding team.
In the midst of a streak that saw him make 10 or greater tackles in 3 straight games, the 24-12 months-antique linebacker set a new CFL report for tackles through a Canadian with 123.
It helped result in him being named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player just earlier than the Stamps lost inside the Grey Cup.
Three. The Award: Mark Giordano has lengthy been liked in Calgary because of the captain and engine of the Flames. However, his network work earned him a salute of the highest order final summertime when he beat out athletes from all predominant sports to win the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at ESPN’s Humanitarian Awards in LA.
His Habitat for Humanity work combined with his excessive school program, run with spouse Lauren, earned him the celebrated award spotting an athlete who has proven leadership and has created a high-quality effect on his community through sports activities.
2. Moves like Jagr: After a summer of a hypothesis (and wishful thinking by using lovers) Flames GM Brad Treliving opted to ink Jaromir Jagr to a one-yr, $1 million deal. While it became understood the 45-yr-vintage Czech rock megastar wasn’t being introduced in to hold the load offensively, the depth-winger reminded the hockey world the business is really all about leisure and having amusing.
His arrival had the metropolis abuzz as the employer had in no way earlier than visible the likes of a movie star like him, albeit a decade or so past his high. The group turned on edge with each offensive foray, prompting an explosive celebration whilst he ultimately scored.
Flames Jagr jerseys were one of the league’s largest sellers ever, making them one of the maximum sought-after Christmas gifts on the town. Despite accidents, he’s been a stable acquisition, if ordinarily as a mentor for players like Johnny Gaudreau.
Oh, and the Travelling Jaguars have by no means been happier.
1. The Kick: You didn’t must be there or see it stay to recognize how magical a moment Niko DiFonte authored late this autumn at McMahon Stadium.
With the Dinos trailing UBC inside the Canada West very last 43-forty one and no time left on the clock the nineteen-12 months-old Winnipeg local tried a kick no person in U Sports records had ever made.
He nailed it from fifty nine yards, making records and sparking a euphoric birthday party to ship the Dinos to the Mitchell Bowl towards Laval.
The document-putting kick went viral, appearing on ESPN’s SportsCenter, NFL.Com, and in USA Today. Yet, hours after the party, he insisted not anything had definitely modified as his Dinos roomies still made him wash the dishes.
WORST MOMENTS
5. Football follies: Despite all over again having the first-class crew inside the CFL and one of the excellent Canadian college football applications in the country, Calgary another time finished the football season without a championship.
The Stamps punctuated a thirteen-four-1 season via coughing up the Grey Cup, while the 7-1 Dinos fell over again to their nemesis, the Laval Rouge et Or, inside the national semifinal.
It appears to be an all-too-common subject matter for each group – dominance accompanied via depression.
Four. Oil Drop: In a calendar year in which the Flames lost all three meetings with the Edmonton Oilers, it was a Saturday night loss on Hockey Night in Canada Jan. 21 that marked a low for the host Flames.
Down 3-0 before the six-minute mark, the Flames finally misplaced 7-3 in the front of a national TV audience that what appeared to be men gambling in opposition to boys.
All informed, the Oilers outscored the Flames 17-8 in 2017 and feature won six Battle of Alberta’s in a row.
3. Arena Farce: Hijacking the team’s charity golf tourney Sept. 12, Flames president and CEO Ken King suggests up before the feast with Gary Bettman to announce the possession organization is now not pursuing a new arena in Calgary. Walking far away from a negotiating desk, the Flames claim were unproductive for months; it kickstarted finger-pointing from the crew and Mayor Naheed Nenshi, who spent the next two weeks selecting apart one another’s final proposals.
No matter what side of the extraordinarily contentious argument you are on, the harmful and sickening scenario now has the crew towards feasible relocation every unmarried day; the 2 aspects refuse to re-start talks on a replacement for the 34-12 months-old Saddledome.
2. The Goal: The very last straw in Brian Elliott’s tumultuous season in Calgary got here much less than six mins into Game Four of the Calgary Flames’ first-round collection in opposition to Anaheim. It was then a soft, weak-angled wrister by means of Patrick Eaves come what may squeeze via the 32-12 months-vintage’s pads.
As he stared down, looking to determine how he’d controlled to cough up a purpose that terrible after costing the Flames Game 3, coach Glen Gulutzan sent backup Chad Johnson in.
The Flames season became over within hours, as was the Elliott era – a stint that could be extended had the playoffs no longer ended so poorly for the goalie.
1. The Fumble: The Calgary Stampeders were on the verge of stitching up the 105th Grey Cup, up 24-16 with 5 minutes closing. Despite the truth, ball security became the main situation at the sidelines all through the snowy contest Kamar Jorden determined to strive, stretching a seize on the Argos nine-yard line into a touch bit extra. Seven yards later, he fumbled the ball after being gang-tackled through an Argos defense that wound up returning the ball 109-yards for the predominant. The Stamps by no means recovered, including but any other choke to their history of playoff pratfalls.
