Flames eliminated by Oilers in Game 5 that Coffey says is ‘just nuts’

CALGARY — Darryl Sutter was the voice of reason in a sea of disappointment. 

The coach had just seen his Calgary Flames’ season come to an end in a wacky 5-4 overtime loss against the rival Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round on Thursday. It was a game that featured an NHL playoff record for offense and a disallowed goal with 5:57 remaining in regulation that would have given his team the lead. 

For Sutter, none of these factors were the difference in the best-of-7 series. 

Connor McDavid was

“The best player won the series for them,” Sutter said.

The Oilers forward’s goal at 5:03 of overtime not only sealed the series, but it gave him 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in a wide-open series against the Flames, six of the points (one goal, five assists) coming in the final three games. Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl had 17 points (two goals, 15 assists), tied for third-most in an NHL playoff series.

During the regular season Calgary allowed 206 goals, third fewest behind the Carolina Hurricanes (200) and New York Rangers (204). But the Flames were shredded by an Oilers team that averaged five goals per game in the series and played a style reminiscent of the wide-open Edmonton teams led by Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Paul Coffey of the 1980s.

[RELATED: Complete Flames vs. Oilers series coverage]

“My description of this is simple: It’s nuts,” Coffey said. “Just nuts.”

The 60-year-old, who as a defenseman helped the Oilers win the Stanley Cup three times during his seven-year stint with Edmonton from 1980-87, is a development coach with the team and was in the Scotiabank Saddledome press box for Game 5. At one point he could only shake his head in disbelief.

“I don’t think I was ever involved in something like this,” Coffey said. “At least not that I can remember.”

His comments came after he witnessed the Flames and Oilers set an NHL postseason record by scoring four goals in a span of 71 seconds, late in the second period. That bested the previous mark of 1:33 set by the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL Quarterfinals on April 20, 1976.

The game had been tied 2-2 before Oilers forward Zach Hyman scored to put Edmonton ahead at 14:57 of the second period. Flames forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Calle Jarnkrok replied at 15:12 and 15:28 respectively, before Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard capped off the flurry of goals at 16:08 to tie the game 4-4.

“Anyone who just went to the concession stands probably came back, took a look at the scoreboard, and wondered what the heck happened,” Oilers chairman Bob Nicholson said.

There would be more craziness to come.

Video: Draisaitl, McDavid send Oilers to conference finals

The Flames thought they’d taken a 5-4 lead when a shot by forward Mikael Backlund squeezed through Edmonton goalie Mike Smith and appeared to be heading across the goal line when it was directed in by the skate of Calgary forward Blake Coleman. It was ruled a goal on the ice, but the play was reviewed and eventually ruled a kicking motion, resulting in the goal being waved off.

“It’s hard,” Backlund said. “But I don’t think we lost the series today.”

He has a point.

Start with goalie Jacob Markstrom, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goalie. The 32-year-old had a 5.12 goals-against average, .852 save percentage and too often did not come up with the big save when Calgary needed one in the series.

The Flames top line had its issues as well. Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm combined for 14 points (six goals, eight assists), three fewer than Draisaitl.

Sutter said the Flames were also plagued by failing to score big goals in close games.

“Quite honestly, the series was about Games 2, 4 and 5,” Sutter said. “They were all tied in the third period, halfway through. Edmonton scored the big goal, if you look at it, in Game 2, Game 4, Game 5. That’s the difference, right?”

Through it all, Sutter said there was no shame in losing to a powerhouse team in what was the first postseason Battle of Alberta in 31 years.

“Get your chin up and your chest out and walk out proud,” he said. “They did a [heck] of a lot more than anybody said they’d do, quite honestly. I mean, the team that beat us was a favorite coming into the year, and we weren’t even close. So (they) did a good job.

“I’m sure they’re disappointed but that’s this division against those guys.”