The Colorado Avalanche are set to take on the Calgary Flames in what promises to be an exciting matchup. Both teams are coming off of strong performances and will be looking to continue their winning ways. The Avalanche are led by captain Gabriel Landeskog, who is one of the league’s most talented
The Colorado Avalanche take on the Calgary Flames in an NHL matchup. These two teams are both fighting for a playoff spot, so this should be a good game. The Avalanche are led by forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, while the Flames have Mark Giordano on defense and Sean Monahan up front.
1. The Battle of Alberta: A Rivalry Renewed
The Battle of Alberta is a rivalry between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames, two Canadian teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). The rivalry is one of the fiercest in all of hockey, and both teams have a long history of success.
The Oilers and Flames first played each other in 1980, when both teams were still relatively new to the NHL. The Oilers won that first matchup, but it was clear from early on that this was going to be a heated rivalry. Over the next few years, both teams would meet in the playoffs multiple times with neither team able to gain a definitive advantage.
In 1986, things came to a head when the two teams met in an epic seven-game playoff series that saw Edmonton finally come out on top. However, Calgary would get revenge just two years later when they defeated Edmonton en route to winning their first Stanley Cup championship.
Since then, there have been many highs and lows for both franchises but they always find their way back to playing each other competitively. In recent years especially, with both teams currently enjoying periods of success, there is no better time than now for the Battle of Alberta to be renewed once again!
2. The Battle of Alberta: On the Edge
The Battle of Alberta is a term used to describe the intense rivalry between the Canadian cities of Calgary and Edmonton, as well as their respective teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers. The term is derived from Alberta’s historic role as a major producer of petroleum products, particularly oil.
The two teams first met in NHL competition during the 1979–80 season, when both were still members of the World Hockey Association (WHA). The first game between them was played on November 10, 1979, which Edmonton won 5–4. When the WHA folded in 1982, four of its surviving teams – including both Calgary and Edmonton – joined the NHL.
Since then, each team has won five Stanley Cups: Calgary in 1989 and 1990; while Edmonton has taken home championships in 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988. As a result of their close proximity and similar fan bases, games between these rivals are often heated affairs. It is not uncommon for fights to break out among fans in stands or even on-ice brawls between players.
3. The Battle of Alberta: From Fire to Ice
In the late 1990s, two Canadian provinces were locked in a bitter conflict. The Battle of Alberta was fought between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames, two professional hockey teams based in Alberta. The Oilers were one of the most successful teams in the NHL, winning five Stanley Cups in seven years from 1984 to 1990. The Flames, on the other hand, had never won a Stanley Cup.
The rivalry between the Oilers and Flames was intense. It was not just a sports rivalry; it was a provincial rivalry. Fans of both teams would boo and jeer each other when they met outside of Alberta. In 1997, an oil pipeline leak near Edmonton caused an environmental disaster that spilled 30 million litres of oil into surrounding wetlands. Calgary fans celebrated by wearing black trash bags to mock their rivals.
The Battle of Alberta reached its peak in February 2001 when a brawl broke out between players on both teams during a game. It was one of the largest fights ever seen in an NHL game, and it resulted in several players being suspended from playing for several games or even months.
The intensity of the rivalry cooled off somewhat after that incident, but it has still remained strong over the years. Whenever these two teams meet on the ice, there is always a lot at stake – not just for bragging rights, but also for provincial pride.
4. The Battle of Alberta: On the Brink of Extinction
In the early 1800s, the beaver population in Alberta was so high that the animals were considered a nuisance. In 1825, the Hudson’s Bay Company offered a bounty on beaver pelts, and within a few years the animals were all but wiped out. By 1930, only 500 beavers remained in Alberta.
The beaver is an important keystone species in ecosystems across North America, and their disappearance had far-reaching consequences. Without beavers to build dams and slow down rivers, much of Alberta’s wetlands began to dry up. This put immense pressure on waterfowl populations that depended on those wetlands for breeding and feeding grounds. Wetland loss also increased soil erosion rates tenfold throughout the province.
With support from conservation groups like Ducks Unlimited Canada, efforts are underway to restore beaver populations in Alberta. If successful, it will mark a major victory not just for wildlife but for the entire province’s ecosystem—one that was teetering on the brink of extinction not so long ago.
5. The Battle of Alberta: A New Chapter
The Battle of Alberta: A New Chapter is a book about the heated rivalry between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames. This book chronicles the two teams’ on-ice battles, as well as their off-ice antics. From their early days in the World Hockey Association to their present-day status as NHL powerhouses, this book covers it all. If you’re a fan of either team, or if you just enjoy reading about hockey rivalries, this is the book for you.