NEW JERSEY VS. PITTSBURGH COLORADO VS. ST. LOUIS

Monday, June 4 In end, "Miracle" falls short By Joy Russo ESPN.com With the two-time defending Cup champion Oilers out of the way, the door was left wide open for the Flames. Flames 4, Blues 3 Date Result Goalie 5/2 Blues 3, Flames 2 Wamsley 5/4 Flames 8, Blues 2 Vernon 5/6 Flames 5, Blues 3 Vernon 5/8 Blues 5, Flames 2 Wamsley 5/10 Flames 4, Blues 2 Vernon 5/12 Blues 6, Flames 5 Wamsley 5/14 Flames 2, Blues 1 Vernon Calgary eliminated Edmonton in a grueling seven-game Smythe Divisional final to win a date St. Louis in the Campbell Conference finals. The Blues also had to fight for the berth, needing seven games to get past the Toronto Maple Leafs. Regardless of the lack of rest, the two teams still had plenty left. The Blues quickly got over opening in Calgary and pulled out a 2-1 victory. St. Louis was blown out 8-2 in Game 2 before returning home, where they split the next two meetings to even the series at 2. The Flames' 4-2 victory at home put the pressure on the Blues, who faced a do-or-die situation in Game 6. The turnaround (kind of ?) With Calgary leading 5-1 with 14 minutes left in the third period of Game 6, the Flames were in control and the future looked bleak for St. Louis. The saying gets old to some, but what happened next shows why "anything can happen in the playoffs." Doug Wickenheiser scored to spark a four-goal rally, and sent the game into overtime. But he was not done. At 7:30 of the extra session, Mike Vernon's save landed in front of Wickenheiser, who scored to send the series to a decisive Game 7. The Checkerdome crowd erupted and refused to leave the arena after several minutes, and players and officials joked about the building collapsing from the frenzy. Al MacInnis, the Blues defenseman who played for Calgary in 1986, called the game "the greatest night in Blues history." Calgary would win the decisive game 2-1, but the "Monday Night Miracle" made this series what it was and Game 6 is one of history's most memorable. The MVP Flames goalie Mike Vernon. Calgary rode its rookie goaltender throughout the playoffs and he was big in this series. After being brought up from the AHL (Moncton Golen Flames) during the season and makes just 18 NHL starts, Vernon started 21 of 22 playoff games in 1986, and he quickly made a name for himself. He would never play in the minors again. Joy Russo is a staff editor for ESPN.com Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories