After a truly unexpected run, the Calgary Flames season came to an abrupt end after running into the powerhouse Buffalo Sabres. A team tasked with carrying the dead weight of a few select Eastern Conference teams, it seemed the Sabres were too good to be stopped, and in this series, that proved to be true.
GM Scanlan, who made waves earlier in the season by claiming the West was the dominant conference, had a chance to put his money where his mouth is, but ultimately came up short.
The tight series saw the Sabres winning three one-goal games, as well as one blowout.
Scanlan, when asked about how he recovers from this, had this to say:
"Well, I was bored one day and decided to put out a bit of a hit piece on the Eastern Conference. I tried to play villain. I thought this would motivate the team a bit, but did not expect it to work that well. I went from being in the playoff hunt to making the Cup finals - it was quite the journey. At the end of the day I ran into the team that was at/near the top of the standings all season, so full marks to the Sabres - they deserve it."
But he didn't stop there...
"I really hope the East forgives me. If I had known that it would be ME tasked with taking them down I may have stayed quiet. But now I've made my bed and must accept the ridicule. Thankfully I have thick skin, some sim cash, and some real cash to show for it. We'll be back next season - the West will rise."
-30-