The Battle of Alberta is one of the NHL’s most storied and intense rivalries. It pits the Calgary Flames against the Edmonton Oilers in a clash of provincial pride and hockey prowess. In an interesting post in The Hockey News today, Avry Lewis-McDougall shared some of the interesting and key points about the more than 40-year battle. In total, there have been 265 regular-season games since the Flames’ relocation from Atlanta to Calgary in 1980. This rivalry has produced a ton of memorable moments and many heated exchanges on the ice.
In his post, Lewis-McDougall shared some of the historic and active leaders who have left their mark on this iconic matchup.
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Most Goals in the Battle of Alberta
When it comes to the Battle of Alberta, few players on either team are better than Jarome Iginla and Wayne Gretzky have been. Iginla was the face of the Flames franchise for many seasons. He scored an impressive 34 goals in 89 games against the Oilers. On the other side of the ice, although not during the same era, the Oilers’ legendary superstar Gretzky scored a staggering 47 goals in just 62 games. He terrorized Flames goaltenders.
In the current era, Mikael Backlund leads the Flames with 16 goals in 60 games, while Connor McDavid has emerged as Edmonton’s goal-scoring dynamo with 29 goals in 39 games. McDavid, who is no slouch himself, is poised to challenge Gretzky’s record.
Most Points in the Battle of Alberta
Al MacInnis and (once again) Wayne Gretzky are the reigning leaders in the Battle of Alberta when it comes to total points. MacInnis, a Hall of Fame defenseman, was known for his booming slapshot and offensive power. He totaled an impressive 89 points in 75 games for the Flames. Amazingly, Gretzky put up a whopping 139 points in just 62 games for the Oilers.
In the present day, Mikael Backlund again leads the Flames with 44 points in 60 games, while Leon Draisaitl leads the Oilers with 55 points in 42 games. (That includes Draisaitl’s dominant playoff performance in 2022.)
Most Penalty Minutes in the Battle of Alberta
The Battle of Alberta has never been short on physicality. Flames tough guy Jim Peplinski and Oilers Tough Guy Kevin McClelland are examples of the gritty nature of this rivalry. Peplinski accumulated 312 penalty minutes in 69 games for the Flames. In his day, he engaged in fierce face-to-face battles with Oilers tough guys such as Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley. McClelland collected 313 penalty minutes in 44 games for the Oilers. He, too, was a formidable on-ice enforcer.
In the current era, Mikael Backlund (yet once again) leads the Flames with 40 penalty minutes in 60 games, while Darnell Nurse leads the Oilers with 47 penalty minutes in 38 games.
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Most Goalie Wins and Losses in the Battle of Alberta
In the battle of the goalies, Miikka Kiprusoff and Grant Fuhr emerge as the winningest goalies in the Battle of Alberta. Kiprusoff backstopped the Flames to 33 victories in 49 games, while Fuhr led the Oilers to 21 wins in 48 games. Both goalies were dominant between the pipes.
On the flip side, new Hall of Famer Mike Vernon and Bill Ranford top the list for goaltender losses.
Most Goalie Shutouts in the Battle of Alberta
Once again, Miikka Kiprusoff and Tommy Salo hold the records for the most shutouts in the Battle of Alberta. Kiprusoff posted three shutouts in 49 games for the Flames. In comparison, Salo registered two shutouts in 27 games for the Oilers. Both showed their ability to stymie their opponent’s offense and secure victories for their respective teams.
The Battle of Alberta Is on for Tonight
As the Battle of Alberta continues to evolve, these historic and active leaders show the intensity and competitiveness of this historic rivalry. With each matchup, the Flames and Oilers add new stories to their history. No pun intended, the two teams will fuel the “Flames” of the rivalry once again tonight.
It should be a good game.
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