1988 – 89 Calgary Flames season The 1988 – 89 Calgary Flames season was the 9th National Hockey League season in Calgary . The Flames once again dominated the regular season , capturing their second consecutive Presidents ' Trophy as the NHL ' s top regular season club , dropping only four games at home all year . The Flames capped off the season by capturing their first Stanley Cup championship , defeating the Montreal Canadiens in six games . In doing so , the Flames became the only visiting team to defeat the Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup at the Montreal Forum . Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP , and at 31 points , became the first defenceman to lead the NHL in post - season scoring . The win also gave Flames co - owner , Sonia Scurfield , the distinction of being the first ( and remains the only ) Canadian woman to have her name engraved on Lord Stanley ’ s Cup . Calgary ' s only serious challenge in the playoffs came in the first round against the Vancouver Canucks . The Canucks , who finished 43 points behind the Flames , took Calgary to overtime of the seventh game of the Smythe Division semi - final before the Flames finally eliminated their Western Canadian rival . Goaltender Mike Vernon ' s glove save off a Stan Smyl partial breakaway in overtime of the seventh game remains a defining moment in Flames history . Calgary would sweep the Los Angeles Kings to win the Smythe Division title , before defeating the Chicago Blackhawks in five games to win their second Clarence S . Campbell Bowl . Lanny McDonald , the sentimental favourite to win the Cup , scored the go - ahead goal for the Flames in the clinching game , giving the Flames a lead they would not relinquish . McDonald , who scored his 500th career goal , and 1000th point during the season , announced following the season that he was retiring a champion after 16 seasons in the National Hockey League . McDonald would be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame three years later . The off - season also featured the surprising retirement of former 50 - goal scorer Hakan Loob , who announced during the season that he had chosen to return to his native Sweden so that his son could grow up in his homeland . On the flip side , however , Soviet star Sergei Pryakhin played three games with the Flames in 1988 – 89 . Pryakhin was the first player from the Soviet national team to ever be permitted by the Soviet government to play in the NHL , helping to pave the way for the " European invasion " of the NHL that would follow . Joe Mullen captured his second Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly conduct , while also being named an NHL First Team All - Star . Al MacInnis and Mike Vernon were named to the Second All - Star team . Four players represented the Flames at the 1989 All - Star Game : Gary Suter and Joe Nieuwendyk joined Mullen and Vernon on the Campbell Conference squad . Player stats . Skaters . " Note : GP = Games played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; PIM = Penalty minutes " Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Calgary . Stats reflect time with the Flames only . Traded mid - season Bold / italics denotes franchise record Goaltenders . " Note : GP = Games played ; TOI = Time on ice ( minutes ) ; W = Wins ; L = Losses ; OT = Overtime / shootout losses ; GA = Goals against ; SO = Shutouts ; GAA = Goals against average " Transactions . The Flames were involved in the following transactions during the 1988 – 89 season . Draft picks . Calgary ' s picks at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft , held in Montreal , Quebec .