A look back at how the Stars and Flames fared against each other

CALGARY, Alberta -- Sometimes, even hockey has a way of throwing a curveball.
Just when it seemed all but certain the Stars were set for a first-round matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, the Arizona Coyotes swiftly changed those plans. They erased a four-goal deficit against Nashville and won 5-4 this past Friday, altering the first round for the Predators and Stars. Had the Preds simply earned a point, they would've locked up the first wild card and faced Calgary.
But here we are.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are a whole different ballgame than the regular season, but if you want to know how the three-game season series between the Stars and Flames unfolded, here's a look back.

Nov. 4, 2021 - Stars 4 at Flames 3 (OT)

The first meeting of the season between the Stars and Flames took place at Scotiabank Saddledome. It was the second game of a three-game road trip through Canada that started with 4-3 shootout loss in Winnipeg and concluded with a 6-3 defeat in Vancouver.
Dallas' game against Calgary marked the sixth time in the first 10 games of the season that went past 60 minutes for the Stars. Jamie Benn scored the game winner with 2:01 remaining in OT to snap the Stars' four-game losing streak.
Anton Khudobin recorded 30 saves to improve his record to 2-1-1.
RELATED: [GAME RECAP | 5 TAKEAWAYS | HEIKA'S TAKE]

Feb. 1, 2022 - Flames 4 at Stars 3

This was a tough one for the Stars to take. They were up by two goals with under five minutes remaining in regulation in front of a lively crowd of 17,567 at American Airlines Center but gave up three in rapid fashion to turn a 3-1 lead into a 4-3 deficit.
In fact, the Stars scored three unanswered themselves with tallies from Joel Hanley, Jason Robertson and Benn, but the Flames responded with two in 37 seconds and a gut-wrenching go-ahead tally with under four minutes remaining in regulation.
Jake Oettinger stopped 36 of 40 shots in the defeat.
RELATED: [GAME RECAP | 5 TAKEAWAYS | HEIKA'S TAKE]

April 21, 2022 - Flames 4 vs. Stars 2

At a time when the Stars really could've used a win, they fell short to cap off a winless three-game road trip through Western Canada. The timing was tough, as the Stars were desperately fighting for their playoff lives. This game served as the one they had in hand on Vegas, who was two points back for the final wild card, with each team only having four games left in the season.
The Stars twice erased one-goal deficits, tying it 1-1 on Robertson's 38th of the season and 2-2 on Luke Glendening's ninth tally of the 2021-22 campaign. However, the Flames answered back with the go-ahead marker with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation.
Oettinger took the loss in a 33-save effort.
RELATED: [GAME RECAP | 5 TAKEAWAYS | HEIKA'S TAKE]
So, will anything from what transpired over those three games carry over into the playoffs? Only time will tell. One interesting thing to point out is that in the two previous postseason matchups between the Stars/North Stars and Flames (2020 First Round & 1981 semifinals), the winner of that series eventually reached the Stanley Cup Final, and each time it was the Stars/North Stars.
This is the 17th postseason appearance since the franchise relocated to Dallas in 1993-94 and the 34th in franchise history. The Stars clinched their spot in the 2022 playoffs with a point earned against the Coyotes in the penultimate game of the season on April 27.
Joe Pavelski is one of 17 active Stars who dressed for the team in the 2020 playoffs. With 119 points in 161 career postseason games, Pavelski ranks first among all-time U.S-born Stanley Cup Playoffs leaders in goals (61), fifth in points, sixth in games played and 11th in assists (58).
Miro Heiskanen holds franchise records for goals (6), assists (20) and points (26) by a defenseman in a single postseason, all set during Dallas' run to the Cup Final in 2020 (27 games). His playoff points-per-game average of 0.75 (eight goals, 22 assists in 40 games) ranks second in franchise history among blueliners with a minimum of 20 games played (first: Brad Maxwell, 0.84 P/GP). Only Colorado's Cale Makar (0.89 P/GP) and San Jose's Erik Karlsson (0.79 P/GP) have a higher rate among active d-men.
Benn also finds himself among franchise leaders in the postseason. The 32-year-old ranks tied for eighth in playoff points (49), tied for ninth in assists (30) and 12th in goals (19).
John Klingberg ranks tied for fifth in postseason assists (27) and ranks sixth in points (34) among Stars/North Stars defensemen. Klingberg and Heiskanen are the highest-scoring pair of defensive teammates in the playoffs since 2019, combining for 60 points in that span. Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak rank second over that span (57 combined points).
As a reminder, the first-round series between the Stars and Flames begins Tuesday and follows a 2-2-1-1-1 format, which means the first two games start in Calgary, Games 3 and 4 are in Dallas and each game from then on alternates, with the Stars hosting Game 6, if necessary.
Game 1 at Calgary
Tuesday, May 3 at 9 p.m. | TV: BSSW, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2
Game 2 at Calgary
Thursday, May 5 at 9 p.m. | TV: BSSW, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, TBS
Game 3 at Dallas
Saturday, May 7 at 8:30 p.m. | TV: BSSW, TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports
Game 4 at Dallas
Monday, May 9 at 8:30 p.m. | TV: BSSW, TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports
Game 5 at Calgary*
Wednesday, May 11 at TBD | TV: TBD
Game 6 at Dallas*
Friday, May 13 at TBD | TV: TBD
Game 7 at Calgary*
Sunday, May 15 at TBD | TV: TBD
\if necessary
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Kyle Shohara is the Digital Manager for DallasStars.com and writes about the Stars/NHL. Follow him on Twitter @kyleshohara.*