Last night's pre-season Flames game has to of been one of the best games I've ever experienced in my life. Theo Fleury's improbably comeback to the NHL is still somewhat unlikely, but he got to play his first game after a 6 year absence from this level of Hockey. Every time he touched the puck, the sold out crowd of over 20,000 chanted THEO! THEO!

It was a blast, but truthfully, he was a step behind the younger players. But the moment came when the Flames rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game at 4-4 in the third. The overtime didn't solve anything so to the shootout it went. The crowd went nuts, more THEO! THEO! and finally the time came, the Flame's second shooter would be THEO! The crow erupted and everyone, I MEAN EVERYONE, was standing up and shouting at the top of their lungs. THEO! THEO!

He started skating, and it was like time went into slow mo. Straight for the net he rushed, then dangled left, and then pulled hard right and deked the goalie, past his extended pad and glove hand and into the net. THE CROWD WENT BALLISTIC! you could feel the Saddledome shake! It was like a playoff game! THEO! THEO! THEO! everyone shouted, there were high fives all around, hugs and ever tears. And as the team congratulated Theo on the game winning goal, he took a minute and skated to center ice to thank the crowd for their support.

THEO! THEO! THEO! all the way out of the building. THEO! THEO! THEO! all the way to the parking lot. That night a fallen hometown hero rose again to the stars, and I was so happy that I could be there to experience all the raw emotion and elation. This is how passionate Calgary is about hockey. Couldn't of wrote a better story book ending if we tried.