Daniel Ruddy was a bit happier than most of the hockey fans on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver Saturday night.

His Calgary Flames had just come back from an early three-goal deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 7-4 and advance to the next round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“It was a hard-fought series by both teams, and I think the fans enjoyed it,” he told CTV News. “Calgary came out on top, so I’m happy about that.”

Ruddy was wearing a Flames jersey and riding his bicycle down the street. He said Canucks fans had mostly left him alone after the game, despite the difficult loss for their team.

“I’ve had a couple people come by me and say a couple comments,” he said. “I like to ask how many cups they’ve got. It usually ends pretty fast. It’s all in good fun.”

“I get to rub salt in the wounds just for tonight, and then maybe tomorrow I’ve got to be a little more respectful,” Ruddy said. “I don’t want anybody to, like, hit me, or anything.”

Canucks fan Byron Lavery was also on Granville Street Saturday night. He said the game was exciting, right up until the end.

Lavery said he was confident going into the third period.

“I thought we were going to win another game, definitely.”

And now?

“I’m optimistic about next year,” he said. “We’re due. Our time’s coming.”

That doesn’t mean he’ll be cheering for the Flames to advance further this year, though. Canucks fan Sam Jandel said she and the other people watching the game with her enforced a no-Canadian-solidarity rule, at least for Calgary.

“Everyone that’s cheering for the Flames, we kicked them off our table,” she said.

Matt Stajan scored the winner for Calgary in the third period, while Michael Ferland and Jiri Hudler each added a pair of goals. Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau also chipping in.

Luca Sbisa, Brandon McMillan, Jannik Hansen and Radim Vrbata had goals for the Canucks.

With files from The Canadian Press