Our long civic nightmare is over.

After a one-year exile into the frozen void of NHL nothingness along with cities like Edmonton and Toronto, playoff hockey returns to Vancouver tonight as the Canucks host the Calgary Flames in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarter-final. Because it’s been nearly two years since a “really” meaningful game was played at Rogers Arena and Canuck fandom has noticeably waned since 2011, we figured a playoff primer was in order.

1. Know the Canucks

The No. 1 line still consists of Henrik Sedin (18 goals, 55 assists this season) centring brother Daniel (20 goals, 56 assists) and Alex Burrows (18 goals, 15 assists). All three enjoyed resurgent seasons after struggling mightily under a former coach who must not be named (VoldeTorts). First-year Canuck Radim Vrbata led the club in goals with 31 and was named team MVP. Happy-go-lucky sophomore Eddie Lack, who took over the starting goaltender’s role when $6-million man Ryan Miller injured his knee on Feb. 22, was terrific down the stretch and will open the playoffs as the team’s No. 1 goaltender.

2. Know thy enemy

It’s been six years since the Calgary Flames last played a playoff game, and the roster has since undergone a complete makeover. They even traded that Iginla guy a few years ago. This year’s Flames shocked a lot of hockey pundits by qualifying for the playoffs. The EA Sports NHL 15 video game predicted the club would finish last overall in a season simulation. Calgary is led by a top line comprised of 20-year-old centre Sean Monahan (31 goals, 31 assists), 21-year-old rookie Johnny (Hockey) Gaudreau (24 goals, 40 assists), and 31-year-old veteran Jiri Hudler (31 goals, 45 assists).

3. History of classics

Every time the Canucks and Flames have met in a first-round series (1982, 1989, 1994 and 2004), the winner has advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. Calgary and Vancouver have met only six times before in the NHL playoffs, but the last three meetings have all been classic seven-game series that were decided in overtime. In 1989, Joel Otto KICKED in the winning goal. And they allowed it. And the Flames won. In 1994, Pavel Bure scored the winning goal — WITH HIS STICK! — in double-overtime. In 2004, current Flames assistant coach Martin Gelinas, a former Canuck turned dirty-rotten traitor, potted the Game 7 winner for Calgary.

4. Most famous Canuck fan

There are a few famous cheerleaders to choose from, but none are as passionate — or as occasionally critical — as crooner Michael Bublé. Bublé has practised with the Canucks, helped call games in the broadcast booth, and even raked former coach Alain Vigneault over the coals in a 2009 piece in The Vancouver Sun. Actors Ryan Reynolds, Pam Anderson and Cobie Smulders are also devout Canuck fans.

5. Most-famous Flames fan

Vancouver, being Hollywood North, has the big edge in this category although Calgary-raised wrestler Bret (The Hitman) Hart, film director Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain) and Richard Dean Anderson of MacGyver fame, have all pledged allegiance to the Flames at one time or another.