These are the type of outings Calgary Flames fans could get used to watching.
The kind where the club’s bevy of youngsters step up to try staking their claim on big league jobs.
Facing a far more experienced Kraken team in Seattle on Sunday, the Flames opened the pre-season with an energetic, physical brand of hockey that included a handful of notable performances.
Those who didn’t watch might think Dustin Wolf’s 33-save effort was the story in a 6-1 win, or that Matt Coronato’s goal and two assists stole the show from Adam Klapka’s pair of snipes.
While those efforts, and productive outings from Clark Bishop (1G, 1A) and Sam Honzek (two helpers), were instrumental, it was the Flames’ group of relatively inexperienced defencemen who stole the show.
A look at the pairings:
Jake Bean-Brayden Pachal
This could very likely be the team’s third pairing to open the season, as Bean is a lock in the top six, while Pachal’s claim on the sixth spot likely hinges on him doing exactly what he did all night Sunday: crush opponents.
The 25-year-old Pachal led the game with a whopping eight hits, which included two monster blasts in the first to set the tone in a mismatch that saw the Flames outhit the host Kraken 52-26.
The Flames want to be a tough team to play against, and that’s exactly the type of physical dominance the team needs more of.
Pachal and Bean both had an assist and were plus-3, while Bean led all Flames with 21:50 of ice time. Pachal was second at 20:02.
Artem Grushnikov-Zayne Parekh
“Gru,” as he’s known, is a stay-at-home type defender who was the key return in the Chris Tanev trade. He offers up a nice counter to Parekh, who put on display his world-class passing ability while demonstrating his penchant for jumping up in the play a few times.
Grushnikov had seven hits and was roundly applauded for stepping up to fight Tucker Robertson in the second period after the Kraken forward issued a questionable hit on William Stromgren.
Parekh hit the post in the second with a great release.
Jeremie Poirier-Hunter Brzustewicz
A fascinating pairing of two, offensive-minded defencemen who held their own defensively all night, both finishing plus-2.
Poirier had an assist and converted an incredible pass from Matt Coronato in the second period to put the Flames up 4-0, while Brzustewicz exhibited plenty of solid play at both ends and spent time running the power play and anchoring the penalty kill.
The second of Brzustewicz’s two assists was a beauty, threading a pass up to a streaking Matt Coronato, who made a beauty feed to Martin Frk for the finish.
“I will say that he’s fitting in really well,” said coach Ryan Huska of the man he and everyone else calls “Bru.”
“He reminds me of a young Rasmus Andersson, if there’s a comparison, where they both have poise to their game.
“They often see the next option through the first option. I’ve been really impressed with the way he’s played. He’s one guy that comes to the top of my head right now.”
The praise comes following a solid showing at the prospects tourney in Penticton, where he was the Flames’ best blue liner.
At 19 years of age, the OHL’s assists leader from a year earlier (with 79) will play a prominent role with the Wranglers, with a chance to get a game or two with the big boys if all goes well.
NOTES: Kevin Bahl, who was acquired in the Jacob Markstrom trade this summer, has yet to hit the ice in camp due to a lower-body injury. Huska said the six-foot-six, 230-pound blue liner is expected to start skating again any day. … The Flames host Edmonton on Monday night for a split squad game that will also see the Flames send a crew to Edmonton.
LINES
Pelletier-Rooney-Hunt
Coronato-Schwindt-Frk
Stromgren-Morton-Gridin
Honzek-Bishop-Klapka
Bean-Pachal
Grushnikov-Parekh
Poirier-Brzustewicz
Wolf (Starter)
Murphy