The Calgary Flames have began their Young Stars Classic experience in a very typical way: a split. They lost to Edmonton and then beat Vancouver. With one game left at the event against the Winnipeg Jets prospects, they can live up to the immortal words of Meat Loaf with a victory: two outta three ain’t bad.
The action begins at 11:30 a.m. MT and is being streamed on the Flames site and carried live on Sportsnet 960 The Fan.
The Flames
The Baby Flames lost 4-2 to Edmonton but trounced Vancouver 6-2 on Sunday. They’re facing a Jets club that has won zero games and been out-scored 7-2, and will probably be interested in preserving some dignity.
Lines from Pat Steinberg:
Brett Pollock [60] – Brad Morrison [84] – Matthew Phillips [47]
Dillon Dube [59] – Glenn Gawdin [80] – Spencer Foo [15]
Mark Rassell [50] – Ben Hawerchuk [97] – Hunter Smith [71]
Sam Dove-McFalls [89] – Adam Ruzicka [63] – Zack Fischer [48]
Juuso Valimaki [42] – Rasmus Andersson [54]
Josh Healey [85] – Kayle Doetzel [43]
Adam Ollas-Mattsson [68] – Tyson Helgesen [78]
Mason McDonald starts. No Tyler Parsons, as per Wes Gilbertson he’s nursing a minor injury so he’s out for precautionary reasons. Also, no D’Artagnan Joly (at all) and Mark Jankowski and Andrew Mangiapane get the morning off. Keep an eye on Glenn Gawdin, who’s asserting himself rather well.
The Jets
Winnipeg lost 4-2 to Vancouver and 3-0 to Edmonton, so they’re just hoping to have a good showing today and be in some way competitive.
Jets lines from Sunday:
Skyler McKenzie – Jansen Harkins – Mason Appleton
Francis Beauvillier – Tyler Boland – Michael Spacek
Cristiano DiGiancinto – Kody McDonald – Kameron Kielly
Mathieu Sevigny – Kristian Reichel – Jordy Stallard
Logan Stanley – Leon Gawanke
Sami Niku – Luke Green
Michael Webster – Antoine Crete-Belzile
Mikhail Berdin and Jamie Phillips have each gotten a full game in, so theoretically the Flames will see Cole Kehler in net. Tucker Poolman is expected to play his first game of the pre-preseason in a pairing with Jake Kulevich, but it’s unclear which two blueliners will rotate out for them. Keep an eye on Kristian Reichel, son of Flames cult hero Robert Reichel – who was an offensive dynamo in the 1990s.
History Lesson
The Flames have beaten Winnipeg at the Young Stars Classic in each of the last three years. Prior to that, the tournament’s format was a little bit different so they didn’t play each other.
Sum It Up
The Flames are trying to come home with a winning record, and are facing the only team in Penticton with zero wins.
Meatloaf reference!!! That’s why FN writers are the best.
IMO Meatloaf didn’t really become cool until Fight Club.
Meat Loaf was already a legend 20 years before Fight Club.
Meatloaf has always been cool!
Question: What’s the lowest form of music? Answer: Meat Loaf.
What has nine arms and sucks?
DefLeppard, lol.
Anything driven digitally,which isn’t even music, but many people think it is.
Meatloaf is not a form of music.
I hope Gawdin ends up in Stockton. And I hope they assign Fischer to Stockton, which should also end the Hunter Smith experiment, as Fischer can actually skate, score, make plays, and is not afraid of anyone. Stockton’s Ferland, perhaps? Also good to see Pollock showing some skill. I think he’s looked good, both games (didn’t see the second, but most of you call out his improved skating).
I’d actually like to see Fischer given a shift or two w/Mangiapane and Jankowski.
Like that they are giving Foo different linemates. Let’s see what he can do without Mangiapane and Jankowski.
I just watched Smith’s “tilt” with LaPlante – LaPlante who is listed at 6’0″… Smith took some clean shots. Couldn’t stop LaPlante.
Not a good sign…
Dube looking good. Gawdin on the line w/Foo. Probably good sign, for Gawdin. They like what they see, perhaps (they’d be blind not to like what they see in Gawdin).
Gawdin’s solid.
Any idea why St Louis didn’t sign him?
Never really became “public”. And it is strange, as there were comparisons to Paul Stastny from people who covered the Blues back then. I bet he gets a chance at the main camp. And should.
I’ve been critical of the possible over-hype of Foo, but he seems to be able to slot in quick with different linemates. Versatility always helps a prospect – and he does seem to have good hands.
Ollas-Mattsson looks quite “soft” and indecisive.
(Fischer draws another penalty!)
It’s nice to be able to watch morning hockey in my office! They should have more morning games…
Good to see Andersson shoot the puck more. Think he will be wearing a letter in Stockton this year. From watching these 3 games, his game has elevated from last year. Guess that last month of the year spent in Calgary has done the young man some help.
The video of Andersson between periods shows he’s a bit of a yapper, and seems to yap to his teammates, so I could see him wearing a letter on the farm, as well.
Started watching after the first. Game is really sloppy today for the Flames and the defense are constantly out of position other than Valamaki.
Healey’s looked okay. Macdonald’s had little help, at times. Penalties killing us…
Fischer continues to impress. Foo’s been quiet, since the first. Dube’s stood out, as well – he and Gawdin seem to have some “chemistry”.
No one else stands out positively. Smith has looked poor once again. And Ollas-Mattsson makes some soft, bad passes. No zip on some of them.
Andersson plays with some grit. I like that.
Looking at the starting line-up you knew this was going to be a tough game. Gawdin hasn’t really impressed to me any of the games. After the first they moved him down and put Phillips on that line with Dube centering. Phillips hasn’t looked great either but has a bit of zip. Foo and Dube look like they’ve just been thrown together and not much chemistry.
Other observations is Macdonald started strong but then lost track of the puck in the crease for two goals, so, not great. Smith and Doetzal played a lot more than usual and although the later was ok, neither great. Coach seeming to want to give a bunch of guys a chance to show something, but outside of Foo, Dube and Anderson not too much happening today. It was a snooze fest after the first, which was actually good ’cause I needed the nap…..
I thought Harrison Ruopp was better than Kale Doetzal yesterday in the shutdown role. How or why Doetzel made the AHL club over Stepan Falkovsky last year, I’ll never understand.
“big hit thrown by zach healy”… whoever this commentator is, he should be banned
Mason McDonald – the worst goalie to be picked by the flames in the last 15 years
Hmmmm. A Huska coached team that doesn’t play a complete game? I know I sound like the Great WW, but facts are facts.
Right on the money.
Players trying to make a team should have enough inspiration to play a complete game. A few did. Some didn’t. Some never showed up. Coaching is a factor. But so is the player. I’ve played on teams w/horrible coaches. You still “just giver”.
Omg really?
Not sure what is worse, the strange suck-up to WW, or the comments about a “Huska coached team” 🤔🤣😂
The Flames really missed Mark Jankowski and Andrew Mangiapane, I think this loss to a weaker team like Winnipeg (0-2 heading into this game) highlights that.
I guess we aren’t signing Jagr, they gave his number to AOM!! 🙂