Vets ready for game action … Prosvetov, Cooley in goal … New linemates for Kadri
The Flames held a well-attended optional morning skate at the Scotiabank Saddledome ahead of Wednesday’s preseason matchup against the Canucks.
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As much as the Flames veterans have taken advantage of their practice time over the past couple of weeks, there’s nothing quite like testing your mettle against live opposition.
Both Calgary and Vancouver are expected to ice NHL-esque rosters this evening and for MacKenzie Weegar, the time is nigh to get a final tune-up or two in before the regular season opener in Edmonton Oct. 8.
“We practiced enough there over the course of a couple weeks,” Weegar said Wednesday morning. “I think the older guys, the guys that have been sitting out are itching to get back in there and start playing some good hockey games.
“I think our last practice there, a couple of the older guys looked a little cranky. So they can be a little cranky towards another team tonight.”
“I mean, that’s what they’re meant for,” Nazem Kadri added when asked about these final two exhibition games. “It’s nice that we got a nice schedule in terms of having the last couple at home.
“Just being able to experiment a little bit and try to find, you know, some kind of chemistry to start the season.”
Ivan Prosvetov was in the starter’s crease Wednesday morning, a day after head coach Ryan Huska said both he and Devin Cooley would share duties between the pipes against the Canucks.
And with Dustin Wolf set to get the nod in Friday’s exhibition finale against the Jets, Huska admits tonight’s game is one more opportunity for Prosvetov and Cooley to show why either one of them should start the regular season as Wolf’s running mate.
“They’re very close in stature, they’re close in everything, the two of them,” Huska said of Prosvetov and Cooley. “One guy may be a little bit more composed in their net than the other at times, the other guy’s maybe a little bit more athletic. When we when we try to make decisions on goaltenders, we do a lot of talking with Jordan (Sigalet) and Jason (LaBarbera), Skapper (Mackenzie Skapski), they’re the guys that really understand the position
“For coaches when you’re trying to decide on goaltenders, it’s more of a feel around the room and how a player fits in, and what we think that’d be like as an a partner to Dustin. So there’s tough decisions for sure.”
Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau were a fixture on Calgary’s top line a season ago but tonight, they’ll be split up in a move Huska hopes will create new forward options once the regular season begins.
Kadri will centre a unit with Joel Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich, while Huberdeau will occupy one of Morgan Frost’s wings, with Matt Coronato on the opposite side.
For Kadri – who has played with Sharangovich in the past – tonight’s game offers the trio a chance to test things out before the chips start to fall for real in seven days’ time.
“I’ve always embraced the challenge,” said Kadri. “Beezer and Sharky are both great players, and obviously, you know, the more reps, the better.
“Tonight’s going to be a great test run and, you know, I like their game. So I think we should gel pretty well.”
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