The Farm Report - 07.02.24

Let the second half begin.

After seven straight games away from the Scotiabank Saddledome prior to the AHL All-Star break, the Wranglers are finally back at home as they get set to host the San Diego Gulls on Friday and Saturday.

It was a tough road trip, as the Wranglers picked up just two wins in seven games (2-4-0-1), however, they finished the trip on a positive note with a 3-1 victory against the Ontario Reign on Feb. 3.

Calgary currently sits third in the Pacific Division standings with a 24-14-3-1 record and 52 points.

Upcoming Games

• 9 vs. San Diego
• 10 vs. San Diego
• 13 vs. Manitoba
• 14 vs. Manitoba

Successful All-Star Weekend

The Wranglers sent three representatives to the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic, held Feb. 4-5 in San Jose, and the trio did not disappoint, as Dustin Wolf, Matt Coronato and head coach Trent Cull were integral in helping the Pacific Division capture their second consecutive all-star title.

Coronato skated in his first AHL All-Star event, scoring a pair of goals and notching the shootout-winner that propelled the Pacific team into the finals.

Wolf participated in his second AHL All-Star Classic and - like every other goaltender present - was under siege throughout the 3-on-3 event, but he made timely saves, especially in the shootout to help preserve the victory for the Pacific Division.

Cull was named as head coach for the Pacific Division and showed calculated creativity in how and when he utilized his star-studded lineup, even successfully pulling his goaltender(s) multiple times,.

Ultimately, he had a blast behind the bench.

“It was just fun,” he said about the experience. “I'm very lucky to be here because of the team that I coach and then to come here and coach the Pacific group, the kids were great.”

"It was exciting, we were pulling goalies and getting late goals and some shootout action, so it was awesome."

Coronato Hitting His Stride

Coronato looked like a man possessed in the last few games leading up to the break.

The Flames’ 2021 first-round pick (13^th Overall) suited up for the Wranglers in the final three games of the road trip after rejoining the group from the big club on Jan. 31.

As mentioned, Coronato appeared extra motivated in his return from the NHL and was an undeniable presence on the ice.

He averaged 4.25 shots per game while notching three assists in the three-game span.

Not only is he producing on offence, but the 21-year-old rookie showed some added grit when he dropped his mitts Saturday with Ontario forward Brandt Clarke for the first scrap of his young pro career.

Coronato currently leads the Wranglers in scoring this season with 32 points (12g, 20a) in 30 games, and two game-winning tallies to his credit.

One-Timers

• Jakob Pelletier, Kevin Rooney and Cole Schwindt were all recalled by the Flames on Feb 4.
• Adam Klapka has three points (1g,2a) in three games since being reassigned from the Flames.
• Will Riedell was in the lineup on Feb. 3 against the Reign in his first game with the Wranglers since Jan.1.
• Dustin Wolf (18-7-2-4) is T-3^rd in the AHL with 18 wins, has the second highest Sv% at 0.927 and is fifth in GAA at 2.27.

Quotables

Wolf on his AHL All-Star experience:

"It's awesome, the crowd is electric and obviously it was good for the Pacific Division to win on the west coast. These are one-of-a-kind events to take part in ... super happy to be here."

Coronato on taking part in his first AHL All-Star weekend:

"It was a lot of fun. We had a good group ... started off with two ties but we made the push late and it was a lot of fun."