Andrew Mangiapane was a one-man wrecking ball in Thursday's victory.
In 18:28 of ice time, he had a goal, a team-leading four shots, five individual scoring chances (all from the high-danger areas) and one drawn penalty.
The 24-year-old is now on a four-game point streak (3G, 2A), and as the lifeblood of the vaunted Flames forecheck, others are feeding off his relentless work ethic.
"For sure, they take notice of it," Head Coach Geoff Ward said of the energy he creates. "It gives you a lift.
"We've talked earlier about trying to find ways to generate momentum with no crowds in the building, and that's definitely one of the ways that you can. The guys do take notice of it. You know what you're getting with him every time he's on the ice. He's going to give you a hard compete, he's going to give you hard work in all three zones and he's a very opportunistic player."
Mangiapane, who is often praised for his work in the trenches, wins more puck battles than just about anyone.
At both ends.
But now, he's not only winning them and freeing up space for his linemates, he's taking charge and driving the net like a dog on a bone.
Earlier this year, Mangiapane spoke at length about the sudden surge of confidence he was feeling entering the new season. So, whether it's bombing a shot from the right circle, crashing the paint or mixing it up with the firebrands across centre, it's easy to see why.
He's taken a step.
A big one.
And it was all on display Thursday.
"He's a really good hockey player," Ward said. "I think he's just progressing along his path nicely. We talk to our players about expanding their roles and we challenge them to do that, and he certainly has the last couple years.
"He loves the game and really takes pride in how he prepares and plays, and takes pride in the fact that he can play 200 feet. His confidence is growing by leaps and bounds, and he's an effective player for us.
"When he's out there, he makes things happen."
