1. The Great Outdoors
The air is crisp, there’s late-autumn snow on the ground, and the Flames and Oilers are set to contest the Battle of Alberta for the first time this season.
And they’ll be doing it outside for the first time ever.
Calgary landed in the Alberta capital Friday evening, and players and staff got a feel for their Commonwealth Stadium surroundings Saturday night ahead of the 38th outdoor game in NHL history.
But as special as the atmosphere is expected to be, there are two valuable points up for grabs too, for a pair of Alberta sides looking to end the month of October on a happy note, not to mention provincial bragging rights.
It’s the type of game that creates its own adrenaline, something Head Coach Ryan Huska hopes his players will take advantage of when the puck hits the playing surface just after 5 pm.
“This is a pretty special event for these guys to be a part of,” Huska told reporters before his team headed north Friday. “They’ll be excited about it; there’s going to be a lot of energy and a lot of emotion on both sides, for sure.”
The Flames, like their Alberta counterparts, will don special Heritage uniforms for the contest, with some players taking advantage of the old-time feel with special wraps on their sticks.
According to Huska, though, there’s a happy medium between enjoying the moment, and staying focused on the task at hand.
“It’s another game, it’s an important game, but it’s different in the sense that you may never get this chance again,” he said. "Without a doubt, you want to enjoy your moments while you’re at the rink, but recognize that this is a game where two points are on the line.
“That’s the most important thing.”
