Game Day Notebook - 06.04.24

The Flames had almost everyone accounted for at Saturday’s morning skate, with the fourth and final Battle of Alberta of the season set for primetime on Hockey Night in Canada. Get tickets

Captain Mikael Backlund was absent, and according to Head Coach Ryan Huska will be a game-time decision.

Huska was confident he’d have Backlund’s services at his disposal but notes there are contingency plans in place for the centre position, should Backlund not dress.

“We have a few different options,” Huska told reporters Saturday morning. “My gut says he will (play), but there’s different people that we can use, for sure. There’s Marty (Pospisil), there’s Connor (Zary), we have different options.”

Andrew Mangiapane will miss a fifth straight game, though, as he continues to recover from an undisclosed ailment.

Calgary can even the season series against Edmonton with a win Saturday.

The Oilers come into the contest five points back of the Canucks for first place in the Pacific Division, but Huska refused to concede his team’s role this evening is simply that of spoiler.

“We’re talking about our team, how we have to play,” he said. “We have a Battle of Alberta tonight, and it’s one of the more exciting games that our guys get an opportunity to play in. “

We’re excited to go for this one.”

Zary Draws Back In

After being scratched Thursday in Winnipeg, Connor Zary is expected to dress tonight.

The 22-year-old is tied for the NHL’s rookie lead with a +12 rating, and sits fifth among first-year players with 45 or more games played with a 0.54 points-per-game average.

Huska said Saturday he expects Zary to be one of his better players against the Oilers, adding he’d like to see the same type of energy from the Saskatoon product as he displayed in an eye-popping NHL debut Nov. 1.

“What I would love to see is that energy and fire that we saw when he got his first call-up,” Huska said. “Now I know that’s hard to replicate because that’s something that’s once in a lifetime, but when he’s got that drive about him, where he wants the puck, where he wants to control the play, he’s a really good player.”

Changes On The Blueline

Expect to see one switch in personnel for Calgary’s defence corps from Thursday’s visit to Winnipeg.

Dennis Gilbert is slated to see his first NHL action in almost a month, drawing into the lineup in place of Nikita Okhotiuk.

Earlier this week, Huska praised Gilbert’s work ethic in practices and workouts, and this morning alluded to the difficult nature of having to be ready to step into the lineup after a prolonged absence - often at the drop of a hat.

“Sometimes, that’s a tough job to have, and we’ve had some guys here that are good examples of how to do it the right way,” Huska said. “Michael Stone always comes to my mind, that every time he was called upon in a situation like this, he was ready to play.

“For (Dennis), it’s bringing his best game, and when he does play his best game, he moves the puck quick and he’s a physical player, so that’s what we’ll look for out of him tonight.”