'A Bit Of A Bulldog'

His coach describes him as “a bit of a bulldog.”

No doubt, Andrew Mangiapane’s game is showing some bite.

The 27-year-old scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season Wednesday against the Stars, a top-shelf snapshot that, at the time, gave Calgary a 2-1 second-period lead.

It was a goal-scorer’s goal, the type of shot that re-affirms confidence in its taker.

Mangiapane’s 26.7% shooting percentage is 16 points above the league average - per NHL Edge - and up almost three-fold over his total from 2022-23 campaign.

“I’m feeling good,” Mangiapane said after a brisk practice Thursday morning. “For myself, I play with two smart players (Jonathan Huberdeau and Elias Lindholm), they’ll find you in the open spaces.

“So I’m just trying to get open, get the shot off, and get it to the net as much as I can.”

His tenacity has served him well. Each of Mangiapane’s four goals in 2023-24 have come from the middle of the ice, two qualifying as high-danger goals according to NHL Edge.

But those are exactly the types of goals he’s used to scoring, if you ask Head Coach Ryan Huska.

“When he’s around the puck and he goes to the net, he’s usually on the ice and there’s people on top of him,” Huska said following a brisk practice Thursday morning at Scotiabank Saddledome.

“That’s when he’s at his best, and that’s when he gets chances to score.”

Mangiapane has had to scratch and claw for his role in the Flames’ top-six. Undrafted in the Ontario Hockey League, then selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft (in his second go-round), Mangiapane now finds himself a goal away from 100 for his NHL career, something only five other active sixth-round picks can boast on their resumes.

He’s used to fighting for himself, and fighting for space on the ice, and that’s how he figures he can help build chemistry with his linemates.

“I think those two are good, smart hockey players,” he said. “I think me coming in there, just playing my game, being tenacious, hard on pucks, (getting) open; they’ll be able to find (me).”

The next challenge, the next opportunity for success, comes Saturday night against a division rival in Seattle.

A perfect stage for Mangiapane’s 100th goal, along with a couple of points.

“I think our mindset’s just got to be focusing on that one win, getting that under our belt and (going) from there.”