'The Sky's The Limit'

EDMONTON – A proclamation like this comes with the usual bit of caution:

It’s early.

But with a combined 12 points in two games – including a team-leading five from Jonathan Huberdeau – something special could be brewing in the Flames forward ranks.

“I don't know if it's better for him or for me,” laughed Anthony Mantha, who patrols the opposite wing with Martin Pospisil down the middle. “Look, if that guy (Huberdeau) is 100% confident, the sky's the limit. We all saw it a couple years ago when he put up all those points in Florida.”

One hundred and fifteen of them, in fact.

Indeed, Huberdeau looks like a man possessed right now, bowling his way to the dirty areas and netting the ‘greasy’ goals that typically do boost a man’s confidence.

But here, in the age of Flames hockey where scoring by committee could be a central theme, it’s been a total team effort with chemistry budding from all edges.

Pospisil is getting his first look at centre, notching a pair of primary helpers on both of Huberdeau’s tallies and winning 54.5% of his draws in a 6-3 win last night over the Flyers.

And the newcomer, Mantha?

The fellow Quebecor and longtime pal of Huberdeau has added both finesse and much-needed snarl to the Flames’ forecheck, which ultimately helped create the opening marker in Saturday’s home-opening victory.

This, after putting up a Gordie Howe Hat-Trick in his Flames debut this past Wednesday.

“One, he's got a skill-set that he's capable of making plays,” Head Coach Ryan Huska said of the first-year Flame. “Two, I think it's the size and his ability to hold onto and protect pucks. When they do have it in the offensive zone and he's moving his feet, he's a lot to handle. Whether you're a big defenceman or a small defenceman, he's a challenge. He has the ability to help control the play a little bit with those guys and when you factor in the size, he's a harder guy to play against.

“The key with him is making sure his feet are moving. And when he does move his feet, as we've seen for good stretches of these first two games, he's a really good player.”

For Mantha, this is the exact scenario that drew him to Calgary in the first place.

In his initial conversations with Flames brass back on July 1, the hope was that he and Huberdeau would find some of that instant chemistry that’s made so many of the NHL’s best lines pop.

That it would work this well, this early, and that he would have a goal and three points to his name already is a boon for both player and team.

“They wanted me to play with him and see if we could get some chemistry going and maybe a 'French Connection' like they called it (with the Buffalo Sabres) back in the day,” Mantha said. “Obviously, when they offered that, right away ... it was a no-brainer.

“And here we are now.

“It’s great.

“I think that makes us work as a line is that we all bring something a bit different, but it complements each other well. You've got one of the best passers in the world on that line in Huby. And then with Pospy, his work ethic is unbelievable.

“I remember early in camp when Pospy was our centreman and Huby told me to watch this guy work. He said, 'He's going to get those pucks back for us.' And that's exactly what he does and how he plays. He's obviously a good player, but he works so hard that it must be so hard, so frustrating to play against, and I find that creates room for everyone else on the ice.”

So far, the results certainly back that up.

Last night against Philly, the Huberdeau, Mantha and Pospisil unit led all forward groups with a 63.64% possession rate, while earning a 5-2 edge in scoring chances, along with a 3-0 clip in high-danger opportunities.

In other words, this isn’t a sign of a trio riding unsustainable finishing stats.

Rather, it’s evidence of a line that comes at their opponent in waves.

“For everyone, I think it started early in camp," Mantha said. "We had a couple of games with six goals that not only loosens everybody up, but gives guys confidence. Like, yes, you're working hard and doing the right things, but the results are there, too.

“It's comforting when you get that, and for your confidence, it's huge.

“Not everyone is going to be 100% at their best every night, but if one guy’s a bit off, you can trust that the other two guys are going to step up so everyone succeeds.

“We have that right now.

“And that’s how good lines in this league work.”