'It Gives You Goosebumps'

In an era defined by windmills, leg drops, and the iconic leap into the tall glass, Rasmus Andersson has taken the icy approach to the modern goal celebration.

“Oh, I saw the video,” laughed fellow blueliner, MacKenzie Weegar. “I'm normally not the biggest fan of the staredown because he leaves his teammates hanging. In fact, I was a victim of it in Nashville one time and I told him if he ever did that to me again, I'm skating right to the bench without you.

“But that was hilarious.

“The guy didn't want any part of it, either. Hey, every guy's different and it suits Rasmus' personality perfectly, so I love it.

“Me? I just get so fired up in the moment. I jump in the air, scream a little bit. The other night I almost fell over, so maybe I’m not the best at it, actually.

“But when you’re kicking off a new season, the adrenaline’s flowing and you could tell what each and every one of those goals the other night meant to us, as a group.”

For the Flames, Wednesday’s west-coast lid-lifter had just about everything you could possibly cram into the primetime slot.

There were goals, fights, an Anthony Mantha Gordie Howe Hat-Trick – and to top it all off, an electric comeback that saw the Flames erase a three-goal deficit and clip the Canucks 6-5 in overtime, courtesy of Connor Zary and that sublime sudden-death strike.

Andersson trimmed the deficit to 4-2 late in the middle frame, before stopping at the half wall and singling out a fan in Row 1 and locking sights.

Then Weegar, with a shade under 12 minutes to play in regulation, knotted the score with a rising shot that beat the goalie bar-down.

It was only the first mile of an 82-game marathon, but the way this plucky visiting side roared back felt … big.

“For our group, we don't even really look at it as a comeback,” Weegar said. “The first period was sort of a wash for us with how it played out. We went into the second period with this mindset that it was a 1-1 game. But obviously, if you do look at it in the big picture, it is a comeback and that gives guys a lot of confidence, knowing – early in the season – that we’re never out of a game.

“We're building off the last two periods and the mentality that we had, the mindset, the compete level. And yes, we faced a little bit of adversity, too, which is big for this group. Overcoming that right off the hop can do much for a team early in a season.”

The Flames, of course, are coming off a 38-win, 81-point campaign that saw them miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

But every October, hope springs eternal – and with a number of new pieces, an exciting crop of youngsters looking to make their mark at this level, and a nucleus of quality vets determined to set the right culture, there’s no telling what lies ahead.

The motivation, though, is firmly rooted in self-belief.

“We try not to let the outside noise come into the locker-room, but there's always a bit of a chip on your shoulder if you come into a new season and are seen as an underdog,” Weegar said. “Everyone has to find their motivation in different ways. And I’ll say, having a chip on your shoulder is a good thing. I like that.”

Now, the Flames will look to parlay that conviction into a strong performance on Saturday, when they open the home portion of their schedule with an 8:20 p.m. puck drop against the Philadelphia Flyers.

It promises to be an unforgettable evening, with the festivities kicking off at 4:30 with red-carpet arrivals and continuing throughout the night before a stunning pregame show begins at 8 o’clock sharp.

On nights like this, the players look forward to the pomp and pageantry as much as the fans do.

And for a ‘man of the people’ like Weegar, it’s really his first opportunity to welcome the fans back and set the tone for the season ahead.

“It’s a fresh start for everyone,” he said. “I missed the C of Red. It was obviously a long summer, so it will be exciting to hear them behind us again. And when your name's introduced and they're all cheering for you, it gives you goosebumps.

“The first few games of the season – and definitely the home opener, because it's such a big one – I always get butterflies in my stomach. Eventually, they calm down.

“But when you hear the crowd, those first few shifts and especially if you start the game, there’s so much emotion packed into it.

“It's chaotic, it's loud.

“So, you've got to stay calm and be present in the moment.”