Flames, Bruins back to work at China Games

BEIJING -- The Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins were back on the ice Monday.

Twenty-four hours after visiting the Great Wall of China, the teams, here for the
2018 O.R.G. NHL China Games
, practiced at AZ Sports Ice Club ahead of their second game of the trip at Cadillac Arena on Wednesday (7:30 a.m. ET; NBCSN, SN).
"It's nice to get back on the ice and start getting her going here," Flames goalie Mike Smith said. "I think we're all thankful we got to skate today."
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Boston was originally scheduled to practice at 11 a.m. local time (China Standard Time) and the Flames at 1 p.m. at AZ Sports Ice Club on Monday. They instead practiced at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively because their equipment was delayed coming from Shenzhen.
"You've just gotta roll with it," Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic said.
They did by using their extra time to visit some Beijing landmarks.
Several Bruins players went to the Silk Market and bartered for items. The Flames had a group of players go to Tiananmen Square. Forwards Derek Ryan and Anthony Peluso went to the Pearl Market to get gifts for loved ones at home.
Then they got on the ice and got to work.
"I think it was good because the guys were planning on going to the market anyway, they had all talked about it," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "They were going to go in the afternoon, so we flipped it. They were out of the hotel and I don't want to say immersing themselves in the culture, but it is something that a lot of the tourists do here so they were able to do that and it didn't upset us too much because we knew right away that we wouldn't be on until 4.
"At least they knew we were on a schedule, it just wasn't the one we originally thought."
Hamonic said perspective for both teams is important. They left Shenzhen late Saturday after the Bruins' 4-3 shootout win in the first of two preseason games here. The weather was clear when they left.

Hours later, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and most of southern China was hit by super typhoon Mangkhut.
"In the big scheme of things, our gear didn't get here on time but a lot of people in this area were dealing with a lot more major things than hockey gear not showing up," Hamonic said. "In the midst of being frustrated by our gear, you can really take a step back and say, 'Wow, there are a lot of bigger things going on.'
"A little speedbump for us but it puts things in perspective a little bit. At the same time for us, grateful we could get out, get our gear and get rolling on the ice here."
They did Monday, with each team using nearly the entire allotted two hours of ice time they had to get their work in. They'll each be back on the ice again Tuesday, with the Flames scheduled to practice at 10 a.m. CST at Cadillac Arena and the Bruins at 11 at AZ Sports Ice Club.
Flames coach Bill Peters said he offered his players the option of pushing their practice back Tuesday because of how late they skated Monday, but he said they all seemed eager to get back on the ice quickly.
Calgary will have a morning skate Wednesday. The Bruins are currently planning to have only their extras skate in the morning. The teams will head back to North America immediately after the game to join teammates who didn't make the trip and continue to prepare for the start of the NHL regular season on Oct. 3.
"Every team is looking for that early in the season, the consistent part of it," Smith said. "We've had a little bit of adversity in that department to start camp, but it is what it is. We can't really do anything about it so hopefully the trainers got a wrap on all the gear and we keep pushing this thing forward."