Three takeaways as Flames shoot, shoot, shoot en route to win over ...

22 Nov 2024

Calgary Herald

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“I thought he was great,” praised Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “He was competitive. He played with pace. He moved the puck well. Kind of the bigger the game, I feel like you get better games from MacKenzie.”

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Could Weegar be playing big games for Team Canada in a few months?

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Huberdeau thinks he should be. His coach agrees.

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“He can play the game on both sides and he is a competitive, competitive guy, the type of guy that you want in a short tournament like that,” Huska said. “I’m in his corner, for sure.”

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The rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off will be announced Dec. 4.

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FIVE HUNDRED FOR HUBY

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With the primary helper on Zary’s game-winning goal, a touch-pass in the neutral zone, Huberdeau became just the 175th player in NHL history to record 500 career assists.

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It’s only his fifth apple of the season, but this was a biggie. (And with 11 points, he still leads Flames forwards this fall.)

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“It’s pretty cool to be part of, even if it’s just a couple of those,” Zary said. “You have 500 of anything, it’s probably pretty good. To hear that come over the P.A. system, 500 assists, that’s pretty incredible … Obviously a cool moment for us.”

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Huberdeau totalled 415 setups during his decade with the Florida Panthers.

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He has so far added 85 on behalf of the Flames.

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While the 31-year-old left-winger has been a frequent target for criticism in his three campaigns in Calgary, where his production hasn’t matched his paycheques, this milestone moment provides a reminder that he is one of the most gifted playmakers of his generation.

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He’s the third grad of the 2011 NHL Draft to do the dishing on 500 goals, joining Nikita Kucherov and the late Johnny Gaudreau on that list.

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“It’s pretty crazy,” said Weegar, who arrived in the same blockbuster trade that brought Huberdeau to Cowtown. “I hope he can kind of look back and reflect on his career when he hits a milestone like that. It’s pretty impressive — 500 assists. You know, guys dream about even 500 points.

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“It hasn’t been an easy road at times for Huby, so I hope he sits back and maybe has a glass of wine and just enjoys that he got to 500 assists. It’s a pretty special honour. I’m really happy for him.”

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BURY TO BUILD ON

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Zary was due.

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Scratch that … overdue.

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“Yeah, I’ve been feeling that way for a while,” he acknowledged.

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Prior to his third-period snipe against the Rangers, a shot he squeezed into an impossibly small hole over Shesterkin’s short-side shoulder, Zary had just one goal to show for his previous 16 outings.

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If you check his Google history, you’ll probably find numerous searches for a cure for snakebite.

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Nearing the end of his shift, and with a backchecking Kaapo Kakko on his hip, the 23-year-old Zary was simply trying to put that puck on net.

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It was encouraging to see him driving the attack, something that Huska was hopeful would continue when he shifted No. 47 to centre. And it was even more encouraging to see him rewarded for it.

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According to Natural Stat Trick, Zary has generated 31 high-danger chances this season, the second-highest total on the team. You’d think that would result in more than four tallies, his current total.

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“Obviously, that’s just one and you want to keep that going and keep that momentum, but it always feels good to get one in the back of the net,” Zary said. “I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t get frustrating sometimes. I think I’ve had nights where I’ve hit posts or I’ve had four or five opportunities and I’m just not doing enough to kind of finish them off. It’s just one, but it feels good to see it cross the line. It’s a little bit of relief and just keep trying to build on that, game by game. I don’t want to change my game. I just have to bear down and finish on my chances.”

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If you’re wondering who leads the Flames in high-danger chances, that would be centre Nazem Kadri, who’s drained just one in his past dozen dates. He’s due too.

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