When last spotted, around 9:30 Saturday morning, Tyler Parsons was stuffing his goaltending gear into a car in the Scotiabank Saddledome's D Parking Lot.

One of seven players reassigned to Stockton, Calif., and the American Hockey League's Heat.

Initially, at any rate.

Whether tomorrow. Or Tuesday. Next week. The week after.

The clock, Dillon Dube understands, is ticking.

Maybe he can't stop time outright but his avowed mission in life at the moment is to slow the hands of the clock down as much as is humanly possible, to put a drag on the inevitable; to turn seconds into minutes, minutes into hours into days.

Anything to prolong the experience.

The Calgary Flames announced today that they have assigned seven players to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Stockton Heat: Austin Carroll (RW), Josh Healey (LD), Oliver Kylington (LD), Andrew Mangiapane (LW), Adam Ollas Mattsson (LD), Tyler Parsons (G) and Colby Robak (LD).

Calgary has 40 players remaining at training camp (4x goalies, 10x defencemen, 26x forwards).

So far, the thatch of facial foliage, that Deep Woods Off, Alberta lumberjack look, seems to suit Sam Bennett.

Monday, he took a few decisive swings of his custom-made composite axe, then stood back and yelled "Timmmmmmber!" as the Arizona Coyotes were toppled in pre-season.

Be sure that this bearded Bennett will be cutting down more, bigger trees in the months to come.

That's more like it.

The Flames beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 Friday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, registering their first pre-season win in exciting fashion.

The newly formed line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sam Bennett, and Micheal Ferland shone, as Gaudreau scored twice, Ferland once, and Bennett registered three assists. Sean Monahan did not dress for the game.

Mark Jankowski also scored for the Flames.

Matthew Tkachuk is making progress.

And that's welcome news for Flames fans.

The sophomore winger has been sidelined since the start of camp with a minor hip issue but took part in Friday's morning skate prior to an evening pre-season tilt against the Arizona Coyotes at the Scotiabank Saddledome (7 p.m., Live stream at CalgaryFlames.com with regional restrictions, Sportsnet 960 The FAN).

Another opportunity to make a boffo impression. Never a bad thing.

"Getting in the lineup again,'' says Mark Jankowski, hours away from making his third pre-season start, this evening against the Arizona Coyotes, "is fine by me.

"You want every opportunity to show your best self. And if you're given those opportunities, it's up to you deliver.

"So far, I think it's gone pretty well. There are lots of things to work on, to improve on, obviously.

"But you can't over-think things. I've put a lot of time, the same as everybody else in here, to put myself in the best position to succeed.

"Now's the time to trust in yourself, trust in your game."

As per this morning's skate at the Scotiabank Saddledome, here are the Flames' projected lines, defence pairings and goaltenders for this evening's game vs. the Arizona Coyotes:

The Flames have released their game group for Friday evening's tilt against the Arizona Coyotes.

Projected lines and defence pairings will be posted following today's morning skate at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Over the course of his career, Mike Smith has dressed for 474 regular seasons contests in the NHL. Of those games, 312 - or a little over 65% - have been for the Arizona Coyotes.

In six of those nearly 500 games - including his NHL debut - Smith has faced the then-Phoenix Coyotes. They aren't a brand new opponent.

But when the Flames host the Coyotes on Friday night for an exhibition contest, it will be the first time since Nov. 16, 2009 that Smith will be on the opposite end of the rink from Arizona.

"I think that was talked about before, just, did I want to play this game?" Smith said. "And my answer was obviously, you know, yes I do. At this time of the year especially, because obviously it doesn't mean much."