Every inferno starts with a spark.
And seemingly every time they hit the ice, the duo of Adam Klapka and Ryan Lomberg are doing their all to try and ignite the Flames.
Saturday in Vegas, both Klapka and Lomberg dropped the mitts - Klapka’s the end result of a thunderous check on Golden Knights defenceman Zach Whitecloud.
Monday versus Winnipeg, the duo recorded assists - and Lomberg a pivotal screen - on Calgary’s lone goal of the night, a point shot from Rasmus Andersson that found its way in past both Lomberg and Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck.
For Klapka, it’s all about attention to detail.
“I think we all know what the coach wants from us,” he said of himself and his Monday linemates, Lomberg and Justin Kirkland. “So I think we all understand what happens with the puck, when one of us has it on between the red line and their blue line.
“We just just go in and hunt it and I mean, if we do the right stuff (within) the system, like we get the puck back every time. We have to just stick with it and do it every game.”
There are only two active NHL skaters taller than Klapka, who checks in at a whopping 6-foot-8; as of Tuesday, he and Rangers forward Adam Edstrom are the only forwards taller than 6-foot-6 to record multiple points on the campaign.
We’ve seen flashes of brilliance from the Czech winger, highlight-reel goals in Calgary at the NHL and AHL levels, not to mention his end-to-end dazzler at the World Championships this past spring.
But ultimately, he knows his role is to try and bring energy to the battle each and every night - to lift up his teammates - even if that means laying his body on the line.
“You know, when me and Lombo just go there and fight some some other guy from the other team, like, I let (my teammates) know that we just do it for them, to be more comfortable on the ice,” Klapka explained. “You just do it for the guys who who like to hold the puck, and like to do the skilled plays, to be more comfortable on the ice.
“We just try to do everything that we can, to help them win.”
Klapka’s tilt Saturday - a heavyweight bout with Lauzon - drew ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the T-Mobile Center crowd.
And he admits, he frequently leans on Lomberg’s NHL experience for pointers, when push comes to shove.
“I mean it's different, especially for him and me, but obviously I ask him (about) the guys, because he knows every guy in the league who's fighting,” said Klapka. “So if he's righty, lefty, what everybody likes to do, I ask him sometimes.
“I mean, we’re different sizes, so I think we use different strategies.”
More lessons, more tools in the tool box, for a player trying to contribute in all facets of the game.
“I feel like I'm starting to get to that mood like I was last on the end of the last year,” Klapka said, recalling the second half of 2024-25 that saw him accumulate six goals in 31 games.
“I just want to stick with it and do the best I can.”
