Game Day Notebook - 11.04.25

It’s another must-win game.

But this time, it’s on Scotiabank Saddledome ice.

As the Flames prepare for their 8 p.m. curtain call against the Wild (GET TICKETS), get caught up on the news of the day with our Game Day Notebook!

Of Wolf And Man

Dustin Wolf will get the nod in goal for Calgary, his sixth consecutive start and his ninth over the Flames’ last 10 games.

The 23-year-old reached 50 games played on the season Wednesday night in Anaheim, and has helped the Flames earn points in each of his last four outings.

A heavy workload, no doubt, and with high stakes, too.

But Wolf has been pretty unflappable.

And Head Coach Ryan Huska figures the Calder Trophy candidate is suited for a rebound - so to speak - tonight, after Wednesday’s contest in SoCal got away from the group.

“I think he’s handled it really well, that’s why we keep going back to him,” Huska said of Wolf’s workload. “Much like our team, he’s the best I’ve seen at moving on when we don’t get a result or a win, he’s the best I’ve seen. Just turns the page very quickly and looks forward to his next one.

“I think he’s handled it very well.”

New Kid In Town

Top prospect Zayne Parekh skated again with the team Friday morning, continuing to acclimatize after a whirlwind few weeks. He met the group in Anaheim on Tuesday morning and has yet to have the benefit of a full practice with the NHL club.

And Huska took time Friday to temper expectations over last year’s ninth-overall NHL Draft pick.

“Zayne’s been here for a pre-game skate, this is his second pre-game skate,” Huska explained. “He’s going to play games, he’s going to have a long career, but we want to make sure he’s in the position where he’s ready to roll - for one - understand how we play the game, and two, make sure he’s comfortable too.

“He’s going to play, he’s going to have a nice, long career. But he’s been here for two days.”

Power Surge

After last Saturday’s OT setback to Vegas, Huska said he was looking for more out of his powerplay.

The next game, they delivered, scoring on their lone opportunity Monday night in San Jose.

The Flames bench boss will be seeking a similar kind of bounce-back tonight, after his PP units went 0/6 in Anaheim two nights ago.

And for Huska, success all comes down to quickness.

“A little bit of execution, a little bit of pace, in my opinion,” he said, when asked what improvements he was looking for tonight. “I think they’re a little bit slow with moving the puck around, they’re holding on to it a little bit too long, so it’s about moving the puck quick.

“Sometimes - as we talked about earlier in the year - just simplifying and getting it to the net much quicker than we were trying to.”

And in a must-win game like the one in front of them this evening, it’s highly likely special teams will play a pivotal role.

Whether it’s about keeping pucks out while a man (or more) down, or putting pucks home while a man (or more) up.

“They’ve had stretches over the last few where they need to be better, I think they all know that,” said Huska. “The situation we’re in, we need them to be difference-makers for us.

“I know they’re going to be much better tonight.”