'IT'S BEEN UNREAL'

TAMPERE, Finland - Meatball sub aficionado, nap expert, and, at times, a clumsy pizza bandit.

Meet Flames prospect Matt Coronato - from the perspective of two that know him best.

"He's a pretty typical kid," slow-played Henry Thrun, a two-time teammate of Coronato - first as his captain at Harvard and again via a European reunion at the 2023 IIHF World Hockey Championship with Team USA. "He's pretty funny. Likes to hang out with the guys and chat with the boys. He's a good guy. He's a great teammate. Someone you like to spend a lot of time with off the ice.

"He's one of my good friends. He's a good one to have."

That's good to hear.

But what's the scoop on Coronato?

"We're roommates at this tournament and this morning he accidentally kicked open the blinds this morning at 6 a.m.," groaned Sean Farrell, another Harvard teammate who happens to be skating alongside Coronato - often on the same line - at the Worlds in Tampere, Finland.

"Our room was...way too bright for my liking.

"He's a quirky kid. Always doing stuff to make other guys laugh."

Farrell, who also admitted he would've taken the chance to chirp Coronato's curly flow had he not got squared up prior to the tournament, might not have necessarily been offering up chuckles with the abrupt awakening, but it was the answer when asked to detail the most 'Matt' anecdote he could think off of the top of his head.

Recency bias, perhaps.

But it might've been the most ironic as well, given the fact that Coronato is typically on the receiving end of a ribbing because of his penchant for, uh, not being awake most of the time.

Turns out the not-yet 21-year-old does most of his efficient work with the curtains closed.

Constantly.

"He sleeps a lot. I'll say that," revealed Farrell. "He likes to get his naps in. Definitely likes to sleep in and take his time away from the rink in his bed."

("I think I had a good schedule when I was at school...I think my first class the whole year was at 10:30, so I tended to sleep in a lot," Coronato defended. "I do like to take naps after practice also. I'm not going to deny that one completely.")

Coronato is far from sleeping his way through the World Championship, though.

Through six games he's logged five points (1G, 4A), including a late-clinching game-winning snipe to help keep Team USA perfect on the standings sheet and upbeat in the locker-room.

It's probably not hard to thrive with friends like Farrell and Thrun, though.

And the trio is getting a unique second chance to live out a 'last ride' situation after each opted to go their separate ways earlier this spring.

The Harvard chums parted, seemingly, permanently after losing in the regional semifinal of the NCAA Tournament. Thrun opted to forego his senior season by signing with the San Jose Sharks on March 25. Farrell, a Montreal Canadiens prospect, turned pro on March 26 after completing his sophomore stint.

Coronato, of course, signed with the Flames on March 27.

"It was definitely difficult," Farrell said. "It all happened so quick. The year went by so fast. It was a great group of guys. We didn't expect it to end like that. It was definitely a hard couple days, but also just really excited to do it with those two guys and move onto the next level. It's really awesome.

"I think for us we try to enjoy our time, our last couple days at school as much as possible. We tried not to talk about it too much and just kind of enjoy ourselves a little bit. We weren't going to have that type of experience ever again. It was definitely sad.

"But it's cool to kind of all be on the same path now."

And same team again after Coronato, the last to ink a pro deal, was the third of the three to get the nod from Team USA, too.

Naturally, Farrell and Thrun were there to greet him when he did.

"He came into the locker-room and he said, 'I'm coming with the boys,'" Thrun recalled. "I had no idea what he was talking about at first, and then he said he was coming to Worlds. I think it was pretty tight. He had to go home the next day and grab all his gear, get a skate in. Obviously, it was really exciting when I heard the news. It's been a lot of fun having him here."

"I was really pumped," Farrell added. "We've been best friends now for three, four years. I mean, that year at Harvard could've been the last time, all three of us playing together, but to have this opportunity together is really special."

So what did Team USA bring with the Coronato invite?

On the ice, some production - clearly. He has four assists and five points in six games so far.

In the room, he's helping lead the way, too.

As in, he's leading the team in pies-per-game, as Farrell will playfully chirp.

"This tournament he's been the first guy to the pizza after the game, so I've been giving it to him about that," Farrell laughed. "I guess that's the main one I think we've been going to on this trip."

("No. Not true. No," Coronato refuted. "I definitely get in there, but not first.")

And cue the Coronato food debate.

Because, though he's self-serving up slices at a special rate, let the record show that the man from Harvard is also a gentleman - not just a scholar.

It was he, after all, who treated Thrun to dinner in Calgary on the eve of Coronato's NHL debut, with Thrun's Sharks visiting the Flames in their season finale in another opportunity to reunite.

Coronato, a gracious host, picked up the tab that March 11 night.

"He did, yeah," the 22-year-old Thrun said. "We went to... I think it's called The Keg. I think it's like a steakhouse. It was pretty good. He got me a steak. Think we had some potatoes with it. We got some sort of dessert which was pretty legit. I forget what it was.

"But he treated me to dinner the night before, which was nice of him."

It could've gone the other direction, and Thrun would be justified in thinking they might've landed at another destination.

Still, the pair managed to dodge each and every one of the 130 locations of a particular fast-food chain that Coronato's been known to frequent.

A lot.

"He's a big Subway fan...like, the restaurant," Thrun chuckled. "He crushes Subway. A lot."

("That might be true, but the same goes for Sean," Coronato said. "Me and Sean would go there a good amount. Henry would chirp both of us for it.)

Farrell can attest.

He hasn't been as fortunate in skipping the ones located within a few blocks of Nokia Arena in Tampere, though he did admit he's just as guilty a culprit as Coronato when it comes to the sandwiches.

"We've been a couple times already," Farrell admitted. "That was kind of our go-to place at school whenever the dining hall wasn't very good. I'm also on the Subway train as well. It's a good place. You can pick your own sandwich so it's hard to mess up.

"He usually goes with the Boss, the meatball sub. He keeps it the same every time."

("Not true. Not true," Coronato corrected. "Turkey also. Most of the time it's turkey. Once in a while I'll get meatballs. Once in a while.")

A chance to crush a few more with the boys.

If not just for old time's sake.

In one of the unlikeliest of destinations.

"It's great to play here with Henry and Sean, two of my really close friends. It's been a blast hanging out with them and getting to play with them again.

"It's nice to get the chance one last time to play with them."

"It's been unreal."