Neither side seems to be too big a challenge for Mangiapane.
Not based on the numbers he's been able to cobble together in two months.
Through the first 20 games of his professional hockey career, Mangiapane has six goals and 18 points -- a tie for the team-lead with linemate Linden Vey.
"He's exceeding (expectations)," Heat coach Ryan Huska said. "When you have a younger guy coming in it's difficult in their rookie season because they have to learn to take care of themselves. I think from what we've seen from him he's a very committed guy, maybe much more than we were expecting.
"He's usually one of the first on the ice. He's typically the last off the ice. We've had him in cooking classes. We're working on meal-ordering programs for him and Rasmus. He's not just dipped his toe in, as the old saying goes. He's embraced this whole thing. He's trying to make himself a better player.
"You really do see a lot of those attributes in him that really scream out to you that in time people will make understand and recognize he's going to play at the next level."
Huska has helped kick start that thought on Mangiapane.
The coach tossed him on a line with Vey and veteran Matt Frattin to help ease Mangiapane's transition from the junior ranks, where he posted back-to-back 100-plus point seasons with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League, to the rigors of the pro game.
It's worked well for all involved.
"For a young guy coming in we challenged him by putting him with our main older players, I guess you could say, early in the year and he's shown a lot of confidence in that role where he didn't look out of place or nervous playing with them," Huska said.
"He's a big part of why that line's successful because he's very competitive, he's tenacious on pucks and he's got the ability to make smart plays with it. The offence that he generates … it's not the high-risk offence. He typically does a good job of not putting his teammates in trouble with the decisions or plays that he's making."
There's no argument on that from Mangiapane.
"Those two are both great players, right?" he said. "They've been in the NHL and are both really smart. Playing with them definitely helps a lot on the ice. They give me confidence and pointers here and there. It's definitely great."
The success has the Bolton, ON native happy with his start.
But not necessarily satisfied.
"I just wanted to come into the season and play hard," he said. "I didn't have any expectations. I didn't know if I was going to produce. I didn't really know anything. Just coming into the season I wanted to try to work hard and ultimately play my game."
So far, so good.
But his quick start hasn't translated to heavy expectations on a promotion, either.
Mangiapane has seen Vey, Mark Jankowski, Hunter Shinkaruk and Garnet Hathaway earn nods early in the season to jump to the NHL ranks.
He knows his turn will come.
Sooner or later.
And he's hungry for it.
"That's the exciting part," Mangiapane said. "You see everyone get called up and it's like, 'Wow, that could be me one day.' It's definitely pretty cool.
"Whenever it comes it comes. You can't really think about it too much. You go out and play your game every day. If you do good maybe you'll get the call-up. You just have to play your game in the AHL and keep it simple and hopefully one day you'll get called up."
