NHL DEBUT A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR KLIMCHUK

In the immediate aftermath of a fantasy fulfilled, Morgan Klimchuk couldn't really pinpoint a pinch-me moment, per se.
But single out a steamroll-me moment?
That was easy.
"When (Zdeno) Chara ran me over,'' he said of the Boston Bruins' 6-foot-9, 250-pound colossus. "You think you can stand him up a bit …"
A soft head-shake born of fresh experience.
"But no."

After 167 games spent over two and a half seasons at the AHL level, the Calgary-born 28th overall pick of the Flames at the 2013 NHL Draft finally got to dip a toe in in the deep end of the hockey pool.
NHL debut. Versus an Original Six franchise. In his hometown. With his parents and some friends up in the stands, where he used to sit as a kid, cheer and dream.
The only item missing from the afternoon was two points instead of one.
"Pretty surreal,'' admitted Klimchuk. "When I got the text this morning I was obviously excited. I wanted to go out there, make some plays and not be running around too much.
"It's tough to do in your first NHL game against a pretty good team. But I was pretty happy with how it went.
"There's a lot of good older guys in the room that just said: 'At the end of the day, it's just another game. Something you've been doing for a long time.'
"Hard to take that advice because it was a pretty special moment, in a building I grew up watching a lot of hockey in.
"I'm just happy I got the chance."

Klimchuk's mom, Michelle, and dad, Kade, were on hand to offer support.
On Family Day, no less.
"I didn't really know I was going to play until the last minute,'' sighed Klimchuk. "I was prepared to play but you don't know.
"I found out pretty late. So it's tough.
"My sister's playing in a volleyball tournament out of town, at the Alberta Winter Games.
"So today is a pretty special moment for her, too."
For the Monday matinee at the Scotiabank Saddledome, he slotted in on the fourth line alongside Matt Stajan and Curtis Lazar.
"Once the game goes on, you touch the puck a bit, you get hit a bit it feels better,'' said Klimchuk. "Little things like that honestly make a difference.
"You settle in and you find ways to contribute.
"As a line, we wanted to be solid, create energy and play in their end. If you're playing in their end you're creating momentum for your team and that's what we tried to do right from puck-drop.
"The team had a bit of a slow start but as we got going everybody kind of stepped it up."
The step up in class obviously takes some getting used to.
"There are definitely parts that are different. I had to make adjustments. Whenever you jump up a level you find situations where you've going to have time and space.
"In the O-zone they close on you quick. They're hard to play against. Hey, it's the National Hockey League.
"But you get the puck, make a pass and it feels pretty good out there. You can skate with guys, finish your checks, and you feel you can contribute. I do right now.
"There were some situations where I felt pretty comfortable and other ones I'd obviously like to work on. But all in all, I know I can play here and I just have to show that on a consistent basis."

Klimchuk's debut stat line - 13 shifts, 7:25 of ice time - isn't the important take-away from Monday.
The experience gleaned is what matters most.
"He gave us a lot of energy,'' critiqued Flames' boss Glen Gulutzan. "He skated well. He certainly can skate. Good positionally, knows the game. You can tell there's good hockey IQ.
"A good one for him is he realizes how heavy games in the National Hockey League can be. That's something he'll take out of the game.
"I thought that line was effective for us."
As of today, Klimchuk has added a cameo-keepsake Saddledome moment to an already-crammed memory album.
"Oh, the Cup run (in 2004) stands out for me. I'll never forget that. I was sitting in the stands. We had terrible seats - way up high, but at least we were in the building.
"I remember the atmosphere being so great, the "Are you reaaaaaaaddy …?" when the team came out.
"I had goose bumps.
"At the time I was just a punk kid but my goal was to make it here one day.
"Well, I have.
"To play in the playoffs, like back in '04, would be pretty special. So that's the next step along the way here: Prove that I can play here consistently."