Fun.
Exciting.
Heck, even an 'awesome' from the boss.
All words used by the Flames to describe their upcoming prime-time Pacific bout with Connor McDavid and his pals from up north on the QEII.
Following a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens Thursday night that left a sour taste in their mouth, the Flames are eager to get back on the ice.
The fact it's against the Oil only sweetens the pot.
Four points on the line, according to the old divisional-game adage.
And, let's not forget, bragging rights.
"Obviously it's exciting playing against those guys, it's a good tradition," said Johnny Gaudreau. "The city, Alberta, they get excited for those games and so do we. It's going to be a lot of fun and we're really looking forward to it."
There was a lot to talk about at the rink yesterday.
Peters confirmed Dillon Dube will return to game action tomorrow for the first time since entering concussion protocol after a hit by Chicago's Duncan Keith back on Nov. 3.
The coach added that David Rittich will get the start between the pipes, as he looks to follow up his 1-0 shutout win over the Kings in L.A. on Nov. 10 in his last start.
And then, of course, there was the latest installment of one of the best rivalries in sport, between two teams jockeying for position in the division and conference, both with a single-minded focus on returning to the post-season for a serious run.
"I'm looking forward to it, it's probably going to be my first big rivalry game in the NHL," said newcomer Noah Hanifin. "Obviously it's a special one - Saturday night here at home, Hockey Night in Canada - it should be a lot of fun."
So what does he expect?
"It's intense, I hear," he said. "Even watching games in the past, you could see it. It's one of those games that both teams pick it up for."
Rookie Juuso Valimaki will also skate in his first real Battle of Alberta. Sure he's played against Edmonton before at the Young Stars Classic and in pre-season, but that pales in comparison to a November head-to-head HNIC throwdown.
"In Tri-City we played Spokane and back home we had a big rivalry with a team in the same city," said Valimaki. "So I'm kind of used to these kind of battles, and they're always the best games. You have a little bit of a different feeling and you have a little more energy. So ya, these are the games we play for."
And the games the fans in this province can't wait to watch.
"It's just intense … the province is divided," said Peters, who was born in Three Hills, Alta. "I remember the Crown and Anchor bar in Red Deer, it had a line right through the middle of it - one was Edmonton and one was Calgary. If they were smart, the north side of the bar would have been Edmonton and the south side, Calgary. It was just a lot of fun. People look forward to those games."
Dube grew up in Cochrane and like Peters, enjoyed a front-row seat to many of the best Battle of Albertas.
Now, like Valimaki, he'll get to take part in his first one.
"Saturday night is going to be pretty electric in here, especially playing them, even moreso" he said, wearing a broad smile like his coach. "It's going to be exciting. It's the first time for myself, so it's going to be a pretty cool experience. Obviously as a kid, those were games you marked on your calendar and wanted to go to. So it will be exciting to play in.
"They're always crazy … it's fun hockey to watch. The rink is crazy, the chants are non-stop, so it's definitely a fun thing to be a part of."
