'He's Red-Hot'

He’s alluded to his first season in Calgary as a ‘new page.’

Yegor Sharangovich is writing quite the chapter to begin 2024.

Through the first 16 days of the calendar year, the Flames sniper has lit the lamp seven times - a total punctuated by a no-look overtime rocket Tuesday against Arizona that was in and out of the top corner in the blink of an eye.

Since the calendar flipped to 2024, only two NHL players (Elias Petersson and Sam Reinhart) have scored more goals than Sharangovich, but his quick release is garnering attention among Scotiabank Saddledome faithful.

Sharangovich admitted Wednesday that he hasn’t noticed any extra attention from opposing players, but that’s bound to change.

He says he’s feeling comfortable, and his numbers are backing up his claims.

“Right now, I understand everything, and playing with Lindholm, Huby together a long time, you understand how they’re playing,” Sharangovich said. “We understand each other more and more.”

Chemistry’s one thing, but it’s his release - and pin-point accuracy - that has goaltenders around the league in a quandary.

“His shot is a little bit tricky, but it’s still going in,” Flames netminder Dan Vladar offered Wednesday morning. “Like he’s sniping during games, during practices, it’s not really a big surprise but I’m super happy for him.

“I’m sure he’s just going to keep scoring.”

According to NHL Edge, the league’s advanced stats engine, Sharangovich’s 18.4 shooting percentage places him in the 95th percentile league-wide.

His shot speed has topped out at 152.5 kilometres per hour (recorded Dec. 27 against Seattle), and 10 of his 18 goals have come in what the NHL defines as the High Danger area of the ice, in and around the crease.

Vladar sees enough of Sharky’s bite at practice, but even he admits he can’t quite pinpoint just what makes that wrist shot so lethal.

“It kind of looks like he’s going to pull it and shoot, but he almost like throws it and his hands are kind of weird, like up top, close together,” Vladar said. “It’s just a weird shot, I don’t know if they didn’t have good sticks in Belarus or something, but it’s good.

“It’s not even like that heavy, he just knows where he’s going.”

For Sharangovich, it’s starting to become more fun, too.

The puck’s going in the net, the team is winning games, and the 25-year-old is on pace to shatter his career-best numbers set three seasons ago in New Jersey.

Amid trying to keep him cool in practice, Vladar has high hopes for Sharangovich down the stretch.

“I know for a fact he’s going to keep scoring,” the Flames goaltender said.

“He’s red-hot.”