TEAM CONROY WINS CAMP SCRIMMAGE
Team Conroy skated away with a 6-4 win
by ALEX MEDINA @alex_medina5 / CalgaryFlames.com
It was time for one last impression.
The Flames annual development camp came to a close Sunday morning with a Team Conroy vs. Team Gelinas scrimmage at WinSport, seeing Team Conroy come away with a 6-4 victory.
The scrimmage was the last opportunity for players to showcase their skills and leave a mark on the Flames management but also let loose a bit.
"It was a lot of fun," Bobby McMann said. "There are a lot of great players here which makes it fun playing with all of them."
"It gets you back into the competition of things. You go all summer not having playing a game so it was nice to get out there and get some game action in July."
Sunday's scrimmage was broken up into various situations of 5-on-5 play, 4-on-4, 3-on-3 and also special teams scenarios with powerplay and penalty kill time for both squads.
Through the first part of the scrimmage, chances went back and forth in a tightly-contested affair. Team Conroy headed into the break with a 2-1 lead thanks goals from Dillon Dube and Brett Pollock. McMann, attending camp on a try-out agreement, scored Team Gelinas' lone marker in the opening half.
After coming back from a short break, the action picked up.
Goals came fast and furious seeing a combined seven markers added to the scoreboard. Team Conroy received goals from Martin Pospisil, Eetu Tuulola, Matthew Phillips, and Yasin Ehliz while Team Gelinas' goals came from Milos Roman, Mathias Emilio Pettersen and Merrick Rippon.
"There was an expectation you have on yourself coming into camp and the scrimmage that you should be here with these guys," McMann said. "We all worked hard to get here and you want to show that you earned every right to be here.
"It's nice to see the next level and the compete level. With all the skilled players here you have to be quick and move pucks fast if not guys are going to be on you."
The last day of camp gave fans a chance to get a glimpse of the future in live game action, after a weekend filled with fitness testing and drills.
For a couple of WHL players and Flames prospects in Dube and Phillips, it was a chance for them to finally play alongside one another.
"We probably have seen too much of each other in the 'Dub," Phillips said. "We workout together and hangout a lot off ice but it was fun to play together and not against each other in the scrimmage.
"He's a tremendous player who takes advice and gives advice right back. He's always trying to help his linemates out and with the communication we have on the ice, the chemistry comes with it."
As the players break off and head back into their off-season training, the overall experience of the camp is something that each will take as they look to further develop their game.
"There's a lot of great info and advice you take away from being here," Phillips said. "There are so many great hockey minds helping us get better and I've definitely learned a lot with the time here."