'All Five Guys Hunting'

NEW YORK – The phrase may have inadvertently entered the Flames lexicon. 

But it's now become something of a mainstay. 

A rallying cry.

“Absolutely it has,” MacKenzie Weegar said of the Nazem Kadri-coined ‘Pack of Hyenas’ moniker. “Obviously, Naz said it first after that win in Boston – but now, Husk (Head Coach Ryan Huska) has been saying it quite a bit after that in our meetings and it’s become something for us to build around.

“He’s right. We have to be a pack of dogs out there.

“All five guys hunting.

“But it’s not just something we’re saying – we’re seeing it in how we’re playing. 

“Every guy is connected with his linemates, every line is gelling and has an identity to it and the six D are buzzing together, too. 

“The identity for everybody right now is that Pack of Hyenas and we've got to keep bringing it, because that’s how our team is going to be successful.”

The Flames – winners of four straight – have a chance to do something they haven’t done since the 2021-22 season and win their fifth-straight contest tonight when they visit the equally red-hot Rangers at Madison Square Garden. 

While it has been a perfect trip so far, the last one is often the toughest.

And with a five-hour flight home on tap afterward, the result will go a long way in setting the mood for an upcoming homestand that kicks off on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks.

“Things are really good right now,” said Weegar, acknowledging that plenty of work remains, as they enter the night three points out of a playoff spot. “A focus of ours over the last month or two has been about consistency. Win two, lose two, win three, lose three – you obviously can't be doing that if you're looking to make up ground. There’s not enough time and there are too many good games you’d have to leapfrog.

“This is another great test tonight and it’s a great building to play in, so I have no doubt we’re going to come out buzzing. Tough team, tough opponent, so we're going to need everybody's full focus and preparation.”

That much you can certainly count on when comes to the surging blueliner, who was aptly given the nickname ‘Matinee Mack’ after scoring his first-career hat-trick in a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday afternoon.

Weegar now leads all defenceman in goals with 15 – two clear of Thomas Harley, Rasmus Dahlin and Cale Makar.

“One thing that stands out, if you were to look at it his numbers: He's shooting the puck way more,” said Huska, citing Weegar’s increase from 1.96 shots-per-game last year, to 2.48 this season. “With him being on his off side with Ras (Andersson), he gets a lot more opportunities to shoot because Ras feeds him. A lot. So, he's not afraid to shoot the puck, which is a good thing.

“And he's got a sneaky shot, where it's not the hardest shot, but he's got a way where he gets it away quickly and makes it hard for goalies to read.”

Even his first goal on Saturday – a harmless-looking shot off the rush – would fall into that category.

For whatever reason, it didn’t come off his blade super clean, wobbling en route and potentially even dropping a few inches as it approached the blocker of Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov. Why?

Weegar is one of an increasing number of defencemen using more of a curve on their stick, instead of the chunky, paddle-like ‘burger-flippers’ of old that were largely utilitarian, but did little to inspire one’s imagination offensively.

Nowadays, their cues look similar to a forward’s.

Now, there are limits, of course.

It’s not like the blueliner is rocking a full-on banana curve that falls out of bounds on the spec chart, but that little bit of added English is working wonders right now.

“I've had it since I turned pro,” Weegar said of his right-handed pattern. “It's helped me out a few times, I think. Sometimes, that little hook helps with maybe a change-up, my dip-a-roo and my muffin.

“Hey, it’s done a great job this year, so I’m loving it.”

Weegar has been asked a ton this year about what’s led to his offensive resurgence. Clearly, playing on the right side and putting an emphasis on getting pucks on net has been a real boon.

But on Monday, he added some additional perspective, suggesting the system Huska employs allows the defencemen to be more involved in the attack.

As an offensive player growing up, that’s been music to his ears.

“Husk has obviously had different messages for the D this year,” Weegar said. “I’m thankful that he wants us to get up there and contribute. But at the same time, like we've talked about all year, doing it at the right time and knowing when to get up in the rush … the onus is on us to understand and execute it properly.

“Inside the zone?

“There's no real secret to it - I just I have to keep shooting. Tonight's another tough test with (Igor) Shesterkin back there, but hopefully I can keep building on this.”

And what better barn to do it than The World’s Most Famous Arena, where the Flames and Rangers went toe-to-toe in the Game of the Year a season ago?

“That was a good one,” laughed Weegar, who found himself in a tussle with Rangers forward Will Cuylle at one point. “That game had everything. Goals. Hits. Drama.

“They've still got physical D over there, some big forwards as well ... I saw a couple guys over 230 (lbs.), so it's going to be another heavy game.

“Our team's never shied away from any of that. We're going to have all five guys in there if that's it goes. That's the game of hockey. If there's fighting or any of that rough stuff, then that's what it takes and we're all going to be in it together.”