Wranglers Blank Firebirds 3–0 Behind Say’s 43 Save Shutout at the Saddledome

CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers returned to the Scotiabank Saddledome and delivered one of their most complete performances of the season, shutting out the Coachella Valley Firebirds 3–0 in AHL game 352. With the win, Calgary leapfrogged Coachella Valley in the Pacific Division standings and tightened an already crowded Western Conference race.

Rookie goaltender Owen Say was the story of the night. Making his first professional shutout, he turned aside all 43 shots he faced, including a flurry of point blank chances during a heavy Firebirds push late in the second period and again in the final minutes with the net empty.

The intensity began early. Six minutes into the first period, Alex Gallant dropped the gloves with Firebirds defender Kaden Hemmell in a spirited fight that set the tone. The scrum spilled into the TV timeout, resulting in ten minute misconducts to Coachella Valley’s Ian McKinnon and Calgary’s Clark Bishop. The game had bite from the opening shift and never really cooled off.

Calgary opened the scoring shortly after. A clean three way rush started by Sam Morton and Matvei Gridin sent the puck into the middle for Aydar Suniev, who snapped home his sixth of the season at 11:43. It was Suniev’s second goal in as many games and gave the Wranglers the early lead despite Coachella Valley controlling the shot clock.

The Firebirds continued to press in the second period and were handed a 5-on-3 advantage after back-to-back Calgary penalties to Gallant and Cicek. Say stood tall through the sequence, turning away multiple high danger chances. Then, just moments later, the Wranglers doubled their lead when defenseman Danil Miromanov stepped into space and ripped home his fourth of the season at 3:53. Kerins and Stromgren picked up the assists as Miromanov extended his run to four points in his last five games.

Coachella Valley’s heaviest surge came late in the second period when Say was forced into a flurry of stops. He fought off two quick chances in tight, battled through a crease scramble, and made a save while down to preserve the 2–0 lead heading into the intermission. By the end of the middle frame the Firebirds held a 20–9 edge in shots but still had nothing past Calgary’s rookie goaltender.

The push continued in the third. Coachella Valley pulled their goalie with 2:44 left and fired from everywhere, driving the shot total above 40 and generating several near misses including one that sailed just wide of the far post. The Wranglers weathered the storm and blocked shots at key moments before sealing the win.

With thirty nine seconds remaining, Firebirds defender Jesper Froden lost an edge at the blue line, leaving Martin Firk with a clean lane toward an empty net. Calgary’s leading scorer hit the cage from a sharp angle for his 11th of the season and his 400th AHL career point. Morton recorded his second point of the night on the play.

The three stars of the game reflected the story:

1. Owen Say with his perfect 43 save shutout

2. Alex Gallant for his physical presence and first period fight

3. Aydar Suniev with the opening goal that set the tone

Calgary will face the Firebirds again on Thursday, December 11 at 7:00 pm MT back at the Saddledome. Fans can watch on AHLTV via FloHockey at the link provided by the team.

Upcoming Schedule

December 11 — 7:00 PM vs Coachella Valley Firebirds - Scotiabank Saddledome

December 13 — 6:00 PM vs Abbotsford Canucks - Scotiabank Saddledome

December 14 — 4:00 PM vs Abbotsford Canucks - Scotiabank Saddledome

December 19 — 7:00 PM vs San Diego Gulls - Scotiabank Saddledome

Calgary Wranglers Drop Both Games in Ontario, Finish Road Trip With OT Heartbreaker

Ontario, California — The Calgary Wranglers ended their longest road stretch of the season with a pair of losses to the Ontario Reign, falling 6–1 on Saturday before dropping a 2–1 overtime decision on Sunday. The results captured a turbulent 48 hours for Calgary, who battled a surging Reign team in the final leg of their 10-game trip.

Saturday’s matchup started with genuine optimism. Calgary opened the scoring when defenseman Daniil Miromanov jumped into the rush and buried his third goal of the season, giving the Wranglers an early spark. But Ontario quickly seized momentum, scoring twice before the first intermission and piling on three more goals in the second. Owen Say made 17 saves before Connor Murphy relieved him in the third, but the Reign added one more in a decisive 6–1 win.

Sunday told a different story. The Wranglers tightened their defensive structure, clogged passing lanes, and played far more composed hockey against an Ontario team riding confidence from the night before. The first period was scoreless, and Calgary broke through early in the second when Aydar Suniev buried his fifth goal of the year off a feed from Miromanov and Sam Morton. The Reign answered later in the frame, and the teams skated through a defensive third period still tied 1–1.

Overtime looked promising for Calgary early, but at the three-minute mark, Joe Hicketts found space off the rush and snapped home the winner for the Reign. Calgary finished the game with 16 shots to Ontario’s 27, but the structure and discipline were a marked improvement from Saturday’s result.

The Wranglers now head home for an important three-game stretch at the Scotiabank Saddledome, beginning Tuesday night against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. After ten straight games on the road, Calgary returns to familiar ice with an opportunity to reclaim momentum in the Pacific Division race.

Wranglers edge Reign 3–2 behind Suniev’s winner and Prosvetov’s strong night at the Dome

CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers closed their homestand with a hard-fought 3–2 win over the Ontario Reign on Wednesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, powered by a shorthanded strike from captain Clark Bishop and a third-period game winner from rookie forward Adar Suniev.

Calgary opened the scoring late in the first when Martin Frk finished a quick passing sequence at 17:19. Matvei Gridin carried the puck on the entry, slipped it wide, and the puck eventually moved through Dryden Hunt to Frk at the edge of the crease for his fourth goal of the season. The Wranglers carried a 1–0 lead into the intermission with a 10–8 advantage in shots.

The second period delivered most of the night’s emotion. After Gridin was called for tripping as part of a sequence that included offsetting roughing minors, Calgary found itself shorthanded. Bishop turned the situation into an opportunity, jumping on a loose puck and scoring one-handed on the breakaway at 6:41 for his third of the year. David Silye recorded the lone assist.

Ontario responded with a strong push of its own. Akil Thomas cut the lead to 2–1 at 13:45, walking down the right side and snapping a high shot past Ivan Prosvetov. Martin Chromiak picked up the assist, and the Reign carried that momentum into the intermission despite trailing on the scoreboard. Calgary held a 22–12 shot advantage through forty minutes.

Ontario tied the game during a lengthy two-man advantage in the third. Jakub Dvorak pounced on a rebound at 17:17 to make it 2–2, with assists from Francesco Pinelli and Kenny Connors.

The Wranglers answered quickly. On the power play at 9:03, Suniev hammered home a cross-slot feed for his fourth of the season, restoring Calgary’s lead. The assists went to William Strömgren and Hunter Brzustewicz, who moved the puck sharply across the top before the decisive finish.

Prosvetov preserved the win with a sprawling right-pad save minutes later as Ontario threatened to tie the game again. The Reign pulled their goalie with 90 seconds left and generated pressure, but Calgary’s defensive group closed the final shift without surrendering another clean look. Shots finished 32–23 for the Wranglers.

The win sends the Wranglers into a three-week road swing that spans 10 games before their next appearance at the Saddledome. Calgary opens the trip on Nov. 15 and 16 in Henderson, followed by stops in Bakersfield (Nov. 18), San Diego (Nov. 22), Coachella Valley (Nov. 23), San Jose (Nov. 26), Abbotsford (Dec. 2 and 3), and a back-to-back in Ontario (Dec. 6 and 7). The Wranglers return home on Dec. 9 to face the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

Three Stars

1. Clark Bishop, CGY

2. Adar Suniev, CGY

3. Ivan Prosvetov, CGY

Calgary Wranglers Surge With 8 Straight Points and Battle of Alberta Sweep

CALGARY – The Calgary Wranglers are heating up in a hurry. After a slow start to the season, Calgary has flipped the script with points in eight straight games and a five-game win streak, capped by a dominant weekend sweep over the Bakersfield Condors.

Saturday’s opener saw Calgary take Round 1 of the AHL’s Battle in Alberta with a 4–3 overtime win. Ivan Prosvetov was sharp again, turning aside 35 of 38 shots. Calgary jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first, with Martin Frk and Rory Kerins both hitting the scoresheet. Bakersfield clawed back and forced overtime, where Sam Morton sealed it with his first career OT winner. Morton, William Strömgren, and Matvei Gridin all posted multi-point nights.

On Sunday, Calgary followed it up with a statement. The Wranglers handled Bakersfield 6–1, erasing an early Condors powerplay goal and taking control the rest of the way. Turner Ottenbreit scored his first as a Wrangler, Hunter Brzustewicz added another in the dying seconds of the first, and Calgary never looked back. Aydar Suniev, Morton, Dryden Hunt, and Gridin all scored in a third-period push that buried the Condors. Goaltender Owen Say picked up his second win of the season, stopping 21 of 22 shots.

There are standout performances across the roster during this stretch. Morton has nine points in his last five games, including five across the weekend. Prosvetov has been lights-out with a 1.26 goals-against average and a .961 save percentage over his last three games, including a shutout. Suniev has scored in two of his last four as his offensive confidence continues to build. Gridin sits second in AHL rookie scoring with 11 points.

Calgary now turns its attention to a four-game homestand at the Scotiabank Saddledome, beginning Thursday against the San Jose Barracuda at 7:00 pm. The Wranglers will also host San Jose on Saturday afternoon before Ontario visits for back-to-back games on November 11 and 12.

The Wranglers have found their stride, and the Dome is feeling it.

Wranglers blank Abbotsford 3–0 to open back-to-back road set

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. -- The Calgary Wranglers opened their back-to-back in Abbotsford with a 3–0 win over the Canucks on Tuesday night. The first two periods produced no scoring before Calgary broke through in the third.

Yan Kuznetsov opened the scoring eight minutes into the period. Aydar Suniev added a second goal on the power play three and a half minutes later, his first as a professional. Rory Kerins scored the third to finish with a two-point night.

The win was driven by a trio of Russian-born contributors. Kuznetsov, a 6-foot-4 defender from Murmansk, set the tone. Suniev, a 20-year-old wing from Kazan in his first season pro after a 38-point year at UMass, doubled the lead. In goal, Moscow native Ivan Prosvetov made 33 saves for his seventh career AHL shutout in his 150th appearance.

The Wranglers and Canucks complete the two-game set in Abbotsford on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. MT. Calgary then returns home to host Bakersfield in a Saturday–Sunday set at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Nov. 1 and 2, before San Jose visits on Nov. 6.

Fans can watch Wednesday’s road meeting live on AHLTV via FloHockey at https://flosports.link/46YqCIJ.

Flames Shut Out 3–0 by Oilers in Preseason Split-Squad

CALGARY — Edmonton struck early and never trailed, turning blocked shots and opportunistic finishing into a 3–0 win over Calgary in a split-squad Battle of Alberta preseason game at the Saddledome on Sunday night.

The Oilers opened the scoring at 2:38 of the first period when Kasperi Kapanen slipped behind coverage and beat Flames goalie Devin Cooley on a breakaway. Calgary answered with offensive-zone time and flashes from its younger players, but Edmonton’s structure kept pucks to the perimeter.

Zayne Parekh was one of Calgary’s most noticeable skaters. The rookie defenseman showed poise with the puck, holding the blue line under pressure, threading cross-ice passes, and jumping into the rush to create chances. His confidence carried through all three periods, giving the Flames one of their most consistent sparks.

In the third period, Edmonton capitalized on Calgary mistakes. At 8:18, a defensive-zone giveaway landed on Connor Clattenburg’s stick, and the forward went upstairs glove side to make it 2–0. Just under four minutes later, Riley Stillman’s point shot also found the top corner, pushing the lead to 3–0 at 11:47.

Calgary had chances but ran into Edmonton’s shot-blocking wall. The Oilers closed lanes all night and finished with a 23–9 edge in blocks, a key factor in protecting the lead. Shots ended 29–20 for Edmonton. Cooley made several timely stops early in the third to keep the game close, while Matthew Coronato featured prominently on the top power-play unit alongside Kadri and Aydar Suniev, generating some of Calgary’s best looks.

Connor Clattenburg was named the game’s first star after his third-period goal. Coronato earned the second star for Calgary.

With most of Edmonton’s top players skating in the other half of the split-squad matchup at Rogers Place, this was a younger Oilers lineup in Calgary. Even so, they left with a shutout win, while the Flames saw valuable minutes from their prospects as preseason evaluations continue.

Flames Prospects Hold Off Oilers 5–4 to Sweep NextGen Showcase

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames prospects capped the NextGen Showcase with a 5–4 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday at the Scotiabank Saddledome, sweeping the weekend home-and-home series between the provincial rivals.

Edmonton struck first just over two minutes in, when Tommy Lafrenière (#54) converted from the slot to give the visitors an early lead. Calgary answered late in the opening frame. Mael Lavigne (#85) tied the game at 1–1, finishing a play set up by Kadon McCann (#73) and Simon Mack (#88).

The first period also featured a heavy hit from defenseman Mace’o Phillips (#92) that energized the crowd, as well as a key stop from goaltender Arsenii Sergeev (#40) to keep the game even heading into intermission.

Second Period
Nathan Brisson (#82) put Calgary ahead midway through the period, converting on a rush created by Jacob Battaglia (#60), with Mack earning his second assist of the night. Matvei Gridin (#51) then extended the lead, hammering a one-timer home off feeds from Carter King (#95) and Sam Honzek (#29).

Lafrenière responded with his second of the game on an Edmonton power play, cutting the Flames’ lead to 3–2 after forty minutes.

Third Period
Calgary wasted little time adding insurance. At 2:51, Colton Alain (#71) snapped a shot from the high slot after a setup by David Silye (#83) and Aydar Suniev (#36) to make it 4–2.

Edmonton’s Josh Samanski replied minutes later, finishing off a setup from Quinn Hutson to make it 4–3, but the Flames restored their cushion on the power play. Hunter Laing (#53) finished off a passing play from Parker Bell (#87) and Suniev to push the lead to 5–3.

Von Richter’s point shot brought Edmonton back within one, but Sergeev shut the door in the dying seconds. With the Oilers pressing and their goalie pulled for an extra attacker, Calgary held firm through a frantic scramble in front to seal the win.

Top Performers

• Nathan Brisson (CGY): Scored the go-ahead goal in the second and added an assist.

• Simon Mack (CGY): Two assists, steady presence on the back end.

• Aydar Suniev (CGY): Involved in multiple plays, including a key setup on the Laing power-play goal.

• Hunter Laing (CGY): Power-play goal that ultimately stood up as the game-winner.

• Tommy Lafrenière (EDM): Two goals to pace the Oilers’ attack and keep them within striking distance.

• Arsenii Sergeev (CGY): Steady in net, closing the door during a wild final scramble.

Final Score: Flames 5, Oilers 4

What’s Next
The NHL preseason begins next weekend. On Saturday, September 20, the Dallas Stars host the St. Louis Blues (5 p.m. MT / 7 p.m. ET). The following day is a busy one across the league, with 14 games on the schedule, including split-squad matchups between the Flames and Oilers. Both games are set for Sunday, September 21, with puck drop at 6 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. ET.