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.
Flames Prospects Edge Oilers 6–5 in NextGen Opener
EDMONTON — The Calgary Flames’ future talent wasted no time making an impression in the opening game of the NextGen home-and-home series, holding off a late surge to defeat the Edmonton Oilers prospects 6–5 on Friday night at Rogers Place.
Six different Flames found the back of the net, underscoring the organization’s depth and balance. Hunter Laing, Nathan Brisson, Sam Honzek, Aydar Suniev, Matvei Gridin, and Parker Bell each chipped in goals, with scoring spread across every part of the lineup.
Edmonton opened the scoring early, but Calgary quickly answered. Laing, the six-foot-six center drafted in the sixth round in 2024, went to the crease, took a feed from Brisson, and swatted the puck home to tie the game. Brisson, a forward from Deux-Montagnes, Quebec who developed with the Saint-Eustache program before moving on to Val-d’Or in the QMJHL, then redirected a pass from Jacob Battaglia midway through the second to put Calgary in front.
Moments later, Sam Honzek added to the lead on the power play. The Trenčín, Slovakia product, who made his NHL debut last season with five games for the Flames while also posting 21 points in 52 games for the Wranglers, was rewarded when a puck deflected in off his skate to make it 3–1.
Suniev extended the margin late in the period. Acquired in the Tyler Toffoli trade and now skating with UMass, he hammered a one-timer from the slot to give Calgary a 4–1 advantage heading into the intermission.
In the third period, first-round pick Matvei Gridin restored the cushion. After putting up 83 points with Muskegon in the USHL in 2023–24 and 79 more with Shawinigan in the QMJHL last season, the highly touted winger showed off his scoring touch, burying his own rebound from a sharp angle. Just twenty seconds later, Parker Bell, a winger from Estevan, Saskatchewan and a product of the Tri-City Americans, ripped a shot from the circle to stretch the lead to 6–2.
Edmonton rallied late with three goals in the final minutes to close the gap, but Calgary’s youngsters held firm for the win.
Several Flames prospects had standout nights on the scoresheet. Gridin and Brisson each collected a goal and two assists. Laing, Suniev, and Battaglia added multi-point efforts of their own, showing Calgary’s attack was anything but top-heavy. In goal, Owen Say of London, Ontario made timely stops, including a key glove save on the penalty kill in the opening frame that kept the game level.
For Calgary, the victory represented more than just an early win in September. It was a clear sign of the organization’s pipeline strength — size down the middle, skill on the wings, puck-moving ability on the back end, and steady goaltending.
The Flames and Oilers prospects meet again on Sunday, September 14 at 4:00 p.m. MT at the Scotiabank Saddledome, as the series shifts south for the second half of the NextGen showcase.