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

USA defeats CHL 4–2 in Calgary to open 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge

CALGARY —The United States National Team Development Program Under-18 squad opened the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge with a 4–2 win over Team CHL on Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The game featured elite pace, heavy pressure, and standout performances from several players expected to headline the 2026 NHL Draft class.

USA struck first at 7:29 of the opening period when Dayne Beuker finished in tight off a feed from Michael Berchild. The Americans extended their lead early in the second frame as Sammy Nelson was credited with a goal following a net-front scramble after CHL goaltender Harrison Boettiger turned aside Luke Schairer’s initial chance.

Team CHL finally broke through on its 25th shot of the night. At 13:53 of the second period, forward Chase Reid of the Soo Greyhounds buried a one-timer off a clear setup from captain Caleb Malhotra of the Brantford Bulldogs and winger Mathis Preston of the Spokane Chiefs, cutting the deficit to 2–1.

USA restored its two-goal advantage just over six minutes into the third. Wyatt Cullen converted on the power play at 6:46, using a screen from Logan Stuart and beating Boettiger with a wrist shot from the high slot. The goal gave the Americans much-needed breathing room in a game where the CHL had significantly out-shot them.

Preston, who led all CHL skaters with two points on the night, drew his team back within one. The Chiefs forward wired a wrister from the top of the right circle with 6:43 remaining in regulation, capitalizing on a late push by the CHL group. However, an empty-net marker from Jamie Glance sealed the result and delivered the NTDP’s first-ever victory at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge.

Boettiger made 23 saves for Team CHL, while USA goaltender Brady Knowling turned aside 42 shots in a standout performance that drew praise from both benches.

Team CHL captain Caleb Malhotra said the group expected more of itself. “We were too casual going in. Nobody in there put their best foot forward and we know that, so we’re going to come back better tomorrow,” he said post-game.

Head coach Willie Desjardins echoed the sentiment, noting the NTDP’s strong start. “I think they were more ready at the start. They had a lot to prove from last year. They’ve got really good speed on that team. We didn’t give them much in the second and third, but it was too late by then.”

Game 2 of the two-game series will be played Wednesday night in Lethbridge. If the NTDP wins, they will clinch the event. A CHL victory would send the series to a deciding “third game,” a continuous three-on-three Super OT played after an ice flood until a goal is scored.

Fans in Canada can watch the game live on TSN and RDS at 6 p.m. MT. In the United States, the broadcast will air live on NHL Network, with Victory+ carrying the international stream. A limited number of tickets for the Lethbridge game remain available.

The CHL USA Prospects Challenge, introduced in 2024, showcases elite NHL Draft-eligible players from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL against the top talent from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. Fifteen CHL players in this year’s event carry “A” ratings on NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch List, including Carson Carels, Ethan Belchetz, and Egor Shilov.

Ontario Reign defeat Calgary Wranglers 5–1 on Remembrance Day at the Saddledome

CALGARY — The Ontario Reign defeated the Calgary Wranglers 5–1 on Remembrance Day at the Scotiabank Saddledome, powered by balanced scoring and strong goaltending from Pheonix Copley.

Ontario opened the scoring early in the second period when Kenny Connors of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, beat Owen Say upstairs from a sharp angle for his third of the season. Just over two minutes later, Cole Guttman of Northridge, California, finished a feed from Glenn Gawdin and Andre Lee to make it 2–0.

Calgary answered midway through the frame when Dryden Hunt of Cranbrook, British Columbia, converted a well-executed passing play from Rory Kerins (Caledon, Ontario) and Hunter Brzustewicz (Michigan) at 6:41, cutting the deficit to 2–1.

Ontario regained control in the third. Jared Wright scored shorthanded on a clean finish through Say’s five-hole — the game-winner — before Taylor Ward added his seventh goal of the season off a rebound from Akil Thomas. Koehn Ziemmer closed out the scoring with his first AHL goal, assisted by Aatu Jämsen and Jack Hughes, to make it 5–1.

Calgary outshot Ontario 29–27, but the Reign capitalized on their chances to improve to 8–4–1, while the Wranglers fell to 6–5–2 as they head out on a three-week road trip.

Three Stars:

1. Jared Wright (78), Ontario – Shorthanded game-winner

2. Pheonix Copley (29), Ontario – Steady 28-save performance

3. Koehn Ziemmer (13), Ontario – First AHL goal

Wranglers Drop 4–1 Decision to Barracuda on Hockey Fights Cancer Night at the Saddledome

CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers fell 4–1 to the San Jose Barracuda Saturday afternoon at the Scotiabank Saddledome, as San Jose completed the two-game sweep in front of a strong crowd for the team’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer game.

The Barracuda struck first at the 8:00 mark of the opening period, when Egor Afanasyev (#11) cut in over the blue line and snapped a low shot far side past Ivan Prosvetov. The goal was the first of the season for the 6'4" left winger from Tver, Russia, who was drafted 45th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2019 and traded to San Jose earlier this year.

San Jose added to their lead after Calgary forward Rory Kerins was called for interference. On the power play, Pavol Regenda (#84) sent a puck into traffic that eventually found Kasper Halttunen (#14), who buried it to make it 2–0. Just minutes later, Halttunen scored again — this time on a clean shot from the left circle for his second of the game and third of the season. The Helsinki-born forward was a second-round pick (36th overall) in 2023 and is currently in the final year of his three-year entry-level contract.

Calgary’s best chance of the first came in the dying seconds, when a Wranglers forward broke in alone, but goaltender Gabriel Carriere stood tall. San Jose outshot Calgary 11–5 in the first.

Tempers flared late in the period as Alex Gallant and Anthony Vincent dropped the gloves, although the fight didn’t escalate beyond a quick exchange. Jimmy Huntington, who had earlier laid a heavy hit on Hunter Brzustewicz, was involved in a scrap of his own later in the second with Calgary’s Nick Cicek — possibly in response to that earlier collision.

Calgary found some life late in the second. After several chances turned away by Carriere, the Wranglers finally broke through with 2:17 left in the period. Aydar Suniev’s shot from the right dot deflected off Sam Morton and then off Lucas Ciona (#17), who redirected it in for his first goal of the season. That cut the deficit to 3–1 heading into the third.

The Wranglers had two power play opportunities in the game but were unable to convert, falling to 6-for-40 on the season (15.0%). San Jose went 1-for-2, improving their power play efficiency to 13-for-50 (26%).

In the third, Calgary pushed hard. Parker Bell had multiple rushes, Matvei Gridin had several looks, and Brzustewicz nearly scored on a wraparound. Carriere was sharp throughout, including a glove save on Regenda shorthanded and a key stop on Brzustewicz walking in from the point.

With time running down, Calgary pulled Prosvetov for the extra attacker, but Colin White sealed the game with an empty net goal — his second goal of the year — making it 4–1 San Jose.

After the game, Barracuda GM Joe Will praised his forward depth, saying several players could contribute at the NHL level this season. He also noted confidence in both of San Jose’s AHL goalies — Carriere and Škarek — to step in and help the big club if needed.

Wranglers Extend Point Streak to Six as Gridin Scores Shootout Winner in Abbotsford

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — The Calgary Wranglers extended their point streak to six games with a 2–1 shootout win over the Abbotsford Canucks on Wednesday night, finishing their two-game road set with another strong defensive showing and efficient goaltending.

Abbotsford opened the scoring in the first, but Calgary weathered early pressure and began to tilt the ice in the second period. Goaltender Ivan Prosvetov kept the Wranglers within one, turning aside several high-danger chances before the skaters in front of him found their rhythm.

The equalizer came midway through the third when Daniil Miromanov beat Abbotsford’s Jiri Patera. Matvei Gridin and David Silye drew the assists as the Wranglers pressed, outshooting the Canucks 9–5 in overtime and closing the night with a 30–26 edge in total shots.

In the shootout, Gridin—Calgary Flames’ 2024 first-round pick (28th overall)—clinched the win as the third shooter. The 19-year-old rookie from Kurgan, Russia, now with eight points through six AHL games, continues to show poise beyond his years after a 79-point QMJHL season and four-game NHL debut with the Flames earlier this fall.

Prosvetov, also Russian-born, finished with 25 saves on 26 shots, earning first-star honours. Miromanov’s goal was his second point in four AHL games this season, and the Wranglers’ special teams struggled going 0/1 on the penalty kill and 0/2 with the man advantage.

Calgary, now 4-2-2 — third in the Pacific Division, heads home for a weekend series against the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors on November 1 and 2. Both games are set for 1:00 p.m. MT at the Scotiabank Saddledome, followed by a mid-week series with the San Jose Barracuda on November 6 and 8.

Fans can catch all the action live on AHLTV via FloHockey at flosports.link/46YqCIJ.

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 Close Preseason With Shootout Loss to Jets

CALGARY – Calgary’s preseason finale had energy, offense, and a dramatic finish, but the Flames came up short in a 5–4 shootout against the Winnipeg Jets at the Saddledome on Friday night. The game capped off exhibition play and offered a final look at veterans and prospects before the regular season begins next week.

Nazem Kadri led the Flames with two goals, showing sharp form in his final tune-up. His first came midway through the opening frame when Adam Klapka worked the puck below the goal line and slipped a backhand pass to Kadri, who buried it from in close. Joel Farabee added the secondary assist.

Calgary doubled the lead minutes later as rookie forward Matvei Gridin continued his standout preseason. The 19-year-old forward collected a feed from Kevin Bahl and converted on the backhand to make it 2–0, adding to an already impressive exhibition showing.

Winnipeg responded late in the period, but the Flames answered right back. Defenceman Joel Hanley stepped into a point shot and sniped it high blocker side at 17:13, restoring the two-goal advantage with assists to MacKenzie Weegar and Morgan Frost. The Flames led 3–1 after 20 minutes, with the Saddledome crowd energized by a heavy Klapka hit on Neal Pionk that drew a roar through the building.

Kadri struck again early in the second period, finishing a return feed from Bahl for his second of the night, while Klapka picked up his second assist. That stretched Calgary’s lead to 4–1, but Winnipeg — dressing regulars Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, and former Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck — rallied with two goals to trim the gap to 4–2 after 40 minutes.

The Jets completed their comeback in the third, tying the game 4–4 to force extra time. Overtime solved nothing, and the contest went to a lengthy shootout. Calgary converted twice, but Winnipeg edged ahead with three goals to secure the win.

Despite the loss, the Flames closed the preseason with encouraging signs: Kadri producing offensively and leading by example, Gridin showing flashes of high-end skill, Klapka bringing both physicality and playmaking, and Dustin Wolf once again drawing loud support from the home crowd with timely saves.

Calgary now turns its attention to the regular season, which begins next week

Kerins, Coronato Lead Calgary Past Seattle in Preseason Win

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames leaned on a mix of youthful energy and veteran stability Tuesday night, skating to a 4–1 preseason win over the Seattle Kraken at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Yegor Sharangovich opened the scoring midway through the first period, deflecting a Hunter Brzustewicz shot to give Calgary an early edge. Seattle answered before the intermission, knotting the game 1–1.

Early in the second, Rory Kerins restored the Flames’ lead. After Connor Zary carried the puck into the zone, a broken play left the puck bouncing loose in front. Kerins pounced and snapped a shot past the Kraken goaltender from close range to make it 2–1 Calgary. The 23-year-old prospect, who scored 33 goals last year for the AHL Wranglers, added an assist later in the night to cap a strong outing.

On fresh ice to start the third, Matt Coronato struck quickly. Stationed below the left circle, he one-timed a slick low cross-slot feed from Morgan Frost, beating the Seattle goalie clean to push the Flames ahead 3–1. Jonathan Huberdeau also picked up an assist on the play.

Sam Morton sealed it with an empty-netter at 17:26, created by a sharp defensive play from Sam Honzek, who broke up a Seattle rush and turned the puck the other way before sliding it ahead for Morton’s finish.

Brzustewicz finished with two assists and two shots on goal, continuing to impress with his poise from the back end. Sharangovich, Huberdeau, and Frost each chipped in helpers to round out a balanced offensive showing.

Between the pipes, Dustin Wolf stopped 12 of 13 shots before giving way to Owen Say, who turned aside all seven attempts he faced to close out the win.

The victory offered a glimpse of Calgary’s depth in action — with veterans setting the tone and young players like Kerins, Brzustewicz, and Honzek making strong cases to stick around as roster battles intensify heading toward opening night.

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.

Wranglers Launch Season in Colorado, Host Firebirds October 24–25

CALGARY — Year four of the Calgary Wranglers begins this fall, marking the latest chapter since the club relocated to southern Alberta in 2022. In three seasons at Scotiabank Saddledome, the Wranglers have made the playoffs every year, including a Pacific Division title in their debut campaign, while building rivalries across one of the toughest divisions in the American Hockey League.

The new season opens October 10 with back-to-back road games against the Colorado Eagles, followed by a two-game trip to face the Tucson Roadrunners on October 18 and 19. The Wranglers’ home opener arrives October 24, when they welcome the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the first of two games that weekend.

The AHL is split into two conferences, the 17-team Western and 15-team Eastern, with four divisions beneath them. Calgary plays in the Pacific Division alongside the Abbotsford Canucks, Henderson Silver Knights, Colorado Eagles, Tucson Roadrunners, San Jose Barracuda, San Diego Gulls, Ontario Reign, Bakersfield Condors, and Coachella Valley Firebirds. Each year, 23 of the league’s 32 teams qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs, with the top seven from the Pacific advancing.

The Wranglers’ leadership has evolved over three seasons. Brett Sutter wore the “C” in the club’s first two years before retiring, with Clark Bishop of St. John’s taking over as captain in 2024. Bishop returns this season alongside veteran forward Martin Frk, who joined last year and quickly became one of the team’s top scorers.

Last season’s points leaders included Rory Kerins with 61, Martin Frk with 60, Dryden Hunt and William Strömgren with 49 each, Sam Morton with 45, Jérémie Poirier with 42, and captain Clark Bishop with 38. These totals reflected a balanced offense, a mix of emerging talent and established contributors.

The Wranglers’ record book has already seen standout marks, highlighted by Matthew Phillips’ 36 goals, 40 assists, and 76 points in 2022–23, and Dustin Wolf’s 42 wins and .932 save percentage that same year. Jakob Pelletier’s 10-point playoff run in 2023 remains a postseason benchmark.

As the Wranglers head into their fourth season in Calgary, the foundation is set: three playoff berths in three years, a growing rivalry with Coachella Valley, and a roster that combines leadership with developing talent. The early-season road trip through Colorado and Tucson sets the stage for a much-anticipated home-opening weekend against the Firebirds.