Matthew Coronato turns heads in Flames’ 10-0 pre-season rout of Canucks Specific Occasions

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Matthew Coronato has a protracted approach to go earlier than anybody is severely evaluating his profession with Brett Hull’s time within the NHL.

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A very, actually lengthy approach to go.

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However when Calgary Flames head coach Ryan Huska was requested in regards to the younger winger’s shot following a hat-trick from Coronato within the staff’s 10-0 pre-season opening win over the Vancouver Canucks on the Saddledome on Sunday evening, it was Hull’s identify that got here to thoughts.

Having your shot in comparison with a man who scored the fifth-most targets in NHL historical past? Not unhealthy.

“Some guys can shoot the puck. I bear in mind Brett Hull, he might hit it from wherever,” Huska mentioned. “In entrance of him, behind him … wherever. Some guys have a present that they simply know the right way to hit a puck, and I believe (Coronato) is one in every of them.

“In case you checked out his second objective in the present day, it fortunately popped to him. But it surely was on and off his stick in a rush, so goaltenders don’t have an opportunity to get set and when you may shoot it arduous like he can, that makes a goal-scorer, for certain.”

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Now, Huska wasn’t attempting to say Coronato goes to attain 741 targets in his NHL profession the way in which Hull did. The Flames bench boss was merely attempting to elucidate that there’s one thing particular about the way in which the puck comes off Coronato’s stick.

That was positively on show on Sunday evening on the Saddledome, because the Flames beat up on a gaggle of Canucks prospects.

Coronato’s first objective got here when he deflected a shot after which fired the rebound into the again of the web. On the second, he jumped on a unfastened puck after which buried it. On the third, he ripped a shot top-corner from the proper circle.

It was solely pre-season, nevertheless it provided a tantalizing preview of what’s — hopefully, when you’re a Flames fan — to come back from the 20-year-old the staff picked thirteenth total within the 2021 NHL Draft.

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Huska was removed from the one particular person heaping reward on Coronato after the win.

“He’s an ideal participant, I knew it from final 12 months,” mentioned Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau, who added two targets of his personal. “He had an ideal summer season and rewarded with a hatty tonight. Good for him, he’s an ideal child and he works arduous and tonight, such as you mentioned, his shot is likely one of the finest pictures I’ve seen.”

Coronato additionally added a pleasant help after some good work alongside the boards on Ben Jones’ third-period marker, the Flames’ ninth of the evening.

After making a one-game cameo on the finish of final 12 months’s miserable trudge of a Flames season, most predict Coronato to be an everyday with the Flames in 2023-24. He had a powerful displaying for the U.S. staff on the world championship within the spring and put up enormous numbers at Harvard final 12 months, however everybody is aware of it’s one other stage if you’re attempting to make it within the NHL.

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The Canucks had been lacking most of their regulars on Sunday. However even then, the way in which Coronato put himself in harmful positions and transformed needs to be encouraging.

“Only a confidence builder, I believe as a younger child you’re nonetheless attempting to pave your approach and he’s off to an ideal begin,” mentioned Flames centre Nazem Kadri, who had a objective and two assists. “He’s an ideal child, nice participant. The problem now could be being constant and doing it daily. That’s at all times the nice line attempting to interrupt into the league.”

Coronato largely deflected and spoke in regards to the staff’s efficiency when he was requested by the media about the way in which he performed after the sport. That’s to be anticipated.

He’s centered on adapting his recreation to the NHL stage and is aware of there’s nonetheless quite a lot of work to do.

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And actually, it’s in all probability slightly bizarre strolling into the locker-room and listening to a man like Huberdeau saying you will have top-of-the-line pictures he’s ever seen to a gaggle of reporters.

“That was humorous,” Coronato mentioned with a smile. “Clearly, the staff performed nicely, I assumed we got here out arduous and we performed the proper approach, I believe, for almost all of the sport, so it feels good.”

AROUND THE BOARDS

If anybody’s nonetheless anxious about Jacob Markstrom after his down 12 months in 2022-23, he regarded sharp on Sunday. He stopped all 20 pictures he confronted over two intervals earlier than Oscar Dansk got here in and completed the job within the third, stopping six pictures … Coronato’s hat-trick will hog the headlines, nevertheless it’s notable that Connor Zary added a objective of his personal. It was a pleasant begin to pre-season for the Flames’ first-round choose, twenty fourth total, within the 2020 NHL Draft. Noah Hanifin additionally added a objective … In case anybody is questioning, Dennis Gilbert didn’t neglect the right way to battle over the summer season. Gilbert answered the decision from Canucks defenceman Matt Irwin within the first interval and there was no query who acquired the W on the judges’ scorecards … After scoring the opener for the Flames early within the first interval, Jordan Oesterle almost doubled his tally when he hit the crossbar from a decent angle. Oesterle earned Huska’s reward after the sport, with the pinnacle coach particularly highlighting the defenceman’s play when requested if anybody had stood out … Gilbert was hit arduous into the boards by Nils Hoglander halfway by the second interval and stayed down on the ice for a short time earlier than heading to the locker-room. It was a scary second, however Huska mentioned Gilbert was doing OK after the sport. He gained’t play over the subsequent couple of days, however Huska appeared genuinely relieved.

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OFF THE GLASS

You might virtually hear a pin drop on the Saddledome within the second interval after Huberdeau collided with Irwin and was pressured to the locker-room. He wasn’t gone for lengthy — and scored virtually instantly after returning — nevertheless it led to some minutes of licensed panic amongst Calgary hockey followers on social media. Afterwards, Huberdeau mentioned the “harm” was “just a bit bruise” … Adam Klapka regarded like he would have been glad to indulge anybody who might need been involved in dropping the gloves. He went after Irwin after the collision with Huberdeau and acquired a number of the Canucks fairly upset halfway by the third interval when he crashed the web. It solely resulted in a slashing penalty for Klapka, although.

X: DannyAustin_9

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