Sport-scan daily brief

LINEUP NOTES: Fresh off Thursday's 5-4 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals, the Flames had an optional morning skate in Columbus. Their lineup is a mystery due to what head coach Bob Hartley called “bumps and bruises,” but don't be surprised if Calgary-raised centre Joe Colborne makes his first appearance for his hometown team. The Blue Jackets will give rookie left-winger Boone Jenner an opportunity to skate with Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik on their top line. The hosts will be without defenceman Fedor Tyutin, who has been bothered by a lower-body issue.

BURNING QUESTION: Can Flames fourth-liner Lance Bouma — with goals in five straight games, four in exhibition and another in the second period of Thursday's 5-4 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals — extend his scoring spree?

PLAYER TO WATCH: Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had his name engraved on the Vezina Trophy after the shortened season. He surrendered five goals in two starts — a win and an overtime loss — against the Flames last season.

FAST FACT: Golf legend Jack Nicklaus, an 18-time major champion who hails from Columbus, will drop the puck prior to Friday's game. Nicklaus is the quasi-host of the 2013 Presidents Cup, the team showdown between the U.S. and International squad at Muirfield Village, which is about a half-hour drive from Nationwide Arena.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “The goalie battle is not set yet. Nobody in this organization has come out and said one guy is clearly our No. 1. The battle keeps going on, and that's exactly the message we gave Reto Berra also. We were very clear with the three goalies — we don't have an established No. 1 yet. We're still looking for one.” — Flames head coach Bob Hartley

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2013

719482 Calgary Flames

Sean Monahan pots first NHL goal, lifts Calgary Flames over Columbus Blue Jackets

By WES GILBERTSON,Calgary Sun

First posted: Friday, October 04, 2013 12:56 PM MDT | Updated: Friday, October 04, 2013 07:53 PM MDT

COLUMBUS, OH - COLUMBUS — You get the feeling Calgary Flames rookie Sean Monahan will eventually think back to this 27-hour whirlwind, including his goal in Friday’s 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, and realize how special it truly was.

First NHL game? Check.

In Washington, no less, against superstar wrecking-ball Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the Capitals.

First NHL assist? Check.

The result of neutral-zone puck battle in D.C., with Flames winger David Jones racing away and ripping one top-shelf.

First NHL scar? Check.

Monahan has about a half-dozen stitches above his right eye, a future reminder of a run-in with an unknown opponent.

And now this ...

Just 2:27 after Friday’s opening faceoff at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, the 18-year-old Flames centre crashed the crease and shovelled Lee Stempniak’s leftovers over the goal-line for his first big-league tally.

“I guess it’s a relief,” Monahan said. “To get it in my second game, it’s pretty awesome.”

And as part of his first victory as a member of the Flames, to boot.

TJ Galiardi, Jiri Hudler and Curtis Glencross also scored and Joey MacDonald kicked aside 29 shots in Friday’s triumph over the Blue Jackets, an impressive effort from the Flames on the second half of a back-to-back road-set.

Despite fumbling away a three-goal lead in Thursday’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Capitals, the Flames’ two-games-in-two-nights road-trip was undoubtedly a success.

They’ll host the Vancouver Canucks in Sunday’s home-opener at the Saddledome (6 p.m., Sportsnet West, Sportsnet Fan 960).

“It’s huge for us. Confidence goes a long way in this league,” Galiardi said with a grin after a two-point effort, including a dandy breakaway goal in the opening period for his first goal in a Flames jersey.

“I knew, with a young team like we are, we were going to have to come in and have a strong start. It’s only two games, but two hard buildings to play in and to come out with three out of four ...

“We could have easily had four out of four points, but we’re going to build off of it.”

Monahan, too, has something to build on.

Remember, he’s still a week shy of his 19th birthday — Oct. 12 is the big day — and is eligible to be returned to the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s.

When Monahan celebrated his first goal on his first shift of Friday’s clash, he’d logged exactly 11:56 of NHL icetime.

Career.

Make no mistake, Monahan certainly hasn’t been perfect in his first two appearances for the Flames, the squad that made him the sixth-overall selection in the 2013 NHL Draft.

Asked after Thursday’s optional morning skate in Columbus for his early assessment of the 6-foot-2, 200-lb. pivot, head coach Bob Hartley admitted he “saw some junior stuff in his game.”

You can’t argue with the production, though.

With Thursday’s assist, Monahan became just the fourth guy in Flames franchise history to hit the scoresheet as an 18-year-old.

When he scored Friday against the Blue Jackets, he became just the second — joining Dan Quinn (1983-84) — to score multiple regular-season points for the Flames before his 19th birthday. Jarome Iginla had points in each of his first two playoff games as an 18-year-old.

To top it off, Monahan was conducting Friday’s post-game interviews in the Flames’ firefighting helmet, awarded by teammates for an exceptional effort after any victory.

They, without a doubt, understand what the talented teen accomplished in this memorable two-night span.

“Monny, I felt that this game tonight was much much better than (Thursday) night,” said Flames head coach Bob Hartley. “He played with confidence. He had jump in his game. Obviously, scoring early, that’s always a good boost. But at the same time, he made some plays than an NHL player makes.”

Jack Johnson, Marian Gaborik and Artem Anisimov had the Blue Jackets’ goals in their home-opener.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2013

719483 Calgary Flames

Six Calgary Flames who could make an impact this season

By WES GILBERTSON

First posted: Friday, October 04, 2013 04:56 PM MDT | Updated: Friday, October 04, 2013 05:02 PM MDT

Sean Monahan might the name on the marquee, but he’s not the only face of the future for the Calgary Flames.

Monahan made his NHL debut — and collected his first point at hockey’s highest level — in Thursday’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center, but the sixth-overall selection certainly won’t be the only Flames prospect given a big-league opportunity this season.

Here are a half-dozen others likely to get a taste of NHL action sometime soon ...

C Corban Knight

The Flames hinted at their high expectations for Knight when they announced the acquisition of the 6-foot-2, 195-lb. pivot in June, with GM Jay Feaster stating in the press release that day that Calgary’s brass “look forward to his debut in a Flames’ sweater this fall.” Knight will start his professional career with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat, but it’s only a matter of time before the 23-year-old is summoned to the Saddledome. The addition of Joe Colborne alleviates a bit of pressure on Knight as he tries to make the jump from the University of North Dakota to NHL regular.

G Reto Berra

Berra was Calgary’s second-best goalie during training camp, but it doesn’t do him much good to sit on the bench at the Saddledome, which is why the 26-year-old will start the season in Abbotsford. Berra has size on his side — at 6-foot-4, he covers a lot of net — and seems determined to make a speedy transition from standout in Switzerland’s National A League to a starter in the best hockey league in the world. Signed to only a one-year deal before becoming a restricted free agent next summer, the Flames will want to see Berra face shots from the best on the globe.

LW Johnny Gaudreau

Flames fans will have to wait until at least April for their first glimpse of Gaudreau in regular-season action. The decision-makers at the Saddledome certainly don’t want to wait any longer than that. Arguably the most electrifying offensive player in the U.S. college ranks, Gaudreau has twice declined offers from the Flames to turn pro. ‘Johnny Hockey’ enters his junior season with the Boston College Eagles as the favourite to win the Hobey Baker Award. If the 5-foot-8 forward doesn’t sign with the Flames this spring, there will be legitimate concerns he could bolt as a free agent in 2015.

D Patrick Sieloff

An in-your-face sort, Sieloff was oh-so-close to sticking with the Flames as their seventh defenceman. The 19-year-old blueliner will instead work a regular shift in Abbotsford, where he’ll log a ton of icetime and make a few new enemies. Sieloff is listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 lb., but has the attitude that he’s the biggest guy on the ice. There will be some growing pains in his first professional season, but he could become the most feared hitter on the Flames’ roster as soon as he is recalled. He’ll battle with Mark Cundari (23), John Ramage (22) and Tyler Wotherspoon (20) to be the first rearguard up from the AHL.

LW Michael Ferland

The Flames are thrilled with Ferland’s commitment to improving his fitness — he’s dropped about 25 lb. since last December — and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the 6-foot-2, 215 lb. left-winger is rewarded with a call-up to Calgary sometime this season. The Flames believe Ferland can blossom into a bonafide power forward and, with a lack of big bodies on their current roster, he could be fast-tracked to the NHL if there’s an injury to a physical winger. In the meantime, the 21-year-old will get every opportunity to become a key contributor for the Heat.

LW Kenny Agostino

Agostino was offered a contract last spring, but the 21-year-old left-winger wanted to return for his senior season with the defending NCAA champion Yale University Bulldogs and finish off his Ivy League education. A point-per-game guy for the past two seasons at Yale, Agostino impressed during Calgary’s summer development camp and the 6-foot-1, 200-lb. sniper should get an opportunity to showcase his skills at the Saddledome immediately after his final college campaign. Ben Hanowski, the other prospect acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Jarome Iginla trade, scored in his first big-league outing. Your move, Kenny.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2013

719484 Calgary Flames

Colborne got chills ... Galiardi turns things around ... Golden Bear makes an appearance

By WES GILBERTSON,Calgary Sun

First posted: Friday, October 04, 2013 10:35 PM MDT | Updated: Friday, October 04, 2013 11:06 PM MDT

COLUMBUS -- Joe Colborne never wants to forget this night.

Most of it, anyway.

The Calgary-raised centre realized a childhood dream by donning a Flames jersey for Friday's 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena, although he was fairly critical of his first appearance for his new team.

"Chills. It was a very cool experience," Colborne said, trying to describe the feeling of tugging on a Flames jersey for the first time before logging 12:41 and tossing four hits against the Blue Jackets.

"The guys were all hooting and hollering when I did it. Just a great atmosphere. It'll be something I remember ... Hopefully, not the way I played today, but it's something I can build on. It's a huge honour to wear that jersey."

Colborne has been getting a crash course on the Flames' systems since arriving less than a week ago in a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He was pressed into action Friday as a replacement for Matt Stajan, the first-line centre who is officially week-to-week with what the team characterized as a "deep leg contusion."

With Stajan and skilled winger Michael Cammalleri (hand) both missing in action, the Flames' lineup for Friday's tilt with the Blue Jackets included five forwards with less than 50 NHL appearances under their skates.

In fact, that group -- Colborne, Sven Baertschi, Lance Bouma, Sean Monahan and Ben Street -- have COMBINED for just 99 big-league outings. And yes, that includes Friday's game.

With Colborne, Monahan and Street joining Mikael Backlund up the middle, the Flames had just 199 games of NHL experience among their four centres.

"You obviously miss a guy like Staj. He's part of the backbone of this team and we definitely want him back as soon as possible," Colborne said. "But we'll do our best to hold down the fort while he's gone."

Around the boards

Eleven forwards dressed for the Flames on both nights of the two-game trip to Washington and Columbus, and every single one of them notched at least one point ... What a turnaround for Flames LW TJ Galiardi, who apologized to teammates after taking a costly penalty in Washington but made amends with a terrific performance against the Blue Jackets. The 25-year-old had a goal and an assist and drew a penalty that squashed any hopes of a comeback by the hosts ... Pointed out by somebody way smarter than me: Almost every time Flames head coach Bob Hartley addresses his puck-stopping situation, he mentions G Reto Berra. As long as Berra doesn't bomb during his stint with the AHL's Abbotsford Heat, he'll get a shot at the Saddledome sooner than later ... By the way, LW Ben Hanowski scored a pair, LW Paul Byron and C Josh Jooris each had a two-point night and Berra made 31 saves as the Heat posted a 5-2 road victory over the Lake Erie Monsters in Friday's season-opener.

Off the glass (golf edition)

Flames captain Mark Giordano isn't a regular at the dot, but he wasn't going to give up his ceremonial faceoff duties with golf legend Jack Nicklaus -- the sorta-host of the 2013 Presidents Cup at nearby Muirfield Village -- dropping the puck prior to Friday's date at Nationwide Arena. "A lot of the guys have been asking if they can take it instead of me," Giordano said. So were there any appealing offers? "Nothing that is going to make me give it up," he replied. "It's going to be a cool moment" ... Canada's up-and-coming golf star Graham DeLaet, of Weyburn, Sask., is an avid Flames fan and planned to attend Friday's game ... Blue Jackets D James Wisniewski was the best golfer on skates on this night. In fact, the man they call 'Wiz' was the men's club champion last summer at Muirfield Village.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2013

719485 Carolina Hurricanes

Red Wings spoil Hurricanes’ opener with 3-2 win in overtime

Published: October 4, 2013 Updated 1 hour ago

By Jack Daly — Correspondent

RALEIGH — With 81 games still to go, the Carolina Hurricanes took solace in all that they liked Friday night about their effort in their season opener against the Detroit Red Wings.

Newcomers Radek Dvorak and Nathan Gerbe scored goals. Justin Faulk and the revamped defense looked relatively solid, negating many of the Red Wings’ most dangerous chances. And when Detroit’s forwards got past the defense, goaltender Cam Ward generally looked confident while making 35 saves.

“I thought we did a lot of good things,” Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said.

Alas, there’s a significant asterisk attached to any discussion about what the Hurricanes did well Friday night.

Just as Carolina was trying to put the finishing touches on what would have been a satisfying first-game victory, Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg scored with 16.4 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. And then, 3:13 into the extra session, Stephen Weiss scored the winner to allow the Red Wings to come all the way back from a two-goal deficit and sneak away with a 3-2 victory at PNC Arena.

“I think there are a lot of positive things to take away from this game,” Carolina defenseman Jay Harrison said. “I think we skated very well, and we controlled a good portion of that hockey game.

“I think we were in pretty good control of that game. I don’t think too many people would argue with that. I think it’s a good start for our club. We’re not satisfied obviously with dropping the lead in the third period, but there were a lot of good things to build on.”

For the longest time, it appeared Dvorak and Gerbe or maybe Faulk and the defense or even Ward would be the stories of the game.

Newcomers were something of a theme for the Hurricanes on opening night, with Dvorak, Gerbe, first-round pick Elias Lindholm, defenseman Andrej Sekera and defenseman Ron Hainsey all making their Carolina debuts (defenseman Mike Komisarek, a free-agent signing, was a healthy scratch.)

Dvorak, who is playing in his 18th NHL season, came into training camp without a contract, but he played well enough to earn a one-year deal Wednesday.

Even though he no longer had to play for his immediate future, Dvorak scored the Hurricanes’ first goal, putting the finishing touches on a well-developed play from Faulk and Jeff Skinner.

After taking a pass from Riley Nash, Faulk skated out of the zone and found Skinner along the boards. Just as he crossed the blue line, Skinner skidded the puck beyond Detroit defenseman Kyle Quincey toward the Red Wings’ net. Dvorak swiped at the puck just before it got to goaltender Jimmy Howard, knocking it above Howard’s shoulder.

Gerbe, meanwhile, played in Buffalo last season and was signed by the Hurricanes in July. The diminutive winger had a strong training camp, building a rapport on a line with Jordan Staal and Patrick Dwyer.

And while that relationship could pay dividends as the regular season progresses, Gerbe actually scored on the power play in the second period, quickly sweeping the puck past Howard after a Faulk shot from the point was deflected right to him.

Gerbe’s goal gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead through two periods, but the Red Wings scored 42 seconds into the third period when a Zetterberg pass from the left boards deflected off the stick of Faulk and ricocheted directly to Justin Abdelkader, who beat Ward between the legs from near the right faceoff circle.

Oftentimes last season, a goal allowed by the Hurricanes in the opening minutes of the third period would open the floodgates for opponents.

But that wasn’t the case Friday – Carolina didn’t allow many Detroit chances until the final seconds when the Red Wings pulled their goaltender for an extra skater.

Moments before Zetterberg scored, Daniel Alfredsson actually had a golden chance for the Red Wings, causing Ward to lose his stick. The puck came out to Zetterberg at the top of the slot; spinning around, Zetterberg managed to get the puck on his forehand and snap it past the sprawling Ward.

“We had the numbers, we had the guys in front – we just weren’t able to get a handle on it and get it out,” Muller said.

The winner then came when a streaking Weiss found the puck open in the crease.

“With the team we have, I think we’re going to be in opportunities to close games out like that and have leads going into the third,” Faulk said. “Along the way, we’re going to have to learn how to win those games, I think. Game 1 – I think that’s something we can learn from.”

News Observer LOADED: 10.05.2013

719486 Carolina Hurricanes

The more things change for the Canes, the more they stay the same

Published: October 4, 2013 Updated 1 hour ago

By Luke DeCock -

RALEIGH — They were 16 seconds away – 16.4 to be exact – from the kind of season-opening win that would provide justification for everything Kirk Muller has tried to preach since arriving here.

All the Carolina Hurricanes had to do was hold a one-goal lead with the Detroit Red Wings net empty and a minute to go, and they would walk away with the win, the points and the kind of positive reinforcement that only winning can deliver.

And then the Red Wings did what the Red Wings do, putting six uber-talented skaters on the ice, and with Cam Ward down and without his stick, Henrik Zetterberg gathered up a loose puck in the slot and scored.

The eventual overtime game-winner seemed inevitable at that point. Stephen Weiss tapped in a loose puck at the post after Ron Hainsey was unable to clear the crease.

Instead of the optimism of a new season, there was that old sinking feeling. Unable to hold a two-goal lead going into the third, the Hurricanes lost 3-2 in overtime, getting a consolation point that provided little consolation on a night when they appeared headed for a resounding, crowd-pleasing victory.

“Those are games we need to close out and win,” said Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk, who had a spectacular game despite the result. “It’s something to learn from.”

You’d think the Hurricanes, even with all the new faces, would have had enough blown leads to learn from, but this one particularly stung. They fought through a first period when the Red Wings had the edge and came away with the early lead, thanks to a strong opening performance by Ward and an opportunistic goal by newcomer Radek Dvorak. They dominated large swaths of the second, tacking on a power-play goal.

It was the style, the tenacity, that really distinguished those two periods from so many others over the past few years. Whatever message Kirk Muller wanted to get across in his first real training camp, it was coming through on the ice.

“In the second period, we came out and saw what kind of team we are,” said Nathan Gerbe, who also scored in his Hurricanes debut. “We’re quick, we get it in and we outwork opponents.”

The Red Wings scored early in the third to make a game of it, then piled on the pressure in the final three minutes, getting chance after chance, with first Faulk and then Ward disarming the best of them. It came down to the final faceoff, Jimmy Howard on the bench, Detroit’s six best skaters on the ice: Daniel Alfredsson, Pavel Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall, Weiss, Johan Franzen. Those trump cards did the trick.

It was reminiscent, in a way, of the game-tying goal in Game 3 of the 2002 Stanley Cup finals, when the Red Wings put six Hall of Famers on the ice for a crucial faceoff in the final minutes. Steve Yzerman to Nicklas Lidstrom to Brett Hull to three overtimes to posterity.

That’s ancient history now. The present offered reasons for optimism, a game that demonstrated the kind of reliable goaltending and opportunistic offense that will bring the Hurricanes whatever success they will have this season.

It also raised the same old questions about this team’s mental toughness – its ability not to get a lead, but to hold it. Muller still has so much work ahead of him there.

News Observer LOADED: 10.05.2013

719487 Carolina Hurricanes

NC State, Hurricanes reach scheduling agreement

Published: October 4, 2013

By Jack Daly

RALEIGH — N.C. State and the Carolina Hurricanes have settled their cold war over winter sports scheduling.

The two sides announced a scheduling agreement Friday that gives the Wolfpack the priority to schedule games at PNC Arena on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays during the ACC basketball season – defined as Jan. 1 through the second week in March.

In return, N.C. State will release all but three Fridays from the last week ofAugust through the second week of March to Gale Force Holdings, the parent company of Hurricanes. That gives Gale Force the ability to schedule hockey games and concerts heading intoweekends during the ACC season.

The Hurricanes also will be able to schedule Saturday home games during the Wolfpack’s nonconference season.

“We worked out a pathway for us to schedule that we both think benefits both of our organizations,” N.C. State chancellor Randy Woodson said. “And makes it easier for us and frankly more consistent year-in and year-out for us to be able to set our schedules.”

The relationship between the two sides grew testy this summer when Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford complained in a letter to the Centennial Authority, which oversees the arena, that N.C. State wanted to hold out 129 dates in a 214-day span for 23 basketball and football games. A string of communication between Rutherford and authority officials suggested the relationship had grown contentious.