Flames brass on hand to watch prize prospects
Rare AHL-NHL doubleheader features Heat against Barracuda
Tie draped around his neck and fresh off the Christmas break himself, Brian Burke passed by the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat dressing room in the bowels of SAP Center.
Down the hall, Mark Depasquale and Corey Osmak were sharpening skates and preparing equipment because, soon, the Calgary Flames would be rolling into the building and the hallway would be littered by National Hockey League players warming up.
But instead of answering a pile of swarming media, questioning the Heat on a killer turnover that led to a 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Barracuda or why they allowed three straight goals and blew a third-period lead, the players filed out of the dressing room and were greeted by the sounds of something bigger — the sounds of the hustle and bustle of an NHL game.
All of it — being so close, but so far — are motivating reminders in the AHL.
“I mean ...” the Heat’s Ryan Lomberg was saying of the Flames brass, “they’re here physically now. But you kind of always have to know that someone is watching.
“Whether they’re in the building or up in Calgary in their office room, you kind of have to play the same way, and ultimately, that’s when you’re going to get rewarded when you’re consistent and doing the right things every night,” he added.
The right things, on this afternoon, seemed to be when Lomberg, Andrew Mangiapane and Brett Findlay were on the ice, a trio that’s been together for a few weeks now and seems to be clicking since the absence of Mark Jankowski and, a few weeks ago in the wake of Kris Versteeg’s hip surgery, Garnet Hathaway.
Mangiapane scored two goals and set up Findlay on a two-onone rush.
It was a rare AHL/NHL doubleheader — an opportunity for both teams’ brass to lurk and catch a first-hand glimpse of a few of their prize prospects.
For Mangiapane, it was business as usual.
“I think it’s the same (if the Flames personnel are there or not),” said the 21-year-old left winger from Bolton, Ont.
“Every game, there’s a guy or two here or maybe they’re watching it on TV. They’re always watching. Someone is always watching.
“We just needed to take it like any other game, just play your own game.”
With three points in Thursday’s losing effort, Mangiapane is on a three-game point streak with 13 games and 19 assists for 32 points in 28 games to lead the Heat in scoring.
It’s a decent production rate for the second-year pro who was drafted in the sixth round (166th) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Plus, he’s well on his way to beating his totals from 2016-17, which saw him rack up 20 goals and 21 assists in 66 games.
But after watching his linemates Jankowski and Hathaway skating on the Flames third line with Sam Bennett, he can’t help but wonder when his number will be called for a trip to Calgary.
“You can always get better, and I guess that’s why I’m down here, right?” Mangiapane said.
“To learn and get better so that in case I get called up, I’ll be ready and can make the most of it. Those two are doing great and are playing great, and they put in the work down here and learned every day. That’s what I have to do.”
And, watching closely, the Flames have seen it.
But, like with every young professional, it’s about doing it on daily basis.
“It’s been real positive,” said Heat head coach Ryan Huska of Mangiapane’s development.
“Early on, there was a lot of chemistry between Mark and Garnet and him. But the really great part about him is I think he wants to show people he’s not just about them and can do it without them.
“And he’s continued to do that consistently since both have been called up.
“Just about every night, he’s been called up, and he’s been a factor in just about every one of our games, and he’s on the scoresheet.”