Coronato, Wolf provide Flames fans hope in season finale

The highly-touted Matthew Coronato made a mistake before he even got on the ice in his NHL debut Wednesday night. The 2020 first-rounder forgot to knock the pucks on the ice for his traditional solo rookie lap, which he shared with fellow goalie prospect Dustin Wolf. 

“We were skating around there with three pucks trying to chase them down,” Coronato said, laughing.

“Besides that, it was great…I was hoping he was going to give one to me, or else I wasn’t gonna have a puck. He put it right on my tape. It was a nice play.”

Coronato finished the evening plus-one with over four shots on goal in 14:38 of ice time, not looking out of place in a league far faster and more skilled than the NCAA as the Flames went on to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 to end their season.

“Everyone’s a lot smarter too. Guys are in really good spots. In puck battles, everyone’s a lot harder," Coronato said.

Sutter was impressed with the rookie’s debut.

“He’s got really good hands,” he said.

“Lots of spunk in that kid…it was a good first game.”

The adrenaline was still running for Coronato after the game.

“I really can’t remember everything that went on in the game,” he said.

Wolf also had a debut to remember, stopping 23 of 24 shots in his first career NHL victory. Sutter praised his work, saying he settled the team down with his play.

“I was thinking of just trying to playing my game,” Wolf said of how he approached the third period with the Flames defending the lead.

“I was getting more comfortable. They were just throwing pucks at the net. We did a good job in getting that lead…I think I was pretty confident out there…rewarding for [Nikita Zadorov] getting a hat trick.”

Zadorov, already at a career high in goals, scored his first career hat trick on Wednesday. 

“It happens,” he smirked after.

Sutter jokingly referred to Zadorov as the Russian Rocket.

“Saved it for the last game,” Sutter said.

“Should’ve done it in October.”

“Wasn’t that Pavel Bure’s nickname?” Zadorov asked.

“I’m far away from that.”

Like Coronato, his adrenaline was going. Zadorov blacked out after his third goal, an empty-netter.

“I would have bet on it,” he said when asked if before the season someone told him he’d have a hat trick.

In one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, Flames fans still showed up for the finale. No jerseys were tossed on the ice, the team was rarely booed, and the fanbase never seemed to turn on the team itself. That was not lost on Zadorov

“Definitely disappointing season for our group,” he said.

“Last game, it was kind of like, ‘Get it done, no matter what, for our fans, for the city of Calgary.’ They’ve been great all the time. You’ve got to respect them. It was sold out. They were cheering today. They were singing songs. It’s nice to see…definitely guys played with their hearts for the fans, for sure.”

Many words have been written on the possible changes ahead for the Flames. Six players are set to become free agents next summer and, thus, eligible for extensions this summer. General manager Brad Treliving’s contract expires in the coming months, and there is speculation about the status of Sutter, whose two-year extension kicks in next season. For now, the head coach is holding off on reflecting.

“I don’t do that,” he said.

“That’s a real selfish way of looking at it…my first priority is players and their families and then the next part.”

That next part will become more clear in the coming weeks. Exit meetings are Friday.