The Calgary Flames did not win their first home dress rehearsal of the fall, but Aydar Suniev certainly looked ready for his close-up.
Suniev scored both Calgary goals Sunday at the Scotiabank Saddledome, turning a slow start into a competitive game before the Seattle Kraken pulled away for a 4-2 preseason victory.
It was the first of only four preseason games for Calgary and the first home date of the Saddledome’s farewell season. The lineup was packed with prospects and roster hopefuls, so the final score was only part of the story.
Suniev supplied the fun part.
The 21-year-old winger scored in the first period after Sam Honzek intercepted a Seattle pass and fed him in the slot. Suniev struck again in the third, snapping a shot from the left circle past Philipp Grubauer to tie the game 2-2.
He finished with a team-high four shots. Add the lone Calgary goal he scored in the Next Gen Showcase against Edmonton earlier this month and Suniev has produced all three Flames goals during his two exhibition appearances.
“Suniev can shoot a puck. We know that,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said to reporters. “When he gets opportunities, it’s nice to see him have success. He’s got three goals so far. He’s got all three, right? Good on him.”
Suniev’s shot has never been difficult to spot. The encouraging part for Calgary is the rest of his game beginning to catch up with it.
“Every year that Suniev comes back, there’s been a lot of growth in his game,” Huska said. “He just seems like he keeps starting to understand the game a little bit better. He’s maturing both mentally and physically as well. His skating is much better now, too.”
Honzek supplied another promising performance in his first NHL game action in 10 months.
The 2023 first-round pick announced his return immediately, delivering a heavy hit on Carson Rehkopf during his first shift. He later created Suniev’s opening goal and nearly added another assist when Grubauer stopped Brennan Othmann’s one-timer.
Honzek finished with an assist in 15:49 and narrowly missed a third-period scoring chance at the back post. More important than the numbers, he looked comfortable testing the shoulder injury that ended his previous season in November.
“He was back like he hadn’t missed a year,” Huska said. “He brings an element to our team that we don’t have a lot of. He’s got some size, but he’s got real speed. When he’s on the ice, he’s noticeable.”
Huska also liked Honzek’s puck play and willingness to engage physically after a long rehab,
“He’s not shying away from contact at all,” Huska said. “That has allowed him to feel really confident about the strength of his injury. It’s totally behind him, and I think a game like tonight will help solidify that as well.”
Seattle did enough to spoil the comeback.
The Kraken scored twice inside the opening 10 minutes before Calgary settled in. After Suniev pulled the Flames within one, the game stayed 2-1 until his equalizer in the third.
Logan Morrison restored Seattle’s lead with a power-play goal at 11:59, and the Kraken added an empty-netter. Special teams provided the separation: Calgary went 0-for-6 on the power play, while Seattle converted twice in five chances.
The Flames held a 24-23 edge in shots and outhit the Kraken 32-16, encouraging numbers for a young lineup trying to make an impression.
Calgary gets another look at its hopefuls Tuesday, when Vancouver visits the Saddledome for a 7 p.m. start. With only four preseason games, every shift carries a little extra weight.
For Suniev and Honzek, the first home night offered exactly the kind of evidence Calgary wanted from two important young forwards.
The night became more complicated when Brennan Othmann was ejected about five minutes into the game after a hit that injured a Seattle player. Losing a forward forced Huska to juggle combinations, although he said it did not change Calgary’s broader evaluation plan.
“For the short time that Othmann was in the game, he had an impact,” Huska said. “It’s too bad he ended up getting tossed out because he was very noticeable.”
Suniev and Honzek remained the easiest players to notice when the night was over.
Preseason results disappear quickly. Strong impressions tend to hang around longer, especially when roster decisions are coming.
Calgary lost the game. Suniev found the net twice, Honzek found his stride again, and both gave the Flames something worth carrying into the next audition.
