Adam Klapka continues to make an impression, and leave an impression, as the 6-foot-8 Czech pushes to make the Calgary Flames opening-night roster.
Klapka scored his third goal in three games and delivered two thundering bodychecks to lead the Flames to a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL pre-season action on Saturday.
“When I get here from Europe, every game I get more comfortable with the puck. Same thing here, I just feel more and more confident with the puck on my stick,” said Klapka.
Signed out of Europe as a free agent in 2022, Klapka is in his third season with the Flames organization. He’s played 125 AHL games and last year got into six NHL games, scoring his first goal.
“He’s impressed me,” said Ryan Lomberg, who had a goal and an assist. “I don’t even know how tall he is, however tall this ceiling is just about, and he can move, he can make plays, he can shoot, he’s physical. It’s exciting stuff.”
Klapka’s goal at 16:31 of the second period ended up being the final goal of the game.
On both sides of his offensive prowess, his physicality was on full display, throwing an open-ice hit in the first period on Nils Aman that sent the forward flying. In the third, his heavy hit on defenceman Akito Hirose sent him careening into the sideboards. Hirose had to be helped off the ice.
When Flames coach Ryan Huska was asked what he wants to see out of his fourth line this season, he pointed to Saturday’s body of work from Klapka, Lomberg, and centre Kevin Rooney.
“Tonight was a good snapshot of it. They’re a group of guys that have to be hard to play against,” said Huska. “They have to make it uncomfortable on defencemen, knowing that, oh my goodness, these guys are coming again, and with that, I think they’re going to drag people into the game with them, like they did tonight.”
Lomberg looks forward to playing more with him.
“He’s gonna make my job real easy this year if he keeps hitting guys like that,” said Lomberg. “It’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Brayden Pachal, who also had an assist, and Blake Coleman also scored for Calgary, which improves to 4-0-1.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Aatu Raty were the marksmen for Vancouver, which is 2-2-0 in exhibition play.
Dan Vladar, who stopped 17 of 19 shots in 40 minutes of action, got the win. Devin Cooley made nine stops in relief.
Artus Silovs, beaten four times on 24 shots, gave way to Nikita Tolopilo to start the third. Tolopilo made eight saves.
Calgary opened the scoring at 4:23 when Pachal’s rising wrist shot from the blue line through a maze of bodies eluded Silovs, who never saw it.
The Flames surged in front 2-0 three minutes later when Lomberg corralled a MacKenzie Weegar rebound in the slot and fired a shot just inside the goalpost.
Lomberg, 29, who broke into the NHL as a Flame in 2017-18, re-signed in the off-season in Calgary as a free agent after four years with the Florida Panthers, which was capped off by winning the Stanley Cup.
Canucks’ coach Rick Tocchet said he liked Raty’s game.
“He’s a sticky player. He gets in there, comes up with loose pucks, he makes some good plays,” said the Vancouver bench boss.
Raty’s goal came on a perfect shot after being set up neatly on a 2-on-1 by Conor Garland.
“He didn’t really look at me at all, but I knew he was going to find me, he’s a great, great passer,” said Raty. “I got the pass and I had lots of room.”
Raty, a second-round pick in 2021, was acquired from the New York Islanders in the Bo Horvat trade. He’s spent most of the past two seasons in the AHL.
“It’s nice to have one find the net,” said Raty, noting that it gives him confidence.
Unexpected offence
Known more for his physicality, Pachal has never had a multi-point game in his 62 career NHL regular-season games. The 24-year-old was in his fifth season with the Vegas Golden Knights organization when he was claimed off waivers by Calgary last February.
Up next
Canucks: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
Flames: Host the Seattle Kraken on Monday.
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