Calgary Flames 3 Minnesota Wild 1

Wild Start For Kobasew

D'Arcy McGrath

September 18, 2001

 

Rookie makes good.

 

2001 first round draft pick Chuck Kobasew wasn't even supposed to attend the Calgary Flames training camp this summer.

As a college hockey player, toiling for the Boston College Screaming Eagles, Kobasew was prohibited from attending a pro camp until after he had officially left the school.

 

Kobasew made that official in July when he announced his intentions to join Kelowna of the WHL this year.

 

Though those intentions are getting more cloudy by the day.

 

One exhibition game into his professional career, Chuck Kobasew has two goals to his name, leading the Calgary Flames to a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild.

 

With a continued performance like this, Kobasew may force the Flames to reexamine their intentions for their number one pick.

 

USA Today Boxscore

 

Off to a good start

 

The theme to the Calgary Flames upcoming season has to be defence. On this night they surrendered only one goal on a mere 16 shots by the Minnesota Wild.

 

The Wild opened the scoring however, as the newly acquired Andrew Burnette scored a first period goal near the end of the first period, past Calgary starter Roman Turek.

 

The Flames tied the score in the second period when 19 year old Chuck Kobasew scored his first of two goals on the night.

 

Later in the period Jarome Iginla notched the game winner, putting the Flames ahead to stay.

 

Chuck Kobasew mopped things up in the third scoring his second goal on a powerplay.

 

Stats Story

 

Goaltenders: Roman Turek started the game for Calgary, stopping nine of 10 shots that he faced, before giving way to Levente Szuper midway through the game. Szuper stopped all six shots that he faced. Jamie McLenan played the whole game for the Wild, stopping 32 of 35 shots.

 

Special Teams: Calgary finished 1-7 on the powerplay, while Minnesota came up empty on four chances.

 

In Other News

 

Flames Sign Berube

 

The Calgary Flames solved some of their toughness issue on Tuesday, signing elder statesman Craig Berube, who finished last season with the New York Islanders.

 

“Craig Berube’s stature in the National Hockey League is well established,” said Button.  “It is important for us to have Craig and the qualities he brings to the game, on our team.”

 

Berube will likely fill the enforcer role for the Flames, and important job in a division that contains Donald Brashear and Georges Laraque.