Matty Shoots-A-Lotto
Friday’s game against Chicago was a lesson in persistence for Matt Coronato.
He launched a career-high 11 shots on goal – six of which qualified as scoring chances according to Natural Stat Trick – and was arguably Calgary’s most dangerous forward their last time out.
Tonight’s message? More of the same.
“I think I need to continue winning my battles, my 50-50 battles, and playing the game the right way,” Coronato explained after Sunday’s morning skate. “I think when you’re doing the little things right, the offence kind of stems from that.
“So for me, I’m focused on having a good start, and playing the right way without the puck and hopefully from there, the chances come.”
And it’s that battle level, that competitive fire that Head Coach Ryan Huska wants to see more of tonight, too.
“I think what we saw from him compared to what we haven’t seen from him lately is more commitment at or on the puck, so a harder guy in the battle to put himself in positions to have the puck more,” Huska said. “I think that’s been one of the things that’s missing from his game, and when you you look at the shot totals that he was able to achieve last game, to me, that’s a player that’s much more engaged and much more committed to the hard parts of the game, which typically is a puck battle.”
For Coronato, having a pair of playmakers on his line helps, too, and he can feel some symettry growing between himself, Morgan Frost and Jonathan Huberdeau.
“I think the more games we play together, the more comfortable we’re kind of getting at spacing out and supporting each other in the offensive zone,” Coronato said. “They’re both such great passers and playmakers. So for me, when they have the puck, I want to find little areas where I can support them and be ready to shoot.
“I think it’s all about winning our battles and being in good positions of support for each other.”
