By Canadian Press

Tanev’s pre-season debut helps Flames beat Kraken 4-1

Oct 3, 2022 | 9:44 PM

Calgary Flames defenceman Chris Tanev scored in his pre-season debut and Jacob Markstrom made 21 stops as Calgary defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Monday night in NHL exhibition action.

Michael Stone, Noah Hanifin and Blake Coleman also scored for Calgary (4-2-0). Rookie Matty Beniers, with his third goal in as many games, scored the lone goal for Seattle (4-1-0), which suffered its first loss.

A key member of the Flames top-four on defence, Tanev suffered a dislocated shoulder against Dallas in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs that led to surgery in May. He’s been a full participant since the start of training camp, but had been held out of pre-season action until Monday.

It didn’t take long for Tanev to be noticed. On his second shift, he had a good scoring chance on a slick curl-and-shoot move. Later that same shift, he threaded a cross-ice pass to Milan Lucic for another dangerous opportunity.

Tanev’s goal came at 7:44 of the first on a shot just inside the post on Martin Jones after his initial shot was blocked by Beniers.

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Stone continues his bid to turn his professional tryout into another contract by connecting on the power play to make it 2-0 in the second. It’s the team-leading third goal of the pre-season for the 32-year-old Stone, who has signed one-year contracts with the Flames each of the past three seasons.

Down 3-0 in the third, Seattle broke Markstrom’s shutout bid at 2:22 when Beniers beat him just under his glove on a one-timer.

Beniers, 19, was the Kraken’s first-ever draft pick, selected second overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut late last season after the conclusion of his college season with the University of Michigan. In 10 NHL games, he had three goals and nine points.

Also making his pre-season debut for Calgary was Andrew Mangiapane, who joined camp late due to a minor lower body injury sustained during the off-season.

Coming off a career-best 35-goal season that earned him a three-year, $17.4-million contract extension, Mangiapane played on a line with newcomer Nazem Kadri and Dillon Dube on what could be the Flames second line come opening night.

There were signs of chemistry throughout the evening as the trio created scoring chances. On one sequence in the second period, Kadri got the puck in his own net and sent a slick 120-foot pass onto the tape of Mangiapane that set him free off the wing.

Markstrom was making his second start and while not overly busy, he had to be sharp. A first period turnover left Kraken newcomer Andre Burakovsky alone in front of the net with the puck, but Markstrom flashed out his blocker to deny the close-in chance.

Martin Jones had 21 stops in going the distance for Seattle.

NOTES: Calgary’s new-look No. 1 line of Jonathan Huberdeau, Elias Lindholm and Tyler Toffoli had the night off. … The Flames will conclude their pre-season with a home and home against the Jets that goes Wednesday in Winnipeg and Friday back at the Saddledome.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2022.

Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press