Zayne Parekh steals show as Flames’ prospects put exclamation mark on season
On a historic night in which four of the Flames’ top prospects made their debuts, it was Zayne Parekh who stole the show with a finish that said plenty about what’s to come.
It wasn’t just that Zayne Parekh scored in his first NHL game that should have Calgary Flames fans so excited.
It was the way he did it.
On a historic night in which four of the Flames’ top prospects put an exclamation mark on the season with memorable rookie laps, it was Parekh who stole the show with a finish that said plenty about what’s to come.
Keeping the puck in at the blueline with a feed to Mikael Backlund, Parekh had the instincts to make a charge towards the net most defencemen wouldn’t make.
Backlund curled at the blue line and sent the puck towards Parekh where the 19-year-old flashed the hands of a 107-point scorer to deftly deflect the puck in before crashing into Blake Coleman.
“I wonder if I get credit for the hit and the goal,” the beaming first rounder joked with reporters afterward.
“I didn’t even think about the goal. I started looking at Colesy. I swore, and I’m like, ‘sorry Colesy.’ I didn’t know what to do, honestly.”
/* if ( "1" == true && 'undefined' !== typeof window.getIndexAds ) { var so = {preroll:{1:{1:{siteID:191888},2:{siteID:191889}}}}; adServerUrl = window.getIndexAds( 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6371632503112&cmsid=384', so, permalink); } else { adServerUrl = "http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6371632503112&cmsid=384"; } */ adServerUrl = "http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6371632503112&cmsid=384"; var adServerUrl_result = adServerUrl.includes("cust_params"); var queryString=''; if(adServerUrl_result){ var gettheDUFI = false; if (localStorage.getItem("consent") !== null && localStorage.getItem("consent-targeting") !== null) gettheDUFI = localStorage.getItem("theRED_loc");
if(gettheDUFI){ queryString += "dufiid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; queryString += "ppid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; var ppid = "ppid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; }
var DUFI_IP = false; if (localStorage.getItem("consent") !== null && localStorage.getItem("consent-targeting") !== null) DUFI_IP = sessionStorage.getItem("DUFI_IP");
if(DUFI_IP){ queryString += "dufiip=" + DUFI_IP + '&'; }
adServerUrl = adServerUrl.replace(/cust_params=/, ppid + 'cust_params=' + encodeURIComponent(queryString) ); }
$el.after( unescape("%3Cscript src=\"" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\" %3E%3C/script%3E") );
$( document ).one( 'ready', function() { $( "#video_container-533636" ).SNPlayer( { bc_account_id: "1704050871", bc_player_id: "JCdte3tMv", //autoplay: true, //is_has_autoplay_switch: false, bc_videos: 6371632503112, is_has_continuous_play: "false", adserverurl: adServerUrl, section: "", thumbnail: "https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/6371632503112-1024x576.jpg", direct_url: "https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/flames-ward-parekh-tally-first-career-goals-in-final-game-of-season/" }); });
For a kid who tied Bobby Orr’s record with consecutive 30-goal seasons, who could be surprised his debut would be so memorable?
The goal came two minutes after Sam Morton scored in his NHL debut, putting the Flames up 4-0 in a game they’d eventually win 5-1.
The stat line for the ninth-overall pick last summer read one goal, two shots, plus-3 and a penalty in 20:31 of ice time alongside Kevin Bahl.
Not bad for the first Flames prospect to make the in-season jump from the OHL to the bigs since Sam Bennett.
His stick was active, his instincts were sharp, his passes were crisp and his skating, as usual, was sublime. The uber-confident playmaker ran the second power-play unit well, and was seen smiling on the bench all night long.
A special player, who introduced himself in legendary fashion.
“I think that’s as good as it gets,” he said on the broadcast of his big-league debut.
“I felt comfortable right away. I thought I’d have a lot of nerves coming into this game, but I didn’t feel anything, just a lot of adrenaline pumping through me.”
It marked the first in 22 years two teammates scored in their NHL debut. It’s never happened in Flames lore.
As if there was any doubt this franchise is building in the right direction, it comes one season after Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil scored in their NHL debuts, just one game apart.
The momentous evening was the cherry on top of a season in which the Flames’ tremendous growth left them with a remarkable 96 points, yet heartbreakingly short the playoffs on a tiebreaker.
Not only did Nazem Kadri score twice to up his career-high 35 goals, a late Backlund snipe tied him with Lanny McDonald for sixth on the Flames’ all-time goals chart.
On a night that started with a four-man rookie lap and ended with six lads posing for a photo with milestone pucks, we take a look at the other debuts Thursday in a memorable game that had been rescheduled due to the LA wildfires:
MORTON
The 25-year-old collegiate signing, who scored 20 goals as a Wranglers rookie this year, found the net early in the third with a gritty finish.
Racing in on a 3-on-2, linemate Dryden Hunt sent sauce to the far side of the ice to Ryan Lomberg, who one-timed it to Morton in the middle where he deftly pumped it in while driving the net.
An animated, and vociferous, celly by Morton was echoed by his parents, family and friends in the Crypto.com Arena stands.
“I’m still in shock, I can’t believe what happened,” said Morton, who said everything from their helmetless lap to his inability to have a pre-game nap made it a bizarre day.
“It’s a pretty special feeling. All the days growing up, playing hockey, and tonight is just one of those nights that just reminds you why you love the game and how special it can be.”
/* if ( "1" == true && 'undefined' !== typeof window.getIndexAds ) { var so = {preroll:{1:{1:{siteID:191888},2:{siteID:191889}}}}; adServerUrl = window.getIndexAds( 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6371634440112&cmsid=384', so, permalink); } else { adServerUrl = "http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6371634440112&cmsid=384"; } */ adServerUrl = "http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640x360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300x250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6371634440112&cmsid=384"; var adServerUrl_result = adServerUrl.includes("cust_params"); var queryString=''; if(adServerUrl_result){ var gettheDUFI = false; if (localStorage.getItem("consent") !== null && localStorage.getItem("consent-targeting") !== null) gettheDUFI = localStorage.getItem("theRED_loc");
if(gettheDUFI){ queryString += "dufiid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; queryString += "ppid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; var ppid = "ppid=" + gettheDUFI + '&'; }
var DUFI_IP = false; if (localStorage.getItem("consent") !== null && localStorage.getItem("consent-targeting") !== null) DUFI_IP = sessionStorage.getItem("DUFI_IP");
if(DUFI_IP){ queryString += "dufiip=" + DUFI_IP + '&'; }
adServerUrl = adServerUrl.replace(/cust_params=/, ppid + 'cust_params=' + encodeURIComponent(queryString) ); }
$el.after( unescape("%3Cscript src=\"" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\" %3E%3C/script%3E") );
$( document ).one( 'ready', function() { $( "#video_container-118014" ).SNPlayer( { bc_account_id: "1704050871", bc_player_id: "JCdte3tMv", //autoplay: true, //is_has_autoplay_switch: false, bc_videos: 6371634440112, is_has_continuous_play: "false", adserverurl: adServerUrl, section: "", thumbnail: "https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/6371634440112-1024x576.jpg", direct_url: "https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/flames-morton-parekh-detail-their-first-career-goals-in-nhl-debuts/" }); });
AYDAR SUNIEV
Well aware he was going to be making Flames history as part of the team’s first four-man rookie lap, Suniev joked early in the day they should do the Flying V.
After a quick consult with the captain, the young quartet opted not to pay tribute to the Mighty Ducks.
Instead, the evening was a tribute to just how far the Flames hybrid rebuild has come.
Opting to take turns spinning individually around the ice during the pre-skate, they then did a few laps as a quartet, to the delight of veterans watching from the tunnel.
Only once did the 20-year-old third rounder get a chance to unleash the deadly shot that got him almost a goal a game in his draft year. But he was engaged and around it all night.
Honoured to be placed on Kadri’s top line with Adam Klapka, the sturdy Russian was on the ice for the two Flames goals and in 15 minutes of ice time.
He admitted afterwards it took time to adjust to the pace, and suggested he’d have to work on getting his shot off quicker in the bigs.
HUNTER BRZUSTEWICZ
A second period give-and-go with Yegor Sharangovich off an offensive-zone draw led to a great scoring chance for him, and showed the short of poise that made the first year Wrangler one of the OHL’s top defencemen two years ago.
“It feels unbelievable,” the 20-year-old third rounder told Ryan Leslie during the second intermission, with his parents watching live.
“Obviously you dream of this as a little kid, so for it to happen it’s really cool. Looking at the bright lights in LA, this is where you want to be.”
Paired with Brayden Pachal, the man they call Brew finished with 18:23 of ice time, two shots, an obvious penalty and was plus-2.
The Lines
Suniev – Kadri – Klapka
Coleman – Backlund – Coronato
Sharangovich – Frost – Farabee
Hunt – Morton – Lomberg
Bahl – Parekh
Weegar – Miromanov
Pachal – Brzustewicz
Vladar
First PP – Frost, Kadri, Weegar, Coronato, Klapka
Second PP – Parekh, Suniev, Coleman, Sharangovich, Backlund
