Nazem Kadri sets milestone, leads Flames to victory in Anaheim

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Nazem Kadri has plenty of wisdom to share with his Calgary Flames teammates. Nine hundred games already.

While he's not shy about speaking his mind in the locker room, his actions continue to speak volumes.

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Marking Friday's milestone, the 33-year-old had a goal, two assists and another to propel the Flames in the final stretch of big games before he reached NHL silverware. 6-3 win over the Ducks in Anaheim. Andriy Kuzmenko, who scored a hat trick, was another highlight for Calgary.

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“Definitely a night worth celebrating,” Kadri told reporters at the Honda Center.

Indeed it was.

“I think about everybody who helped me get to this point, and you can get a little emotional thinking about it,” Mr. 900 told Sportsnet during a halftime interview. “I'm grateful for the opportunity I've been given and I'm looking at a few more things on top of that.”

Kadri clearly has a lot left in the tank, and that's a good thing because he's signed on for another half-decade in Calgary.

Although the Flames are in the early stages of the youth movement, the recipe for rebuilding still calls for some proud veterans. This is the crucial ingredient.

Not only does Kadri lead the team with 71 points this season, the second-best stat of his career. He's also been an important role model for freshman forwards Martin Pospisil and Connor Zary, as well as other rookies on the roster. Even in these inconsequential games, Kadri is determined to be a driving force. That's exactly what he did in Friday's second all-star showing against the Ducks.

“You can't hold anybody to a standard that you don't hold yourself to,” Kadri told reporters in Anaheim. “I think I've learned that all my life and you have to practice what you preach. I think most guys respect guys who show up at night or night. You will earn the respect of your teammates and your coaches and your organization.”

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Along the way, Qadri received thousands of respects and a ton of admiration. He also won a Stanley Cup ring in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche.

“It's really hard,” Kadri said, sharing 900 nights of know-how in an interview with Flames TV. “A lot of people don't see the things that you have to go through on a daily basis to be ready for game time, whether it's traveling or mentally or physically preparing for the game. A lot depends on this. As a young guy, I think in your first 100 games, you get a little overlooked sometimes. You just go with the flow and you don't need to prepare much because you are young and your body feels like fat. That's good.

“As you get older, you really start to appreciate, you really start to take things for granted. And I'm right here now.”

Qadri looked a little greasy in Friday's first-period funeral. He knifed into the offensive zone, feigned trying to split a pair of defenders, and instead brought John Gibson down.

He also helped on the power play from Kuzmenko, another guy who benefited from kicking shotgun for No. 91. On Kuzmenko's second of the evening, Kadri picked up the puck and then made a crease. In fact, the Russian right-hander protested the news of his hat trick on Sportsnet, saying he believed Kadri had overturned his mid-point marker.

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“It's not his first career hat-trick, is it?” Kadri asked in the postgame scrum. “I had to check this fact. If so, I didn't touch it.

“Is this his second?” I don't know, maybe I did.”

AROUND THE BOARDS

Two goals or three? “It doesn't matter to me who scores,” Kuzmenko assured Sportsnet… Kuzmenko, 28, has 14 points in eight games on Kadri's wing. He described the veterans center as “very important to me because it gives me confidence” … Flames coach Ryan Huska was again impressed with Kadri, saying there was “a lot to like” in Anaheim. “Three points in his 900th game, I think that's pretty good,” Huska said. “We were talking this morning about what he means to our group and how proud he is of pulling people in, which I love to see about him. It's nice to see him rewarded with a good offensive night for his 900th game, but for me it's about the work he did with Connor, playing with him, Pospisil and even Cousy. Since bringing them together, Kuzy has found his way. Much of the credit goes to Kads.” … Andrew Mangiapan and Zari also tickled the heartstrings for the Flames in Anaheim, and future goaltender Dustin Wolff made 19 saves, none more so than robbing Ross Johnston in right in the first … The Ducks made things interesting in three games. Sam Colangelo, Frank Vatrano and Olen Zellweger each scored in a span of 4:07 in the third frame.

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From glass

Anyone else noticing some of the chemistry between Zari and Jonathan Huberdeau currently auditioning for the center? Otherwise, you might want to check out the replay of Zari's game-winner against the Ducks, a close-range roof job after a no-look pass from his new teammate … Flames forward Egor assisted Mangiapane's short-handed shot. Sharangovich scored 58 points, matching the record for most points by a Belarusian player in an NHL season. He now shares that mark with his close friend and mentor Mikhail Grabovsky … Blake Coleman, who needed just one point to reach 30 points. For the first time in his career, he missed the second race in a row due to an upper body injury. … The Flames have three games to play in the 2023-24 season. Next up is a home clash with the soon-to-be-relocating Arizona Coyotes on Sunday (6:00 p.m. MT, Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan) … The Calgary Wranglers are confirmed to win after Friday's 3-1 loss to the Abbotsford Canucks. Advance to a best-of-three series in the opening round of the AHL's Calder Cup playoffs.

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