Calgary Inferno gearing up for home opener
Posted Oct 25, 2017 1:32 pm.
Last Updated Oct 25, 2017 1:45 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Max Bell Centre is going to be bustling Saturday afternoon for the Calgary Inferno 2017-18 home opener.
AUDIO: 660’s Sandra Prusina catches up with Inferno GM Kristen Hagg
The Canadian Women’s Hockey League team is welcoming newbies Kunlun Red Star, with a chance for Calgary to add to its win streak after back-to-back victories in Boston over season-opening weekend.
“We did get off to a good start obviously,” explained general manager Kristen Hagg. “For this weekend, I expect the team is going to be really excited to be finally playing at home in front of a home crowd. For a lot of players, this will be their first home games at the Inferno. In that sense, there will be a great deal of excitement. Not to mention the fact that it’s one of the first games against one of the new Chinese teams. That creates an extra buzz.”
Kunlun joined the CWHL, along with the Vanke Rays, during the off-season as part of the league’s expansion to China.
“It’s going to be a tough battle,” said Hagg. “Kunlun lost their first two games and they’re going to be hungry to get a win here. They’re going to come out really strong. I’m hoping our team is up to the challenge.”
With the Olympics around the corner, the Inferno look different this season, with a core of last year’s roster at centralization camp preparing for the 2018 PyeongChang Games. But for the club, the goal is to return to the Clarkson Cup final and they’re putting a lot of faith in their coaching staff and leadership group.
“Toward the end of the summer, [we were] getting this coaching staff in place that we knew would be well-suited to doing a lot of teaching and bringing together a new group,” said Hagg, who won the CWHL title as a player during the 2015-16 season before moving into a front office role. “We’re well-organized to get the right coaching staff in place and hopefully get the most and the best out of these players.”
Before Saturday’s game, the Inferno are hosting a tailgate party with food, music, former players, Olympians and a chance for fans to get to know one another.
Action between Calgary and Kunlun gets underway at 4:15 p.m. from Max Bell Centre Arena Two.
