Dube on top line as Flames welcome Sharks in pre-season play

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — The Calgary Flames look for their second win of the pre-season, hosting the San Jose Sharks.

#Flames tonight vs. San Jose:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Dube
Lucic-Ryan-Phillips
Quine-Froese-Rieder
Pospisil-Ruzicka-Rinaldo

Giordano-Andersson
MacDonald-Stone
Nielsen-Yelesin

Gillies

— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) September 18, 2019

Winger Elias Lindholm gets the night off, and Dillon Dube will see time on the top line with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan.

In 25 games with the big club last season, Dube put up five points. He was a standout earlier this week, scoring Calgary’s opening goal in pre-season action versus the Canucks in Victoria, B.C.

“It’s exciting to have an opportunity,” Dube said Wednesday morning. “It’s still a tryout. I’m looking to play my game. Obviously, it’s really exciting for the opportunity. They are top guys in the league. I’m just excited for tonight.

“They’re pretty offensively gifted. It’s nice to go out there and hopefully have a chance to create with them tonight. It’s exciting to watch them play a lot. They do some special things out there.”

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Between the pipes, Jon Gillies is expected to go the distance.

Jon Gillies starts in net tonight vs. San Jose. He’ll play the whole game. #Flames

— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) September 18, 2019

Some players on professional tryouts will get another game under their belts: blueliner Andrew MacDonald along with forwards Tobias Rieder and Zac Rinaldo.

Calgary is coming off a win and overtime loss versus Vancouver Monday night after a split-squad.

“There was good moments in both games,” head coach Bill Peters said. “Gave up some goals late in both games that we’d like back but definitely some the young guys [a] good evaluation. Lots of ice for those guys. I thought some guys played real well within what we’re trying to accomplish this time of year. Today, we should be a little bit better, especially the guys that are playing their second game.”

Puck drops at 7:00 p.m. on Sportsnet 960 The Fan.