Connor Zary takes his solo rookie lap on Nov. 1, 2023. (Photo via Calgary Flames)
UPDATE – It took Connor Zary less than six minutes to make an impact in his NHL debut Wednesday night.
The former Kamloops Blazers forward scored the opening goal for the Calgary Flames at 5:28 of the first period, giving him first point in the National Hockey League.
On just his third shift of the night, Zary tapped a loose puck into the net after a Chris Tanev shot from the point was deflected into his path at Scotiabank Saddledome.
“To be honest, I remember it hitting me, I remember just trying to find it, it dropped down in front of me, I put it in, but after that, I don’t remember,” Zary said post-game. “I just remember looking around, happy as can be, screaming.”
“It was pretty cool, kind of just hugging the guys, and all the guys coming over and tapping me was pretty special.”
There was NEVER A DOUBT!🔥
Congrats ZAR! Debut!🚨 https://t.co/bbsJNqNGsD— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) November 2, 2023
The Dallas Stars however had other ideas as they came away with the 4-3 win, handing the Flames their sixth consecutive loss.
Wednesday’s NHL debut marked the end of a long wait for the 22-year-old Zary, a former first round draft pick, who is into his fourth season of professional hockey. He finished with six shots on goal, one minor penalty, and a minus one rating in 6:11 of ice time.
“I did what I wanted to do, I was able to showcase myself a little bit,” Zary added. “First period was a little nervous, had to get the butterflies out, but it kind of just became another hockey game once the second started.”
“I think it’s a little harder to enjoy when you don’t get the win…but at the end of the day, it was pretty special to play in my first NHL game.”
Zary wrapped up a four year Blazers career following the 2020-21 WHL bubble season. He finished with 208 points (80 goals and 128 assists) in 204 regular season games.
“First and foremost, my parents, my mom and dad, my brother, my grandma, the main people that have been around me by whole life, supporting me and helping me get to this point, this moment,” Zary said pre-game, when asked who he’ll be thinking of when he suits up for his first NHL game.
“Really, it’s all because of them, and not so much me.”
A right of passage: the solo lap! Welcome to the @NHL, Zar! pic.twitter.com/eJrnxFOwwQ
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) November 2, 2023
