CALGARY — There aren’t many better ways to serve notice you feel ready for an NHL roster spot than by scoring twice and ringing a beauty off the post.

Aydar Suniev took a big step towards showing he may soon be capable of helping fill the team’s scoring void with a pair of pre-season finishes Sunday night that had the 20-year-old Russian grinning.

“I was working on my shot all summer and I’m glad it’s paying off,” said Suniev, following a 4-2 loss to open the Flames pre-season schedule at the Dome.

“Felt great. Too bad we lost.”

Suniev also happened to score the Flames only goal in last week’s prospects game.

“Three goals so far and he’s scored all three, so good on him,” said coach Ryan Huska.

“He can shoot a puck, and when he has opportunities it’s nice to see him have success.

“Every year that Suni has come back there’s been a lot of growth in his game. That’s what we’re excited about. He’s maturing both mentally and, for sure, physically as well.”

Selected in the third round of the 2023 draft after scoring 45 goals and 90 points in 50 games with the Penticton Vees, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder with the world-class shot offers plenty of hope for an organization desperately in search of goal scorers.

Suniev cut Seattle’s 2-0 lead in half by converting a nifty feed from Sam Honzek in the slot to beat Philipp Grubauer with a quick release along the ice. He stepped across the blue line and rifled a shot in off Nikke Kokko’s glove to tie the game 2-2 with 10 minutes left.

Suniev spent two years at UMass-Amherst before spending last season with the Wranglers, where the bulk of his 16 goals came in the second half as the team put an emphasis on helping him learn the defensive side of the game.

A look at a few other notable performances:

The best player on the ice all night was a youngster who made a big splash in camp two autumns ago when the 2023 first-rounder led the pre-season in scoring, earning an opening-night gig in the bigs. Injuries ruined that season for him, and last season wasn’t much better, as he missed the last five months due to shoulder surgery.

But on this night he was involved at both ends of the ice, forcing turnovers, creating chances and eventually setting up Suniev’s first with a brilliant interception and feed.

The two seemed to have good chemistry when on the ice together, giving fans plenty of hope that the roster spot he’s been penciled in for due to Jonathan Huberdeau’s injury will likely be well-earned.

“He was back like he hadn’t missed a year,” said Huska of the 6-foot-4, 186-pound lefty, who opened the night with a big hit that should give him confidence his shoulder woes are behind him.

“He brings an element to our team we don’t have a lot of — he’s got size, but he’s also got some real speed. And when he’s on the ice he’s noticeable not just for his ability to forecheck and put pressure on the opponents, but tonight he made some really good plays with the puck.” 

Parekh appeared to pick up right where he left off late last season with a confident stride and approach that had him wheeling all around the offensive zone, making great passes and attempting plenty of shots as he moved in from the point.

By night’s end he had 10 shot attempts, but only one got through. 

Paired with Yan Kuznetsov all night, he also ran the first power-play unit where he had a particularly impressive 4-on-3 in which he, Suniev, Matvei Gridin and Rory Kerins snapped it around in impressive fashion before Suniev rang his shot off the post.

Parekh’s engagement level was high, as he took exception to a late shove from Nathan Villeneuve and responded with several shoves, prompting an official to break them up.

The man they call Brew ran the second PP unit and looked comfortable in a young group.

Some may have been surprised when he started camp in the second group, behind players like Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal, but the coach said that had more to do with the fact it makes no sense to keep nine defenders in the first bunch.    

“The goal is to play in the NHL every single day,” said the 21-year-old, who played 34 games with the Flames last year and 34 with the Wranglers.

“Obviously playing a little bit last year was good to see how everyone prepares and goes about things, and then obviously the feedback of what I need to work on in the summer was good.”

He worked on his skating, and Huska said he’s noticed the difference.

Just a few days after re-signing on a one-year deal with the team as an RFA, the 23-year-old made an early splash with a big hit on defenceman Ville Ottavainen along the boards. The officials didn’t like it, and kicked him out of the game with an elbowing major, but not before Seattle’s John Hayden got a chance to try offering up a little payback with a fight that ended without consequence. 

Too bad he only lasted five minutes, as the winger acquired from the Rangers last season for Jacob Battaglia had the best early scoring chance when he took a great feed from Honzek and was denied by the crossbar.

“For the short time he was in the game, he had an impact,” said Huska. 

“It’s too bad that he got tossed out because he was very noticeable — he drew a penalty, had a chance off the crossbar and had a big hit.”

As the only player in camp on a professional tryout, the 28-year-old son of former Flame Michael Nylander has just two games to show he’s worthy of being offered a contract.

On a team that will be desperately searching to find more goals this year, the thought was that Nylander might be able to help the team’s power play, as he’d scored 23 and 34 goals his last two years in the AHL.

You can certainly see the skill and shiftiness, but it’s hard to imagine this limited look would entice the team to eat up a roster spot otherwise destined for youngsters in the organization. 

Nylander – Kerins – Gridin
Honzek – Jones – Hunt
Stromgren – Gross – Basha
Othmann – Castagna – Suniev

Hanley – Pachal
Kuznetsov – Parekh
Wiebe – Brzustewicz