Connor Zary

Connor Zary sits out his fourth straight game with that nagging upper-body injury from the Panthers hit, and the Flames aren't tipping their hand on when he skates again. At 24, he's battled injuries all season - knee last year, now this - racking up just 11 goals in 67 games before going down. Calgary's thin up front without him, especially with Huberdeau and others on LTIR, and his day-to-day status leaves the lineup in limbo heading into a tough stretch.

Connor Zary hits the ice for practice with the Flames, sending a clear signal that the young forward is pushing to shake off that brutal boarding hit from A.J. Greer a week ago. The league scrutinized the play hard after Greer got the boot with a major and misconduct, but Zary skated off under his own power and now looks ready to roll despite missing a handful of games. Flames brass knows his return could juice their lineup at a critical juncture, with eyes on whether he's game-ready soon.

Tyson Gross, the Calgary kid who lit up St. Cloud State with 41 points and a captain's C, suits up for the Flames tonight against Tampa after signing his entry-level deal. He's sliding onto the fourth line with Pospisil and Klapka, stepping in while Connor Zary nurses that upper-body tweak from Greer's hit. Front offices have whispered about Gross's faceoff dominance - 489 wins led the NCHC - and this debut could be the spark Calgary needs in a tight race.

Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer faces a three-game suspension without pay after the Department of Player Safety ruled on his third-period hit from behind on Calgary Flames winger Connor Zary. The play, which drew a hooking minor, five-minute interference major, and game misconduct, left Zary slamming headfirst into the boards and sparked a seven-minute power play that flipped the game.

The NHL drops the hammer on A.J. Greer with a suspension that has players, coaches and front offices buzzing across the league. That third-period hit on Connor Zary from behind lit the fuse, and now everyone debates if the punishment fits the crime. DoPS faces heat as teams watch closely for precedent in these final stretch scraps.

Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer faces the music after that third-period boarding hit on Calgary Flames' Connor Zary, which sent Zary to the trainer's room with an undisclosed injury during the Panthers' loss in Calgary. The NHL Department of Player Safety hands down a three-game suspension, capping what could have stretched to five after a phone hearing, complete with the five-minute interference major, hooking minor, and game misconduct on the spot.