"Alex Tanguay hasn't played centre since, well, since he was a teenager. But there he was Tuesday night, stepping in between Niklas Hagman and Jarome Iginla on a makeshift No. 1 attacking trio during the third period of the Calgary Flames' 3-1 pre-season victory over the visiting Phoenix Coyotes. Tanguay was pressed into service after No. 1 pivot Olli Jokinen left the game after three shifts into the second period with what appeared to be a mid-body injury. The big Finn fired the puck into the Phoenix end from the blueline, chased after it around the net and circled back straight to the Calgary bench. He appeared to be clutching his lower back area before leaving for the trainer's room. That triggered a shuffling of the troops that saw rookies Mikael Backlund and Stefan Meyer move into the void before Tanguay joined up with Hagman and Iginla. "That's the first time I played centre probably since junior," said the grinning right winger, who has returned to Calgary this season to form a prime attacking force with Iginla and Jokinen. "I was maybe a little tentative on some plays and the faceoffs, but Haggie and Jarome looked great, so it was fun to play with them." What isn't fun these days for head coach Brent Sutter is counting the heads in an ever-growing parade of injured centres, although he admitted that he didn't think Jokinen's injury was "significant." However, with Jokinen out for an unspecified amount of time, the Flames now are without their first three centres. No. 2 Matt Stajan is out long term with a separated shoulder suffered in the team's first exhibition outing, while No. 3 Daymond Langkow continues to rehab from a serious neck injury suffered near the end of last season. You also can throw off-season acquisition Ryan Stone out with a rehabbing knee. The only good news is that prospect John Armstrong will suit up in tonight's joust with a split New York Islanders team at Saskatoon. He suffered an eye injury during Saturday's win here against Tampa Bay." http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports...Flames lose Jokinen injury/3593701/story.html
