By RANDY SPORTAK

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Andrei Zyuzin received his Christmas present early this year: The knowlege his son is safe and sound and felling fine after eye surgery.

The Calgary Flames defenceman happily reported yesterday his three-year-old son Ivan is making a solid recovery from major eye surgery performed Wednesday in L.A.

The next gift he's waiting for is his family's return home to Calgary, which is expected to take place the middle of next week, just before the Flames return from their six-game road swing.

"It was a very emotional thing to go through," said Zyuzin after his team held an optional practice at the Jobing.Com Center in advance of tonight's game against the Phoenix Coyotes (7 p.m.).

"It's your kid and it's tough to see them go through some kind of pain, any kind of pain."

A month ago, Zyuzin and his wife Teresa were informed their son needed surgery on the muscles of both eyes because vision problems were causing the youngster to go cross-eyed.

Zyuzin, who was out of the lineup for a couple of games due to a groin injury, travelled to L.A., arriving in time to see his little boy before the procedure. He flew to Vancouver to meet the Flames and played Thursday night against the Canucks.

Originally, Zyuzin wasn't sure if he'd be able to go to L.A., needing to prepare for both a game and a return from a groin injury but he was all but ordered to go by Flames GM Darryl Sutter and head coach Jim Playfair.

"Jimmy and Darryl understood the situation and let me go. They told me I had to go. I'm really thankful," he said. "I walked into the room two minutes before he had to go for the surgery and my son was so happy I was there. He was holding my hand on the way to the room."

After an off-ice workout yesterday, Zyuzin was relaxed in the knowledge that all's well.

"He's stable, he's feeling good and he can see," he said.

"Good thing we have a really good doctor."

In a welcome coincidence, Zyuzin and the Flames will head to Anaheim after tonight's game against the Coyotes and they will take to the ice against the Ducks Monday night.

Calgary also has a Tuesday-night clash scheduled against the Los Angeles Kings so Zyuzin can see Teresa, their 16-month-old daughter, Ava, and Ivan during that spell.

Fortunately, he said, Teresa is faring better, too.

"Even before the surgery, when we found out he had to get it done, she was not the same. She didn't want to talk about it and was pretty emotional," said Zyuzin.

"It's hard to see your little guy being taken away to a surgery room. It's hard for a parent. It's been hard on her but she's good now, really relieved and the doctor has told us the surgery went well."

Through the quick trips back and forth and emotional drain were taxing, Zyuzin had a pretty good game against the Canucks, especially after being out of the lineup.

"(Thursday), of course I was thinking of calling to find out how he was doing and what the doctor said. But this is my job, and to do things right you have to concentrate on it," he said.