Four-midable Start

Four-and-oh has a nice ring to it.

Matt Coronato scored a pair - including an empty-netter - and Andrei Kuzmenko had the game-winner as the Flames beat the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

It was their first goals of the season for both players.

Dustin Wolf has another fantastic outing, turning aside 31 shots for the victory.

It's only the third time the club has started 4-0-0, along with the 2009-10, and 1993-94 seasons.

The tilt marked the first time young superstar Connor Bedard has played an NHL contest here in Calgary, missing Chicago's visit last year in his rookie season due to injury.

But while his 'Dome Debut was one of the storylines coming in, the biggest takeaway from the night was that this year's edition of the Flames continue to find offence up-and-down the lineup - they have 19 goals in these fours wins, and the best goal differential in the league at +9. That, coupled with excellent defence and goaltending, has vaulted Calgary out to a dominating start to the season.

The homeside got the first good look of the night Tuesday, Rasmus Andersson sending a long bank pass up to Ryan Lomberg, who feathered the puck to a driving Justin Kirkland but his offering was denied by Petr Mrazek, who was impressive for Chicago.

Kirkland, of course, scored his first NHL goal in a win over the Oilers Sunday night. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

The C of Red got loud for Wolf when he flashed the leather to grab Bedard’s low farside offering as he galloped through the Flames zone off a rush early in the frame.

Connor Zary showed off his speed and deft hands by flying up the ice and walking around Chicago captain Nick Foligno and then toe-dragging Connor Murphy but again, Mrazek was able to deny a goal that would have led off the Sportsnet plays of the night.

Lomberg drove down the right-wing boards, before a little spin-o-rama that led to a long possession that culminated in Coronato’s first tally.

Andersson unloaded a point shot that Kirkland tipped high but Coronato drove to the post and had two whacks to put it home at 16:01.

But off the ensuing faceoff, Foligno skated across the bluepaint and tipped one home just 10 seconds later.

The Flames got their first powerplay of the tilt at 5:40 of the middle stanza but the best chance during the advantage was a Chicago shorthanded breakaway by Joey Anderson that Wolf turned aside.

On their next man-up, though, they made good, with Kuzmenko tipping a long Huberdeau shot home at 13:32, with Zary getting the other assist. Huberdeau had his stick broken on a slash beside the net earlier in the possession and skated to bench for a new twig before setting up the goal.

Coronato iced it with 39 seconds left to play.

The Lineup:

Forwards

Sam Honzek - Nazem Kadri - Andrei Kuzmenko

Jonathan Huberdeau - Martin Pospisil - Anthony Mantha

Connor Zary - Mikael Backlund - Blake Coleman

Ryan Lomberg - Justin Kirkland - Matt Coronato

DEFENCE

MacKenzie Weegar - Daniil Miromanov

Kevin Bahl - Rasmus Andersson

Jake Bean - Brayden Pachal

GOALTENDER

Dustin Wolf (starter)

Dan Vladar

The Numbers Game:

Shots: CGY 26, CHI 32

Powerplay: CGY 1-3, CHI 0-2

Faceoffs: CGY 52.3%, CHI 47.7%

Blocked Shots: CGY 21, CHI 18

Hits: CGY 28, CHI 13

Takeaways: CGY 5, CHI 9

*5-on-5 Scoring Chances: CGY 22, CHI 27

*5-on-5 High-Danger Scoring Chances: CGY 9, CHI 4

*Courtesy of Natural Stat Trick

Three Stars:

They Said It:

Up Next:

The Flames next outing will come Saturday night in Seattle when they face the Kraken (8 p.m.). They return to the 'Dome ice Tuesday when they host Sidney Crosby and the Penguins at 7:30 p.m. CLICK FOR TICKETS