Coronado’s Two-Goal Effort Not Enough as Blues Spoil Flames’ Home Opener
CALGARY — The Saturday matinee at the Scotiabank Saddledome had all the makings of a statement win, but the Calgary Flames couldn’t finish the job. Despite two goals from Matt Coronado, the Flames fell 4–2 to the St. Louis Blues in their 2025–26 home opener, ending a streak that had seen Calgary go 7-0-1 in home openers since 2016.
Coronado opened the scoring at 14:49 of the first period on the power play, converting a feed from Joel Farabee and Nazem Kadri. Late in the second, with the Flames trailing, he struck again at even strength, taking a quick pass from Kevin Bahl and ripping a shot high glove side to tie the game 2–2. The 22-year-old winger’s release and confidence were on full display, underscoring why he’s expected to be a cornerstone piece of Calgary’s next generation.
The Flames controlled much of the second period, pushing tempo and puck possession, but two quick St. Louis goals midway through the frame flipped the energy. The Blues regained their composure in the third, protecting the middle of the ice and adding insurance down the stretch to secure the win.
Goaltender Dustin Wolf faced 28 shots, stopping 24 for a .857 save percentage. He was composed under pressure, turning aside several high-danger chances that kept Calgary within reach until the final minutes.
The loss drops the Flames to 1-2-0 on the season as they regroup ahead of a high-profile matchup Tuesday night against Vegas. Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and the Golden Knights visit the Dome for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
Meanwhile in Loveland, Colorado, the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers are set for Game 2 of their weekend set against the Colorado Eagles. After falling 7-4 in Friday’s season opener, the Wranglers will look to split the series before heading to Tucson next week.
Beyond hockey, Canadian sports fans have another headline to track: the Seattle Mariners defeated the Detroit Tigers last night to advance to the American League Championship Series, where they’ll face the Toronto Blue Jays beginning tomorrow night.
It’s a packed Saturday on the sports calendar — from Coronado’s breakout and Wolf’s early-season test to the Wranglers’ bounce-back bid and an all-north matchup brewing on the diamond.
Blue Jays advance to ALCS as Flames win Battle of Alberta and Wolf dominates early season
CALGARY — It was a defining week for Canadian sports — and once again, Calgary was right in the centre of it.
The Toronto Blue Jays punched their ticket to the American League Championship Series with a convincing win over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Toronto now awaits the winner of Tigers–Mariners Game 5, which will decide who they face when the ALCS opens Sunday at 6 p.m. Mountain.
Back in Alberta, the Flames delivered an early-season statement. Down 3–0 to the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary stormed back to win 4–3 in an eight-round shootout, taking the first Battle of Alberta of the season. Matvei Gridin, Connor Zary, and Blake Coleman provided the regulation goals, with Coleman capitalizing on yet another misplay by Stuart Skinner. Nazem Kadri scored the shootout winner and added an assist, while Adam Klapka and Matt Coronato also picked up helpers.
Goaltender Dustin Wolf once again proved why he’s the cornerstone of Calgary’s crease, stopping 32 of 35 shots through regulation and overtime — plus seven more in the shootout — for a .914 save percentage. Despite being the difference-maker, Wolf was curiously left off the game’s three stars list.
For Edmonton, the same narrative continues. With two of the league’s top forwards, the Oilers’ ongoing goaltending instability remains their biggest barrier to serious contention.
Calgary dropped the second half of their back-to-back the following night in Vancouver, falling 5–1 to the Canucks. Morgan Frost notched the lone goal for the Flames, assisted by Yegor Sharangovich and Joel Farabee.
The Flames return home to the Scotiabank Saddledome for their home opener Saturday at 2 p.m. against the St. Louis Blues, aiming to climb back above .500 for the second time this season. Meanwhile, the Calgary Wranglers kick off their AHL campaign with a two-game set in Colorado against the Eagles.
Between the Jays chasing a pennant and the Flames showing early-season resilience, Canada’s sports momentum is surging — and in Calgary, the fire’s only getting brighter.