The Calgary Flames delivered their most complete performance of the young season on Sunday night, earning a 3-2 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Calgary entered the game with just one win through its first seven games, while Carolina was riding a seven-game winning streak. The Flames responded with a strong effort at both ends of the ice, finding ways to generate quality scoring chances, getting timely saves from Devin Cooley and receiving contributions throughout the lineup.

It was the kind of performance Calgary has been looking for early in the season. Here’s what the Flames did to get the job done.

The Flames have had stretches of offensive pressure this season, but turning that pressure into goals has been a challenge.

Against Carolina, Calgary did a better job of getting into dangerous areas and making its chances count. The Flames found ways to attack the middle of the ice, establish a presence around the net and put the Hurricanes under pressure.

That approach helped Calgary build momentum against one of the league’s toughest teams.

The Flames don’t need to reinvent their offensive game, but they do need to be more consistent in how they create chances. Getting traffic in front, winning battles around the net and putting pucks into scoring areas can make a difference against teams that limit time and space.

Sunday was a good example of what can happen when Calgary makes those details a priority.

The Flames needed a strong performance in goal, and Devin Cooley delivered.

Cooley stopped 34 of 36 shots, giving Calgary the stability it needed against a Carolina team capable of generating pressure in a hurry.

The number of saves was important, but the timing mattered just as much. When the Hurricanes pushed to get back into the game, Cooley gave his teammates a chance to settle things down and maintain their lead.

Goaltending has been a talking point during Calgary’s difficult start, particularly with Dustin Wolf also working to find consistency. Cooley’s performance was a reminder of how important reliable play between the pipes can be while the team works through its early-season struggles.

One game doesn’t solve every problem, but Calgary will need more performances like this to turn things around.

Calgary’s win wasn’t just about its top players. The Flames received a more complete effort from the group, with their depth helping set the tone.

The fourth line brought energy and physicality, while the team did a better job of staying engaged away from the puck. Those contributions matter against a team like Carolina, which can wear opponents down with its pace and relentless pressure.

Getting contributions throughout the lineup also takes some of the burden off Calgary’s top players. When every line can provide effective minutes, the coaching staff has more options and doesn’t have to lean as heavily on a handful of players to carry the game.

That kind of balance will be important moving forward. The Flames aren’t going to win every night by relying on their goaltender or waiting for their top offensive players to deliver. They need a collective effort, and Sunday’s performance showed what that can look like.

The Flames still have plenty of work to do after a difficult start, but beating the defending Stanley Cup champions offers an encouraging sign.

Calgary generated better chances, received timely goaltending and got contributions across the lineup. Those are the elements the team needs to build on if it wants to put together a more consistent stretch of hockey.

The challenge now is repeating it. The Flames have shown they can compete with an elite opponent. The next step is making that level of execution the standard rather than the exception.