The Flames’ new-look fourth line is starting to carve out an identity

Lomberg brought pace (and an impressive spinning deke in the first period). Kirkland blocked shots and won face-offs. Coronato scored goals. It was the second consecutive strong outing for a trio that was thrown together by circumstance, and have arrived together on very different paths.

The 29-year-old Lomberg went undrafted, spent time in both the United States Hockey League (in two stints) and the NCAA, then caught on with the Stockton Heat on a minor league deal. He impressed in the minors, first earning an NHL contract and eventually several call-ups with the Flames. He became a full-timer with the Florida Panthers, using his tenacity, speed and forechecking to become a key part of their energy line. He won a Stanley Cup with Florida last June and returned to the Flames as a free agent to anchor the fourth line.

The 28-year-old Kirkland was a Nashville third-round pick in 2014. He spent three seasons with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, then three seasons in Nashville’s farm system, primarily with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. After not receiving a qualifying offer from the Predators, he played in the Flames system on three consecutive one year contracts before getting one year pacts with Anaheim and Arizona. He enjoyed short call-ups with both clubs, though as detailed by Sportsnet’s Eric Francis, his call up to Anaheim was derailed by a serious car accident. He returned to the Flames organization as a free agent, and his current opportunity came about because of Cole Schwindt’s waiver claim by Vegas and Kevin Rooney’s injury against Vancouver.

When he scored against Edmonton on Sunday (at the age of 28 years and 72 days), he became one of the oldest Flames in franchise history to register their first NHL goal.

The 21-year-old Coronato was the Flames’ first-rounder in 2020. A star scorer with the USHL’s Chicago Steel, he spent two seasons at Harvard University and remained impressive playing against grown men. He signed with the Flames at the end of the 2022-23 season and spent a good chunk of 2023-24 with the big club after making the team out of camp. He had another strong camp this fall, but began the season as a healthy scratch due to the club having so many strong wingers. He joined the fourth line for the Edmonton game due to a change in coaching philosophy from Huska this season, as he’s opting to get fresh players in for the second half of back-to-backs.

A lot of fourth lines don’t really have an identity. They’re often the forwards who are left over after the other lines are formed, and often feel like a bit of an afterthought and a stylistic mish-mash. But on occasion, the Flames have found fourth line units through circumstance that have become really useful and valuable – arguably their last strong fourth line was Garnet Hathaway, Andrew Mangiapane and Derek Ryan in 2018-19, and that line played a key part in defining that season’s identity and helping to win close games.

Asked about the team having 11 different goal-scorers through Tuesday night’s game, Huska alluded to the necessity of having to utilize a full compliment of players due to the style of game the Flames are utilizing this season.

“Maybe it’s an indicator of the way we have to play,” said Huska. We have to use four lines and we have to use six defencemen because we’re asking the guys to play a hard brand of hockey where they have to be skating all the time, so you can’t rely on nine forwards, if you will. Everybody’s getting an opportunity to play.”

The new-look fourth line was thrown together by circumstances. But they’ve taken the opportunity provided to them and ran with it, and are showing the early signs of carving out a distinct identity for their unit. And with a long season still yet to unfold, that can only be a good development for the Flames as a team.