Calgary Flames Will Make Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Calgary Flames appear on their way to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And this number would tell you they aren’t going to be an easy out for anyone.
The Calgary Flames are approaching the NHL trade deadline holding down the third playoff spot in the Pacific Division. There has been plenty of opinion written about how the Los Angeles Kings will catch them with their typical late season surge. Likewise there have been thoughts about how Calgary was falling apart earlier this year after a nice start to the season. So far neither is happening and the Calgary Flames are quietly chasing down teams ahead of them in the standings.
Perhaps the Calgary Flames were not supposed to do this yet. The oldest player on the team is goaltender Jonas Hiller at only thirty-two years old. Only eight players on the team are older than thirty. With so much young talent the thought of the Calgary Flames being a year or two away from serious playoff contention wouldn’t be out of line. So why are the Calgary Flames winning so many games?
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Flame for Thought
The better question isn’t why they are winning, but to point out how the winning is happening. I’m not going to tear apart possession numbers or dissect points by position, power play or goals against. There is one number you need to look at to find an idea how a team will do in the Stanley Cup playoffs. That number is regulation and overtime wins (ROW).
The shootout/skills competition deciding games can overly inflate a teams win total. Getting those cheater points for wining a shootout doesn’t matter come playoff time. When regulation time is over the game tightens up and teams have to figure out how to score that last, game-winning goal. Regulation wins are a sign of a good team; overtime wins are the sign of a clutch team. And the Calgary Flames have that clutch ‘it’ factor about them.
The Calgary Flames have won twenty-one games in regulation which puts them right in the middle of the NHL. Their eight overtime wins is tops in the NHL, two wins more than the Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators. That’s more ROW wins than the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks and an equal total to the Pittsburgh Penguins. All three of those teams at one point have been considered Stanley Cup favorites.
Experience winning tight games is invaluable when every game is tight. Having a goaltender with twenty-six playoff games and a postseason save percentage of .932 doesn’t hurt either. That steady presence gives young players like John Gaudreau and Sean Monahan extra confidence and the ability to take chances to generate offense. Veterans Mark Giordano and Jiri Hudler scoring at the pace they are lead a deep and balanced attack. And head coach Bob Hartley is quickly becoming a candidate for Coach of the Year.
The Calgary Flames are no longer looking in the rear view mirror at the teams chasing them. They are the object in the rear view mirror of the Vancouver Canucks that is closer than it appears. And if the Anaheim Ducks keep sliding that ten point lead could shrink in a hurry. For the first time since the 2008-09 season the Calgary Flames look like they are going to the Stanley Cup playoffs. When they get there they are poised to make some noise.
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