Flames will win Stanley Cup led by Markstrom, top line

The Calgary Flames will parlay an entire season of playing with a focus on defense into their second Stanley Cup championship.

Calgary cut its goals against from 2.86 per game last season to 2.51 this season and allowed the third-fewest goals (206) in the NHL. That was the best defensive performance of any Western Conference team and included an NHL-low 139 goals against at 5-on-5 this season.
No. 1 goalie Jacob Markstrom (37-15-9 in 63 starts, 2.22 goals-against average, .922 save percentage, nine shutouts) led the way.
RELATED: [Complete Flames vs. Stars series coverage]
Markstrom allowed two or fewer goals in 39 starts this season, and his nine shutouts led the NHL.
He was also a major factor in Calgary's record in locking down games. The Flames were 40-1-2 when leading a game after two periods, best in the NHL.
With that kind of defensive foundation set, the Flames should have no difficulty adapting to the grind of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and adding the 2022 banner to the 1989 banner that hangs in Scotiabank Saddledome.
Their style is well-rehearsed and the required adjustments should be few under veteran coach Darryl Sutter, who was hired midway through last season, March 4, 2021.
Calgary's reliable game this season, which included an average of 29.0 shots against per game, fifth-lowest in the NHL, helped them to the best road record in the Western Conference (25-12-4), another integral rehearsal for the playoffs, where winning on the road is essential.
The surprising element to Calgary's championship run this season may be the offense that comes from solid defense. The Flames struggled to score last season, 2.77 goals per game, which was 20th in the NHL, and Sutter said repeatedly that scoring easily was just not in the team's DNA. This season, Sutter made the same claim but production increased to 3.55 goals per game, sixth-best in the NHL.

The combination of better defense and better offense has pushed Calgary to plus-85 in goals, behind only the plus-95 of the Florida Panthers.
Leading the scoring charge was Calgary's remarkable first line of Elias Lindholm with Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, each of whom had NHL career-best seasons.
Gaudreau finished second in the NHL scoring race with 115 points (40 goals, 75 assists) in 82 games and was plus-64; Tkachuk had 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) in 82 games and was plus-57; and Lindholm had 82 points (42 goals, 40 assists) in 82 games and was plus-61.
Add Andrew Mangiapane's 35 goals in 82 games and the Flames were the only team with four 35-goal scorers in the NHL this season.
An elite defense, a top-flight and potent offense and experience coaching are the foundation of any championship and will be the keys to Calgary raising the Cup this season.