Pointing out an usually high shooting percentage and low number of shots is fair enough. Beyond that it appears to me that a lot depends on possession numbers and what they mean for the team. It's a little unclear for me at least.
I do agree that shooting percentage is likely to fall. We must remember though that teams react to adversity. What matters is whether or not they'll be able to adjust. You can't blame them for relying on whatever is currently making them successful. If it means fewer shots on goal right now, there's no reason why they won't start putting more pucks to the net once the easier opportunities aren't there anymore.
Goaltending doesn't need to go downwards. There might be a sense around the league that Hiller has been standing on his head the entire season which isn't true, and also Rämö has yet to reach the level he played at last season.
As a thought experiment for the statistically inclined, what stats would you use if you set out to prove that the Flames play is actually sustainable rather than the opposite? Are there such stats or does everything indicate that they will fall back?
For instance, Colorado last year has been mentioned as a team that went against the trends. In hindsight have people come up with underlying stats that tell us why they did? And furthermore, how do the current Flames compare with last season's Avs, both statistically and qualitatively? Are there similarities in their styles? Do they both, for example, score off the rush more than average (as opposed to as a result of sustained offensive zone pressure, which might have implications for possession numbers and quality of scoring chances)?
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