The Flames are settling into pretty much what I (and others) expected.
Good system that allows them to keep the high danger stuff down. Goaltending that thrives in that type of system.
The ability to control the puck and control large chunks of games in terms of shot attempts, shots and generally scoring chances (that has lapsed on this trip), but the inability to finish at a rate that would keep the team elite.
The Flames have slipped to 22nd in five on five shooting percentage, but still have the league's best five on five save percentage.
Drilling down a bit the Flames offence is getting what it generates, that is their GF is pretty tight to their xGF. Therefore the lack of finish is due to quality of shots, and the team not generating all that much with their shot volume.
In terms of SCF/60 they are very good (ranked 3rd), so it's not where they're shooting it's how the puck gets to the point of the shot as they are ranked 19th in HDCF/60 ... so shots from homeplate but carrying it there themselves and not fooling the goaltender as there's no pass or rebound or tip to complicate things.
They are 0.8 GA/game better defensively than their xGA/game so the system and the goalies are getting the save.
Good hockey team that is in every game but doesn't have the finishers (or chance creaters) to score more than 2 per game.
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