The Calgary Flames are off to their best start since their historic 2021-22 season (when they won the Pacific Division) with an impressive 12-6-3 record to begin the 2024-25 campaign.

But this edition of the team has done it a lot differently than the ’21-’22 Flames. That group won games on the back of the best line in the NHL in Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk.

How are the Flames winning games this season? Well, it’s certainly not from scoring a ton of goals.

The Flames offence has completely dried up after scoring 16 goals in their first three games of the season.

Since Oct. 14, the Flames haven’t scored more than three goals in a game. They rank 30th in the NHL in goals per game.

Just take a look at the top scorers during this 18 game stretch.

Special teams have not helped the Flames case either. In their last 18 games, they rank 23rd on the power play and 22nd on the penalty kill. And those numbers have got a lot better thanks to impressive play on the PP and PK in their last three games.

Surely they’ve been playing a great defensive game, right? We’ll let’s take a look at the numbers.

Here are where the Flames rank across the league in key 5-on-5 defensive metrics since Oct. 14:

The Flames have been the best team in the NHL at 5-on-5 in preventing goals which is incredibly impressive. But as you can see, it’s not necessarily from being the best team at preventing scoring chances. They’re 17th in expected goals against.

So, they can’t score. Special teams are in the bottom third of the league. They don’t prevent scoring chances at an elite rate.

How is this team winning hockey games?

The answer? Goaltending.

Dustin Wolf and Dan Vladar have been keeping the Flames in games this season, especially Wolf.

Let’s take a look at their goaltending stats in two different segments. First will be from Oct. 14-27. And the second is Nov. 1-24.

As you can see, Wolf and Vladar have been the backbone of this Calgary Flames team. Without those two, especially Wolf, giving them above average goaltending, the Flames would be in the basement of the NHL standings.

And one thing we should do is give some credit to Vladar. His numbers haven’t been spectacular like Wolf’s have. But a big reason for that is the quality of competition Vladar has faced this season.

Vladar has started games against the Canucks (x2), Oilers (x2), Hurricanes, Golden Knights, Devils, Wild, Kraken, and Sabres. He’s essentially been given the overwhelming majority of difficult starts and he’s handled it like a pro.

Vladar being thrown to the wolves has helped shelter Dustin Wolf a little bit, and I think that’s been a big reason why he’s been able to get his first full season in the NHL off to a terrific start.

In the end, it doesn’t matter how the Flames goalies go about when and where they go about business. They are getting the job done.

Can the Flames expect this type of goaltending for the rest of the season? Probably not. They’re been really good. It’s hard for even the best goalies in the NHL to play at this level for an entire season.

In order to stay in the playoff picture, the Flames are going to need to start scoring goals. If that can happen, and the Flames goalies continue to give consistent above average starts, then watch out. This Flames team could become dangerous.