Led by the superstar duo of Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau, the Calgary Flames have entered this year's playoffs with the third-best goals allowed total in the NHL. To say these Flames will be tough to put out is a grave understatement. Considering the year they've had, the Flames have definitely shown that they're true contenders and not pretenders. Especially after their hard-fought win in Game 1 of their first-round series with the Dallas Stars.

It's still early in the postseason, but the Flames have shown a ton of luster early on. Calgary has also gotten strong contributions from Elias Lindholm, Rasmus Andersson, Mikael Backlund, and Erik Gudbranson. With that, we'll now discuss two reasons the Calgary Flames are on pace to become the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadians reached this feat back in 1993.

Reasons Calgary Flames will hoist Stanley Cup in 2022

1. Calgary boasts one of the most complete line-ups in the NHL 

Led by a well-rounded bunch in Tkachuk, Gaudreau, Lindholm, Andersson, Mikael Backlund, Gudbranson, and Calle Jarnkrok, the Flames possess the offensive firepower and air-tight defensive game to match up with any opponent in the postseason. Add to that their world-class goaltending featuring Tyler Parsons and Jacob Markstrom and Calgary has one of the league's most complete rosters.

Currently tied at 1-1 in their first-round series with the Stars, the Flames are poised to reclaim the series lead in Game 3 and overtake Dallas. In the hopes of making a run to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Flames will have to step up their game on the offense after scoring just one goal in their first two games against the Stars. Considering how much talent this team possesses, it's hard to imagine their offensive woes will continue throughout the series.

2. The Flames possess a ton of grit and resilience 

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Despite losing Game 2 and getting shut out at home by the Stars, the Flames are primed for a stronger showing Game 3. Looking to seize control and take back home ice in Dallas, Calgary's aggressive defense will pay major dividends for them and they've shown this throughout the regular season. During the 2021-22 regular season, the Flames were the second stingiest team in the league with a 2.43 GAA to go along with a goal differential of +53 which ranked fourth in the NHL.

These stats are a further testament to just how gritty and resilient of a team the Flames are. However, they'll need stronger play on the offense and they'll need more shots on goal from Tkachuk, Gaudreau, and Lindholm if they're hoping to outscore the Stars and match wits with Joe Pavelski, Michael Raffl, Tyler Seguin and Jani Hakanpaa who combined for two goals, three assists, and four points in Game 2 to edge out the Flames and tie the series up at 1-1.

Currently being faced with a lot of adversity, the Flames have arguably their biggest test of the season in Game 3, but with their defensive tenacity and fundamental team play, this is a challenge they can overcome. As they fight to seize back control and take a 2-1 series lead, the Flames will be giving an all-out effort on both ends in the hopes of becoming the first Canadian team since the Montreal Canadians to hoist the Stanley Cup Trophy.