3 reasons why the Calgary Flames have won 5 straight road games

Don't look anymore, but the hot Calgary Flames have won five straight around the enemy after defeating the New York Islanders 5-2. Many factors have contributed to their recent success on the road, but there are three main reasons, such as Andriy Kuzmenko's larger-than-life personality. No one reading this will be surprised that Jacob Markstrom's name is at the top of the list. The Flames' ace has had his best performance of the season in the last few road contests.

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His relentless presence between the pipes galvanized the team and raised the level of each player. The return of Kevin Rooney has also been a boost, while Kuzmenko's first few games have impressed. Both players were influential, but the power play and the team's strong start deserve special praise.

1. The “Calgary Flames” band's chant

The Flames have scored first in four of their last five away games, allowing Ryan Huska's men to run loose and on the front foot. A 5-3 win at New Jersey on Feb. 8 was the only time Calgary conceded in the first. The Devils' lead lasted just three minutes and 10 seconds thanks to Mikael Backlund's 11th of the season. The captain's timely goal was the first of three consecutive goals that gave Calgary the buffer they needed to secure the win.

Backlund was up to his old tricks in Arizona on Jan. 11, the first game in Calgary's five-game winning streak. He scored 20 seconds into that contest, allowing three goals in 7:56 of the first period and a four-goal first period. Las Vegas' two goals matched Boston's first, and one first-period marker secured the advantage against the Isles.

Having scored the first goal in 15 of 28 away games, “Zhalyndar” is used to a quick start on the opponent's courts. Only three teams, Los Angeles (16), Vancouver (18) and Boston (19), have opened the scoring on the road first. Calgary scored its seventh straight win (10).

It's unclear whether Calgary will be fresh and start fast on the road. Maybe it's the breakfast served in five-star hotels, I don't know what they consist of. Maybe it's because the boys can spend quality time together. Either way, the Flames can attribute a few wild starts to their road fortunes.

2. Flames' Power Play

The Flames have a combined fifth-worst power play (15.0%) that rarely generates momentum. Sometimes it has the opposite effect, putting the team on its collective heels. This has been Huska's fault all season, contrasting with the team's masterful penalty kill. This has not happened recently. A regular threat on the man advantage, the Flames are 5-for-14 (36%) on the power play on the road in their current winning streak.

The Flames, who have collected at least one power-play marker in all but one game, have found new chemistry thanks primarily to Kuzmenko's arrival. The power play specialist scored the first goal in Boston on the man advantage, his first game in a Flames uniform. Calgary scored two power play goals against the Bruins, the third time this season they have accomplished the feat.

Jonathan Huberdeau scored his second power play goal of the season on the lone try of the morning against the Islanders. You know things are going well when Huberdeau scores a power play goal. Five power play markers in as many games accounted for 21% of their season total (24). The power play ultimately acted as a pulse builder rather than a conventional pulse chopper. The Flames' penalty kill was also excellent, allowing just one goal in 10 short chances.

3. The Vezina Game by Jacob Markstrom.

Markstrom has made a surprising sensation in his five wins. Calgary has won four of the five races, with the exception of Beantown. Other than scoring an empty net goal and giving the Islanders a consolation goal, Markstrom was off. In the five-game streak, Markstrom allowed nine goals on 165 total shots on 33 shots per game. That's a .945 save percentage to go along with his 1.80 goals-against average.

While the number of bloated saves was certainly eye-catching, the number of high-difficulty, timely stops was impressive. Craig Conroy has made a big decision about his #1 network manager. While Markstrom's market value has never been high, it's hard to imagine him being let go this season, especially given his unparalleled impact.

With Markstrom at the helm, the team often can't find a way to provide goal support. Thankfully for the Flames and netminder, that hasn't been the case lately. The Flames have scored 4.6 goals per game and conceded just 1.8 goals in their last five away games. Both numbers are well above seasonal averages. In 52 games, the Flames are averaging 3.52 goals against and 3.19 goals per game.

Related: Extended win streak for Calgary Flames

Calgary closes out a four-game road trip in the Big Apple on Monday, Feb. 12. What seemed impossible a few weeks ago suddenly seems possible, if not impossible. A win against the New York Rangers, the league's ninth-best home team, makes it six on the road and five overall. Not bad for a team preparing for a rebuild.