The Flyers Quiet Contributor to the Postseason Push

The Philadelphia Flyers came out of the Olympic break needing to go on a scorching hot run to have a chance at making the playoffs this season. That they did, and it has been a remarkable watch.

As a whole, the team has been playing some of its best hockey of the year late in the season. It comes at the perfect time. Efforts from players like Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett have dragged the team into the fight.

Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras snapping some cold spells and contributing offensively have helped the Flyers increase their goal scoring. Noah Cates has been the beneficiary of some of that playmaking, going on a goal-scoring tear in March.

Defensivley, Rasmus Ristolainen has continued to prove just why the Flyers wanted to keep him around. He, along with Travis Sanheim, has been a steady defensive top pair for the Flyers. Jamie Drysdale has continued to blossom as an offensive blueliner.

Dan Vladar has seen a career-high workload, but has continued his impressive work.

Many players have contributed to the team’s surge, putting them smack in the playoff hunt. It’s been a team effort – more than just one player.

However, there is one player who has been exceptional since the break. Sam Ersson is playing some of the best hockey of his career since the Olympic break, and is a big reason why the Flyers are in the position they are in.

Sam Ersson has quietly been a big contributor to the postseason push

The Flyers have relied on Vladar all season. Putting things bluntly, Sam Ersson had not been good this season. In a year where he was primed for a split workload with a good tandem partner, Ersson’s season has been far less than ideal.

That led to Vladar, who was already pacing for a career-high workload, to take even more of the share. The Flyers needed to play their best goalie.

That meant the Flyers were likely to rely on Vladar during this postseason push, as nearly every game has a must-win, playoff-like feel. But Vladar can’t play in every game. It’s simply unsustainable. That meant Ersson would have to play in games the Flyers needed to win.

A switch flipped for Ersson over the break. He has been lights out since play resumed in late February.

Since the Olympic break, Ersson has started five games and is 5-0-0 in those games. He has a 1.30 GAA and a .933 SV%. He has appeared in one other game in relief of Vladar, in which Ersson did not allow a goal, but the Flyers lost.

In his post-break appearances, Ersson has faced 111 shots and allowed just 8 goals.

For reference on how big a change that is, in his 24 appearances before the break, the Flyers were 8-11-5, and Ersson had a .856 SV% and 3.40 GAA.

Ersson has come up with the big stop when the Flyers have needed him the most. That includes his show-stopping, game-saving robbery of Wyatt Johnston on the Stars’ late-game power play on Sunday. That allowed the game to make it to overtime, where the Flyers won.

While his contribution may not be in every game, it should not go overlooked. The Flyers need to win as many games before the season ends, no matter who is in goal. Sam Ersson has led the Flyers to 10 big points during the postseason push and is earning confidence back.

The post The Flyers Quiet Contributor to the Postseason Push appeared first on Philly Hockey Now.

The Flyers Quiet Contributor to the Postseason Push

Tags: