In typical Philadelphia Flyers fashion this season, they upset the team with the best record in the NHL entering this game in the Winnipeg Jets with a 2-0 shutout led by netminder Sam Ersson. Now sitting at 23-14-6 and just two points back from tying for first place in the Metropolitan Divison, what were some takeaways from the Flyers’ big win?
Ersson Quietly One of NHL’s Most Dominant Goaltenders
Getting a shutout in the game against the previously 28-9-4 Jets, who were on an eight-game winning streak, might help put Ersson on the map a bit — this wasn’t just a one-game wonder. He has been dominant for a while, arguably better than several All-Star netminders when taking a deeper look.
Since Nov. 2, Ersson ranks second in save percentage (SV%) with .931, first in goals-against average (GAA) with 1.87, and second in goals saved above average (GSAA) with 12.17 among goaltenders voted to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game, and first in all categories among the four that got in off the fan vote. Whether it be due to a lack of league-wide recognition or not enough fans pushing to get him in, Ersson is not an All-Star, even though he is probably more deserving than those who are.
He’s a bit behind in terms of ice time but beats out Jake Oettinger in that span, who has about 40 fewer minutes played than Ersson, while being about 100 minutes behind Jeremy Swayman — both are All-Stars. The argument shouldn’t be that he was “snubbed” from competing, but rather, he has been one of the best netminders in the league over the last couple of months, and virtually no one has been on his level.
Ersson projects to be the Flyers’ legitimate starter from here on out based on his stats, and it’s hard to argue it at this point. While starter Carter Hart has been solid in his own right with a .911 SV% and 2.70 GAA but isn’t very close when compared to his partner in crime. This tandem is one of the best in hockey, and the one that played in this contest is leading it.
Atkinson Doubles Down
Cam Atkinson was one of the most snake-bitten players in the NHL in his last 26 contests entering this game. With just six assists and not a single goal in any of them, there were some real concerns around his game, as he had been averaging over 16 minutes of ice time in that span. Thankfully, he got the monkey off his back in this game not once but twice. Ending the drought at the perfect time, the Flyers should be extremely grateful for his effort.
It’s difficult to put into words how badly Atkinson was struggling prior to this game. He ranked third in shots on the team yet a distant 14th in shooting percentage out of the 22 skaters that had a shot on goal this season. Doubling down on his game-winning first-period goal gave the Flyers a nice cushion, and it never truly felt as though they’d give that up. Not only did he avenge some of his demons, but he was one of the two major reasons why they won at all.
Absences, Back-to-Back Doesn’t Stop Flyers
While the Jets had some injuries of their own in this one without forwards Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, the Flyers had two big losses in Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale due to a minor injury and an illness. To make matters worse, they were coming off a game against the Minnesota Wild that ended about 20 hours before the puck dropped in Winnipeg — Philadelphia didn’t use this as an excuse but rather persevered. In a contest that they shouldn’t have won based on record or the circumstances, they got it done anyway.
Related: Flyers’ Farabee Caps Off Thrilling 4-3 OT Comeback vs. Wild
It’s not easy to come off a game and look as good as the Flyers did for most of this one, but they powered through. It seemed as though they lost their legs a bit in the third period, where they were outplayed by the Jets, but other than that, they were the better club in this one. Winnipeg, riding a 19-game streak without losing by more than a single goal, had that ended by Philadelphia — this should speak to just how impressive the Flyers were here.
Power Play is Still on a Roll
With Atkinson’s power-play tally in the second period, the Flyers moved their scoring streak on the man advantage to five games. Scoring at a single-digit rate before it, they’ve finally started to turn things around in an unforeseen way.
Even without Couturier on the first unit, or any, in this contest, the Flyers got it done anyway. The man advantage has ironically been one of their strengths recently after being their biggest weakness, and it’s a key reason why they’re on a three-game winning streak.
The streak will likely end shortly, but the main point of emphasis should be that the Flyers are starting to turn things around. If they can be anything above the worst power play from here on out, excluding everything done in the first three months of the season, it’ll be a huge boost for wins. When the Orange and Black have so many contests decided by just a single goal, it ends up being more essential than it might seem.
The Flyers will close out their three-game road trip on Jan. 15 against the 21-18-2 St. Louis Blues. It will be the first time the two teams have faced in 2023-24 and the second-last Western Conference foe the Flyers will face on the road in the regular season.