The Philadelphia Flyers clutched out a 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils during Wayne Simmonds’ retirement ceremony to keep their playoff hopes alive. What were some takeaways?
After a disastrous stretch of six games from March 26 to April 9, during which his best save percentage (SV%) in an individual contest was .867, goaltender Sam Ersson has now had two quality efforts in a row. With 44 saves on his last 45 shots and a shutout in this one, he has seen a return to form. For a while, that seemed very unlikely.
Ersson has had almost no days off since around the middle of January, and that has seemingly taken a toll on his body. He just wasn’t making the big — or even routine — stops he was used to. Going from a complete liability to arguably the biggest reason why the Flyers won, this was definitely a change of fortune for him. Winning in regulation was a must because it would have complicated some already unlikely playoff scenarios for the Orange and Black.
If Ersson can be more consistent in the future, he could be a 40-game starter in Philadelphia for a long time. He has had 29 starts in the team’s last 35 games, which has proven to be too high of a pace for him. There could be a sweet spot for him, and said sweet spot could return results like his last two contests more often than what proceeded them.
Konecny Finally Coming to Play
When the Flyers went on an eight-game losing streak, Travis Konecny had some pretty serious struggles for Philadelphia. His point totals weren’t too bad, with four over that stretch, but it was clear that he was not making too much of a difference. Their failures were magnified without one of the Flyers’ top energy players who can create a spark in the team when producing.
Over his last two games, though, Konecny has seen a return to form just like Ersson. He has two goals and an assist in that time, scoring the game-winner in this one. It might have taken a while, but he is finally back and showing up when the team needs him the most.
Related: Flyers’ Playoff Hopes Hinge on Travis Konecny
Konecny, who recorded his 400th NHL point in this game, needs to prove that he is worth keeping in Philadelphia. The last season of his contract begins in 2024-25, which means that he will soon be eligible for an extension. It doesn’t exactly scream “rebuilder” when a team gives a 27-year-old winger big money, but that is what he will be eyeing from…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…