Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Most NHL teams would have struggled with their No. 1 goaltender unable to play for three weeks.
Not the Philadelphia Flyers.
With Sam Ersson sidelined by a lower-body injury, they somehow flourished and climbed into a wild-card playoff spot.
Inexperienced goalies Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov picked up the slack as the Flyers went 6-2-1 – including a current 4-0-1 run – and made themselves relevant again.
What in the name of Bernard Marcel Parent is going on with the Orange and Black?
Well, besides the unproven goalies making strides, veteran center Sean Couturier has regained his form, rookie right winger Matvei Michkov continues to dazzle, rookie defenseman Emil Andrae has thrived since being promoted from the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and Travis Sanheim has become one of the NHL’s top defensemen.
Put it all together, and you have a team playing beyond expectations.
Related: Flyers’ GM: Travis Sanheim Took Leadership Role ‘To Heart’ In An All-Star-Type Season
Aggressive Defense
With Ersson out, “we had a discussion about playing better and more aggressive (defense),” coach John Tortorella told reporters. “That’s the style of defense we want to play. We want to get it out of our end zone as fast as we can.”
The Flyers’ recent success starts in the nets. Without Ersson, who could return Thursday against visiting Florida, Fedotov and Kolosov have made numerous momentum-changing saves.
“It’s all about stepping up when you need to,” Ersson said, “and they’ve both done that.”
Fedotov, 28, had some rocky starts earlier this season, but the 6-foot-7, 214-pounder has regained his confidence and is resembling the goalie who starred in Russia’s KHL. He is 4-1-1 in his last six starts.
Kolosov has also thrived. The 22-year-old Belarus native is 3-0 in his last three starts – all 3-2 overtime wins as the Flyers (12-10-3) defeated Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis. He has a 1.98 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in that span.
Michkov’s Selfless Gesture
Kolosov was so good in the Flyers’ last win against St. Louis that Michkov, who scored the overtime-winner, took the player of the game belt he was awarded and gave it to the young goalie.
“Koly was the best player,” he said as he declined to accept the belt and took it over to Kolosov in the dressing room.
“We found out we have two (backup) goalies who have done a pretty damn good job for us,” said…