The Philadelphia Flyers are once again staring down the injury report, and this time it’s between the pipes. Goaltender Sam Ersson exited Thursday’s matchup against the Boston Bruins and didn’t return for the third period-a concerning development for a team already juggling its goaltending situation.
During the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast, cameras caught a telling moment: after making a low save, Ersson appeared to reach for his right leg or pad area. That kind of movement is never a good sign, and Flyers fans have seen this script before. It was eerily reminiscent of the injury that sidelined Dan Vladar not long ago.
The Flyers had been attempting to manage Ersson’s workload by rotating him with Aleksei Kolosov, but that experiment didn’t pan out. Kolosov struggled, and the team was forced to lean heavily on Ersson.
In fact, he ended up starting four straight games-and five in a row if you count the one where Kolosov was pulled early. That’s a heavy lift for any goalie, let alone one dealing with a potential lower-body issue.
Vladar, who had started Wednesday’s game, was back in net after Ersson exited. He now appears to be the next man up, at least until the Flyers get more clarity on Ersson’s status.
There was a silver lining elsewhere on the roster. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who left Wednesday’s game early, was back in action-an encouraging sign for a blue line that’s already been tested this season. Forward Travis Konecny, a game-time decision, suited up and made his presence felt with a goal.
Still, this wasn’t a clean night for Philadelphia. Another injury added to the pile, though details remain scarce.
For now, all eyes turn to the Flyers’ crease, where the hope is that Ersson’s exit was more precautionary than problematic. An official update is expected once the team has more information.
Until then, the Flyers will have to regroup and recalibrate-again.