Flyers Stay Alive — Squeeze out 1-0 win off of Sam Ersson’s back

With their backs firmly against the wall, the Flyers just barely escaped elimination with a 1-0 win over the Devils.

With one more game left on the schedule against the Capitals, this win is huge for the Flyers, but obviously, none of it will matter if we can’t win Tuesday, and then get a little help. Let’s break down everything this means for the Flyers, and how they won.

The Pressure was on from the very start for the Flyers, with this game being played in honor of one of the all-time Flyer greats, Wayne Simmonds.

The puck was dropped and just 10 minutes into the game, we were already reminded of the worst part of the team. Erik Haula and Brendan Smith went to the box for New Jersey for tripping and high-sticking. In the ensuing 5 on 3, the Flyers couldn’t capitalize on New Jersey’s Kaapo Kahkonen. After 20 minutes both goalies were having their way, with a 0-0 score heading into the intermission.

Then the league’s most dangerous penalty kill struck again. Shorthanded, Travis Konecny netted his 6th shorthanded goal on the season (NHL best) and the team’s 16th shorthanded on the season (NHL best) to put the Flyers over the Devils 1-0. The Flyers’ kill unit managed to kill off what would be the only Devils power play tonight. Sam Ersson continued to dominate in the net and kept New Jersey off the board for another 20 minutes, as the Flyers went into the break.

Up by 1, with 20 minutes to go, this period was the definition of make or break for the Flyers season. Not only did the Flyers show up, but more specifically rookie phenom Sam Ersson capped off his 4th shutout of the season with some incredible saves in the final minutes when New Jersey pulled Kaapo Kahkonen. With Simmer in attendance, the Flyers kept the season alive with their first consecutive victories since February 6th-12th, when the team had won 4 straight.

What exactly does this do for the team’s playoff hopes? As of the time I’m writing this, the Flyers have reclaimed their wildcard spot, but obviously, today’s games have yet to finish. Essentially, we need the Penguins, Capitals, and Red Wings to lose as much as possible, to put it simply. The season could end up coming down to the final game against those very same Capitals. 3 teams battling for the last wildcard in all of hockey. Even the next 3 hours can have a drastic impact on the Flyers’ hopes with the Red Wings, Capitals, and Penguins all playing.

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