VOORHEES, N.J. – Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson hails from Sweden but judging by the way he was engaging visiting members of United Services Organization at the Flyers Training Center on Friday, you would have sworn he grew up someplace nearby like Philly.
After practice at the Flyers Training Center, Ersson was signing sticks and jerseys and chatting away with the military personnel, who actually took to the ice for a skate after the Flyers went through their practice stuff.
Ersson said he appreciates the service personnel (Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps) and what they do to keep the world safe.
“These are the real heroes,” he said in the Flyers’ locker room. “I think it’s great, especially for me, being from Sweden. . .to see the respect everybody has for these people. They earn every little bit of that.
“It’s really cool to see and it’s great to spend some time with them.”
Some of the visitors looked pretty comfortable wheeling around the ice.
Ersson couldn’t help but admire what these brave people bring to our society.
“A hundred percent,” he said. “This is why you have freedom in the world. These are the people who put their lives and bodies on the line for real to defend it.
“They deserve every moment of time and respect we can give them. It puts a little bit of perspective into your life.”
Personnel from Fort Dix/McGuire Air Force Base have been visiting the Flyers for years. It’s a show of mutual respect.
“We were just talking about hockey,” Ersson said. “A lot of people I met have played hockey and some are still playing.
“You can kind of bond over that. I think that’s the great thing about sports. That’s what sports can do. They bring people together. It’s been a really good day.”
>Short shots
The Flyers will host the Boston Bruins for a Saturday matinee game. The Bruins, who lost a 2-0 home decision to the Flyers on Tuesday, got run out of the building in an 8-2 loss to Carolina on Thursday night so associate coach Brad Shaw said the Flyers are aware Boston will be a somewhat unhappy state of mind when they take to the ice at the Wells Fargo Center.
Nick Seeler and Travis Sanheim did not take part in practice on Friday. Seeler blocked six shots in the 2-1 win over St. Louis on Thursday night including a painful one off his hand. But Shaw said both players had off simply as a maintenance day.
The Flyers allowed nine goals in games against Minnesota and Montreal last weekend and then only one in wins over Boston and St. Louis the last few days. Anything change in terms of structure? “We made a basic to check better,” Shaw said. “Better sticks, better body positioning. Stay in the battle longer. Be a little bit more competitive. Work together, don’t get so spread out. We need better support to win that battle and coming out of that battle.”
