Ersson giving his best in this waiting game

PHILADELPHIA – Anytime your No. 1 goaltender becomes No. 1A, that’s usually a positive thing.
At least that’s the way it’s going with the Flyers right now.
Samuel Ersson, the No. 1 netminder, had played in only two of the team’s first seven games. He hadn’t played in three games, spanning more than a week, as new No. 1 Daniel Vladar put up NHL top five numbers in goals-against average and save percentage.
So when Ersson finally had a chance to get some playing time on Saturday afternoon against the New York Islanders at Xfinity Mobile Arena, he made the most of it.
After giving up a couple goals fairly early in the game, Ersson settled down, allowed only one goal the rest of the way and outdueled the Isles’ highly regarded Ilya Sorokin in a shootout for a 4-3 victory.
In particular, a five-star stop on Bo Horvath in sudden-death overtime.
He also made a big save on Anthony Duclair in the shootout.
“I kind of knew he was back there (off the rush),” Ersson said. “Nice to get a glove over there. Big save in OT.”
Ersson faced only four shots in the first period, not exactly ideal for someone who hadn’t played in a while.
“I can’t control how many pucks they throw at the net,” Ersson said. “I have to try to stay ready the best I can.”
Ersson doesn’t see the goalie situation with Vladar as a negative thing. He’s willing to earn his playing time.
“He’s been playing unbelievably,” Ersson said of Vladar, who has not allowed more than two goals in any of his five starts. I think that’s what you want. You want to play the hottest guy. . .for the team and for me, too.
“That pushes me to try and kind of get better every day. I love competition. It’s good.”
When a goalie performs like that, it can lift the whole team.
“He made a couple amazing saves,” Trevor Zegras pointed out. “On that two-on-one (Horvath), I don’t know how he even caught that one. We were pumped to get the win for him, for sure.”
Coach Rick Tocchet likes the way Ersson is handling this new goaltender pecking order.
“I’m just a big fan of guys who, when they’re not playing or things don’t go their way – his attitude is unreal,” Tocchet said. “He practices hard all the time. Never complains.
“You have to give him credit. He made a hell of a save on Duclair there at the end. Just a great attitude.”