Broad Street Buzz
Fansided

Carter Hart Sidelined For Flyers With Illness

By Scott Cole

Nov 5, 2022; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart (79) lifts up his mask during a break in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2022; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart (79) lifts up his mask during a break in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Flyers are used to having injuries, both this season and last season. Cam Atkinson is out…no biggie. Sean Couturier is likely out for most of the season…they keep rolling. Ryan Ellis is also done for the season…Flyers are still doing ok.  James van Riemsdyk will miss some months…They can win without him. Patrick Brown hasn’t played yet…the fourth line is performing well enough.

On Tuesday night, just hours before the Flyers faced off against the St. Lous Blues, it was reported that Carter Hart will be out for at least tonight due to illness. Felix Sandstrom would start in goal that evening. Samuel Ersson will also be recalled from Lehigh Valley.  In order to make room for Ersson, Egor Zamula was loaned back to the AHL for now. He is likely to return once Ersson is no longer needed.

Hart has been simply amazing this year. He has yet to lose a game in regulation, going  6-0-2 with a goals-against average of 1.97 and a .946 save percentage. If there is any reason that the Flyers are in contention right now near the upper half of the division, it’s because of his steady and consistent play. With Hart standing as a brick wall in between the pipes, the Flyers have been able to hang in games that they would otherwise be losing.

Sandstrom has lost each of the three starts he has played in. He has a 3.78 GAA with a save percentage of .894. Those aren’t terrible numbers for a young backup who has played in only four NHL games previous to this year. But they are not Hart’s numbers. Ersson has also never played in the NHL.

If Hart has to be out, this would be an opportune time, if there is one. The Flyers are playing some of the bottom dweller teams of the league right now: the St Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Ottawa Senators. This is a good chance for Sandstrom to get some confidence and for the Flyers to beat up on some bad teams.

Hopefully, Hart won’t be out too long. The Boston Bruins are lurking Thursday of next week.

Home/Injury Updates