Photo Credit: NHL.com
There were lots of positives to take away from the second pre-season game, in a sense that the Islanders had 12 skaters that could play in the NHL to the Flyers seven. However, once again the goaltending of Felix Sandström remained a bright spot. He saved five out of six shots faced, and he continued to impress at training camp and game action for that matter.
“I’m battling to get a shot here,” Sandström said following the 2-1 loss to the Islanders. “I know the other guys are too, battle everyday. That’s where my focus is, play as good as I can.”
To start it off the goaltending of Felix Sandström was sharp throughout the course of the pre-season. Sandström made five saves on six shots faced in his first game, and his glove hand was good, as well. He made some dandy saves to keep the game scoreless right off the bat. For instance, with both teams scoreless midway through the first period, Sandström flashed some leather on Mathew Barzal to keep the game scoreless with the Islanders on the power play. He made a really nice glove save against a player who knows how to put the puck in the back of the net. The backup goaltending spot was a key positional battle at camp, with Samuel Ersson finally claiming that role.
“That’s where my focus is, play as good as I can.” – Felix Sandström
Is Sandström making a strong case to stay within the organization? By all means, yes. He was impressive at camp, and he also made some dandy saves in the scrimmages at training camp, as well. Sandström is not only excelling at practice, but game action too. With Sandström losing the backup goaltending spot, he would have to clear waivers to be sent back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but the Flyers found a loophole today. Sandström was reassigned to Lehigh Valley for a conditioning stint. A conditioning stint does not require waivers. What Sandström needs is playing time to remain fresh.
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One thing is certain, this backup goaltending situation remains a fluid one with Ersson struggling out of the gate in the early going, and a spot may come open sooner rather than later if Ersson does not improve.
