Photo Credit: Lehigh Valley Phantoms
After taking a bit to get to full strength coming back from injury last season, Felix Sandström closed out that year hot as a firecracker. He has carried that success into the start of this season as he has played big-time minutes early on for the Phantoms and has played them well. Sandström due to fellow Swedish netminder Samuel Ersson’s injury has had to play way more tilts than expected in the early season. Including a back to back in last weekend’s series against the Checkers. Saturday the entire Phantoms team had an I don’t wanna talk about it game but Sunday, Sandström and the Phantoms bounced back to a 5-3 win. A win in which Sandström was very sharp.
Sandström and being very sharp are words that many Phantoms fans should get used to saying. The Phantoms might be only 3-6-2 this season but it sure as hell is not because of Sandström. It is the lack of consistent play especially offensively. Anyway back to Sandstrom. Against the Wolf Pack back on the 23rd of October, Sandström went off and was the only reason Lehigh Valley was in that game as they were outshot 41-22 in a 3-1 loss. Now has he had a couple of off games and moments? Sure but any goalie does as they grow and mature. Sandström is no different. It is clear though that since his hot streak to cap off last season and into this season Sandström has had a lot more good than off games. His only off-tilt this season was the 7-3 loss to the Checkers. Even in the 4-2 loss to the Pens, I thought he was ok. The team just didn’t play too well and gave a good team too many Powerplay chances. Then Sandström shut out the Pens the next week anyway proving just how good he is as a developing prospect who continues to impress.
To start wrapping up our first check-in on Sandström this season, let’s see how he did in his last outing. This past Wednesday he continued to impress and played very well helping the Phantoms to a 4-1 win of the rival Hershey Bears. Making some stellar saves yet again. This season thus far the former 2015 3rd rounder has a 2.89 GAA and .907SV% in 8 games. Those numbers do not tell the whole story though as it is early in the season and the off-tilt against the Checkers last Saturday skewed the numbers. Just like relievers in baseball one-off game early in the season can impact your numbers. Sandström is doing exactly what the Phantoms want of him as a starter. Giving them a chance to win each night and stealing the show on multiple occasions. As of now the third-round pick definitely looks to be on an NHL track if he keeps this consistent play-up. There is no reason to think he won’t as he has impressed every step of the way since being drafted on and off the ice.
The Flyers have done a very nice job of late picking overseas goalies in the draft. Sandström and Ersson are potentially just the beginning. As the cliché goes you can never have enough good goaltending. Sandström sure is that with the potential to be more and seems on the cusp of being ready for some NHL action if and when he is needed. Overall big claps up for Sandström on his nice start to the season for a team in the Phantoms that is still trying to find overall consistency.
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