Carter Hart

Each Friday on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com, we will feature a compendium of news, thoughts and analysis written by contributing writer Bill Meltzer. Here's a look at the club over the most recent stretch that saw the team earn a 2-1 win in Ottawa, defeat the St. Louis Blues at the Wells Fargo Center by a 5-1 count but then drop a 5-2 decision in Columbus after battling two-thirds of the way back from a 3-0 deficit.

1. Inching toward an identity
The Flyers' wins against the Senators and Blues were not flawless. However, the Flyers took steps forward in both games. That was especially true in the victory against the Blues in terms of the process by which the Flyers won the game. Philly actually had a puck possession advantage for lengthy stretches of the St. Louis game -- something that has rarely been the case this season -- and were less reliant on needing otherworldly goaltending.
Don't underestimate the win in Ottawa, either.
There's no such thing as a bad win, but some carry a little more weight than others. Going into Ottawa last Saturday night, the Flyers had been winless in three games (0-1-2) and were wrapping up a three-game road trip that had rather frustrating up to that point. Meanwhile, the Ottawa Senators figured to be fired up to break a stretch of four consecutive regulation losses.
There was also an emotional component. Claude Giroux played his first career game against his longtime team. He entered the game one goal away from his 300th career tally and attained the feat in the early minutes of the first period.
Everything seemed to be stacking up in Ottawa's favor. Except for this: Flyers goaltender Carter Hart is off to a fantastic start this season, and he's instilling confidence that he will keep the team in most every game. Moreover, the Flyers have already shown that they are a much more resilient team than recent past editions. It's not a positive that the club has yielded the game's first goal in 10 of the 13 games played so far but it shows some character to be 7-4-2 on the season with five of the wins coming in games where the Flyers have trailed first. That's already as many wins in that circumstance as the Flyers had for the entire 2021-22 season.
The Flyers came ready to work in Ottawa once they regained equilibrium from a 1-0 deficit on the scoreboard and 6-0 gap in shots on goal. A power play created by Nicolas Deslauriers yielded a Kevin Hayes deflection goal on Philly's first shot of the game. Thereafter, a highly competitive hockey game ensued.
The Flyers were the better team for significant stretches of the game, especially in the second period. During the segments where Ottawa had an edge, Hart stepped up with vital saves. He also got 29 blocks in front of him. When shots got through, the goalie was usually able to see the puck. In all three zones, the Flyers battled for space and started winning puck battles. The team's breakouts and neutral zone play were better. The penalty kill was a little more authoritative (and when it wasn't, Hart came to the rescue).
There was also a nice progression from the Ottawa game to the win over St. Louis.
The Blues have been scuffling of late, and were playing the second game of a back-to-back. Additionally, St. Louis' roster is one of the older ones leaguewide and the Blues have been plagued by second- and third-period difficulties so far this season. The Flyers' task coming into the game was to establish a forecheck as soon as possible, wear the Blues down a little by forcing them to play out of their defensive zone as much as possible and, hopefully, to get results.
The Flyers got the better of a scoreless first period. The game was 0-0 until shortly past the midpoint of regulation when the Flyers exploded for goals by Wade Allison (3rd), Travis Konecny (5th) and a buzzer beater by Noah Cates (2nd). Ryan O'Reilly (2nd) got one goal back for the Blues at 5;22 of the third period, but Philly struck right back as Lukas Sedlak (1st) made it a 4-1 game. Owen Tippett (3rd) added a goal in the final minute of the game. Carter Hart was originally slated to get the start for the game but was unable to play due to illness. Felix Sandström started, and earned the first win of his NHL career as he denied 28 of 29 shots.
Alas, hockey has a way of keeping you humble. The Flyers objectives heading into Columbus were similar -- not identical but following the same basic blueprint -- as the game against the Blues. As with St. Louis, the Blue Jackets were struggling mightily heading into the game. Already somewhat depleted by injuries (Jakub Voracek among them) and having major issues on both sides of the puck at 5-on-5, the power play and the penalty kill alike, Philly came in needing to pressure the puck and, once in possession, take advantage of open lanes. The Blue Jackets lost two defensemen to injuries during the game, including No. 1 blueliner Zach Werenski.
The Flyers, quite simply, were their own worst enemies in Columbus. The puck management left to be desired, and the Flyers not only turned over pucks in dangerous areas but did so with Columbus' most dangerous players on the ice. Owen Tippett giveaways on an attempted stretch pass through a well-marked neutral zone and then an ill-advised cross-ice pass in the offensive zone produced counterattack goals by Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski. In the opening minute of the second period, a Travis Konecny lateral pass attempt high in the offensive zone resulted in a odd-man rush goal by Boone Jenner.
Resilience is not one of the Flyers' problems this season, nor is work ethic. The team battled back and got two goals from the defense -- Tony DeAngelo potted a loose rebound on a second effort play and Ivan Provorov got his first goal of the season by driving to the net and receiving a perfect setup feed from Konecny. However, the 6-on-5 execution with Hart pulled for an extra attacker left a lot to be desired. Two more turnovers begat a pair of long-distance empty net goals and a 5-2 defeat.
Hart was merely human in the Columbus game -- not bad but also not stellar. The Flyers would have needed another supreme performance from their goalie to erase the chances they gifted through ill-advised decisions with the puck.
2. "We have to work smarter"
Tortorella did not speak following the game in Columbus. Associate coach Brad Shaw spoke instead. Shaw said the Flyers team -- not just in that particular game but on the whole -- makes life harder on itself than it needs to: low-percentage plays going east-west instead of north, clearable pucks in the defensive zone that do not get out, etc. Tortorella has previously mentioned issues with allowing opponents to make plays out of the corners and giving up scoring chances on plays where defenders initially have good body and stick position but, rather than killing plays, players get out of position and a scoring chance results. There has been some improvement but there's still too much inconsistency. Against Columbus, it wasn't so much lack of killing plays before they could develop as it was puck management problems that enabled the top Columbus line to pick Philly apart in transition.
"We don't so much have to work harder but we have to work smarter," Shaw said.
Unfortunately, it was the Flyers' No. 1 line that was the primary culprit against the Blue Jackets. Tippett, who was moved down a line by Tortorella in favor of Joel Farabee in the third period at 5-on-5, ended up on the ice for all five Columbus goals. So were Hayes and Konecny, who were minus-four (+1, -5) on the night overall because they were on the ice for the Provorov goal that was set up by Konecny after an offensive zone entry by Farabee.
The Flyers did not receive any power plays in the Columbus game. There were several non-calls that were marginal at best. Meanwhile, the Flyers were called for two offensive zone penalties in the game: an elbowing minor on Zack MacEwen after missing a body check and swinging around to make contact, and a tripping penalty on Morgan Frost on a play where he and a Columbus player were going after a loose puck and their skates got tangled.
3. The Sedlak Line
On paper at least, a line with Lukas Sedlak and MacEwen would seem to be two-thirds of a club's fourth line. Instead, Tortorella has been deployed their line with Noah Cates in more of third-line role with the trio of Deslauriers, Frost and Tanner Laczynski hardly seeing the ice for long stretches. Sedlak has been played well from the get-go since being claimed off waivers from Colorado, and MacEwen's consistently high-energy has helped in winning some puck battles. MacEwen and Sedlak have even provided some timely offense.
Cates has offensively been faring better since he was moved down from a lengthy second-line stint playing either center or left wing alongside Scott Laughton. Those two players, while responsible on both sides of the puck, were perhaps a bit too similar in their bread-and-butter games and there was little offensive chemistry between the two. Cates now has three points (1g, 2a) over his last two games after being stuck on one point and a mere five shots on goal through 11 games. He had a strong game in Columbus, seemingly putting less pressure on himself and just playing.
4. Tough Love from Torts Abounds
Over the long haul, it does not seem likely that either Sedlak or MacEwen can offensively keep up their recent surges although other aspects of their games can be replicated. Ideally, however, they are more classic fourth-line types that top-nine players. However, it's clear that Tortorella has come to trust those players and that he is not presently inclined to give either Frost or Laczynski time higher in the lineup to see if he can get them going. The fourth line did have a solid all-around game in Ottawa -- and were praised for it by Tortorella -- but Frost did not see a single shift in the final 7:50 of the game, while Laczynski only received one.
Wade Allison has also experienced his share of tough-love feedback from Tortorella. The head coach said recently that while Allison has started to be effective below the hash marks and is getting to the net again, he still feels there's too much east-west and questionable puck decisions in Allison's game, warning late last week that Allison would "east-west himself right out of the lineup" if he didn't play as consistently north-south as the head coach demands of him. It should be noted that Allison has seen his ice times increase in recent games and usage on the Laughton line at 5-on-5. He scored a goal in the St. Louis game and was effective all-around, and was arguably even better in the Columbus game despite not posting a point.
Kieffer Bellows dressed in three straight games after being claimed off waivers from the Islanders. He's since been a healthy scratch in three straight games. It remains to be seen when he gets back in the Flyers' lineup but it wouldn't be shocking if one of Laczynski or Frost sits out come Saturday afternoon at home against Ottawa or Sunday against Dallas.
Young defenseman Egor Zamula was briefly sent (in an on-paper move) to the Phantoms for the game against the Blues, in order to open a needed roster space for Samuel Ersson to back up Sandström because Hart was under the weather. The next day, Zamula was back at practice with the NHL team and Ersson was returned to Lehigh Valley. Zamula has had some rough recent games in terms of opposing forwards getting behind him on plays or turning pucks over. He last dressed in the game in Ottawa and has played less than 10 minutes in two of the last three games in which he's dressed.
5. A Welcome Sight in Columbus
Cam Atkinson was in Columbus with his Flyers teammates on Thursday and even skated with the team. Atkinson has been dealing with an upper-body injury since the third day of training camp. About a week ago, Chuck Fletcher said that Atkinson felt a little better but that his return to play is not imminent. Hopefully, Thursday was an encouraging sign that there's now finally some progress. The Flyers miss Atkinson's energy, shooting ability, penalty killing prowess and all-around enthusiastic, gung-ho approach from day to day.
Patrick Brown (back surgery rehab) and tryout veteran Artem Anisimov (lower-body injury in the preseason opener) have also been skating with the team at practice. Prospect winger Bobby Brink (offseason hip surgery) remains on target to be activated come late December to early January. James van Riesmdyk has about a month to go on his timetable to return from surgery to repair a broken index finger. JVR is skating but can't yet grip a stick.
Sean Couturier (back revision surgery) was on hand to congratulate his teammates after the home win against St Louis. He's still looking at a protracted recovery time from his second back surgery with a potential return sometime around March. At present, it appears unlikely that veteran defenseman Ryan Ellis (pelvic/core muscle issues) will be available in the foreseeable future.
6. Phantoms Update
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (3-5-1) return to action this weekend after a five-night hiatus on the game schedule. Ian Laperriere's club will host the Springfield Thunderbirds (5-4-2) at the PPL Center tonight before the Laval Rocket (2-6-3) pay a visit to Allentown on Saturday. Both games are slated to start at 7:05 p.m. ET. The games will be streamed live on AHL TV (subscription required) if you cannot attend in person.
With the Flyers idle last Friday evening before the team's game in Ottawa on Saturday, general manager Chuck Fletcher attended the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' road game against Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators. The Phantom lost, 3-2.
The game wasn't without some positives. Lehigh Valley generated a season-high 39 shots on goal, and the ice was tilted in their favor for at least the first 10-12 minutes of the second period on the way to a 20-10 shot on goal edge from the frame. From an eye-test standpoint, the Phantoms were up on their skates much more than in most of their previous games this season. They won the majority of puck battles over the course of the night.
Samuel Ersson (28 saves on 31 shots) was solid in net. None of the three goals he yielded would be categorized as soft.
Zayde Wisdom chipped in his first two points of the season and made an especially nice play including a drop pass to goal-scorer Jackson Cates (2nd goal of the season). The Phantoms whittled down what had been a three-goal deficit to 3-2 with a little more than half of the third period remaining. Earlier in the third period, Wisdom got the primary helper on a Phantoms' power play goal, as Olle Lycksell (first career AHL goal) cut in from the left circle and fired a shot home to the far side. Lycsell also got an assist on the subsequent Cates goal.
Now for the negatives. Although the Phantoms' penalty kill visually looked better on this night, they still yielded two PPGs to Belleville. One was a 5-on-3 goal and the latter was a 5-on-4 marker scored literally one second after they got a man back from a 4-on-4 to go on the man advantage.
The bottom line here: The Phantoms are still taking way too many penalties (Belleville had seven power plays on the night) and they have yielded at least one opposing power play in every game played so far. If you're looking for the No. 1 reason why the club is saddled with a 2-5-1 record through eight games, this is the biggest culprit.
Additionally, the Phantoms went just 1-for-7 on their own power plays and the one successful opportunity came with the team already trailing by a 3-0 score in the third period. Back in the first period, the Phantoms had seven consecutive minutes on the man advantage at one juncture and all they got out of it was a 1-0 deficit on a Rourke Chartier shorthanded goal after he was sprung by top Senators prospect Ridly Greig.
In the second period, Chartier potted a 5-on-3 power play goal (Ersson had little to no chance of stopping this one). That added to the Phantoms' frustrations because they'd been dominant all period but unable to solve Mads Sogaard (37 saves on 39 shots). Coming away empty from the middle stanza and seeing a one-goal deficit become two goals in the process was aggravating.
The performances of many of the younger players on the Phantoms were a mixed bag of solid plays bookended by puck miscues or play misreads. That's been a developmental frustration for quite a number of years: one step forward, one step back. On the bright side, Wisdom had his best game of the season to date, and Elliot Desnoyers knocked on the door several teams and made his speed evident.
Phantoms starting lineup in Belleville:
13 Ryan Fitzgerald - 9 Cal O'Reilly - 42 Hayden Hodgson
17 Garett Wilson - 91 Elliot Desnoyers - 71 Tyson Foerster
28 Olle Lycksell - 18 Jackson Cates - 20 Max Willman
19 Isaac Ratcliffe - 15 Jordy Bellerive - 14 Zayde Wisdom
45 Cam York - 47 Louie Belpedio
44 Kevin Connauton - 12 Ronnie Attard
37 Adam Ginning - 29 Wyatte Wylie
30 Samuel Ersson
[1 Troy Grosenick]
On Saturday afternoon, the Phantoms were in Quebec to play Laval. Lehigh Valley got back in the win column as they skated to a 3-2 overtime road victory against the Rocket. In this game, the Phantoms also broke their undesirable streak of having allowed at least one opposition power play goal in each previous game this season.
Ersson (35 saves on 37 shots) started both ends of the weekend back-to-back set because Troy Grosenick was unavailable on Saturday due an undisclosed injury described as minor. Veteran minor leaguer Pat Nagle was recalled from the ECHL's Reading Royals to back up Ersson in Laval. Ersson played well in a losing cause on Saturday in Belleville and was even better in Sunday's game. He got locked into a goaltenders' duel with Kevin Poulin (36 saves on 39 shots) and came out on the winning side.
The Phantoms took a 1-0 lead to the first intermission as they cashed in on a power play. At the 11:54 mark, Phantoms captain Cal O'Reilly took a cross-ice feed from Tyson Foerster and fired home the game's first goal. Cam York got the secondary assist.
Laval drew even at 16:12 of the second period on a Peter Abbandonato goal. However, the Phantoms quickly regained the lead at 17:48 on one of the prettiest goals of the season so far as Wisdom created a slam-dunk for Lyckell off the rush. Jackson Cates got the secondary assist. After not collecting a point on the season prior to this weekend, Wisdom racked up three bonafide primary assists in the last two games. He also had several scoring chances but none found the net. Lycksell has goals in back-to-back games.
Laval's Anthony Richard made it 2-2 at 13:38 of the third period. He eluded York on a rush, got past a secondary checking attempt by Louie Belpedio and then tucked the puck past Ersson for the tying goal.
The Phantoms got a 4-on-3 power play in overtime and took full advantage. O'Reilly teed up a one-timer for York at the top of the right circle. York blasted it home to end the game and then made a beeline off the ice and down the tunnel when teammates were still celebrating on the ice and the bench. O'Reilly and Foerster drew the assists at 2:44 of sudden death.
Recently acquired by the Flyers organization from Chicago in exchange for Cooper Zech, Bucks County native and Penn State alum Evan Barratt made his Phantoms debut in Saturday's game.
Isaac Ratcliffe, who has not yet found the form he showed in the second half of last season and has mostly been relegated to fourth line minutes, was a healthy scratch from Ian Laperriere's lineup on Saturday. Ryan Fitzgerald, Adam Ginning and Wyatte Wylie also exited the lineup. The Phantoms still have some notable injuries including Adam Brooks and Cooper Marody.
Saturday's Phantoms lineup was as follows:
20 Max Willman - 9 Cal O'Reilly - 42 Hayden Hodgson
17 Garrett Wilson - 91 Elliot Desnoyers - 71 Tyson Foerster
28 Olle Lycksell - 18 Jackson Cates - 14 Zayde Wisdom
22 Evan Barratt - 15 Jordy Bellerive - 48 Alex Kile
45 Cam York - 47 Louie Belpedio
44 Kevin Connauton - 12 Ronnie Attard
6 Linus Högberg - 3 Adam Karashik
30 Samuel Ersson
[35 Pat Nagle]
7. In Memory of Pelle Lindbergh
In 1984-85, Flyers goaltender Pelle Lindbergh broke through into superstar status as his 26th birthday approached. He won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy as league MVP. In the playoffs, Lindbergh was instrumental in the Flyers reaching the Stanley Cup Final. The 1985-86 season started with Lindbergh performing at a pace that exceeded even his Vezina Trophy winning performance of the previous year. The Flyers surged quickly to the best record in the NHL, and Lindbergh was on the brink of signing a long-term contract extension to keep him in Philadelphia for many years to come.
Tragically, everything came to an end in the wee hours of Nov. 10, 1985. The previous night, Lindbergh backed up Bob Froese as the Flyers defeated the Boston Bruins at the Spectrum. The victory was the defending Wales Conference champion's 10th win in a row. Lindbergh himself was off to an even better start than at the same point in 1984-85. With a four-night hiatus on the game schedule and rare back-to-back off-days, the Flyers players went out after the game to celebrate their scorching hot start to the season.
At about 4:45 a.m. on Nov. 10, tragedy struck. Driving at a high rate of speed and with well over the legal limit of alcohol in his system, Lindbergh crashed his custom-designed red Porsche into a wall of a school in Somerdale, NJ. He was rendered brain dead and his respirator was turned off the following day with his mother, father, and fiancee. The two passengers in Lindbergh's car survived the accident. Lindbergh's organs were donated to various critically ill hospital patients in area hospitals, saving several lives in the process.