The Philadelphia Flyers aren't playing for lottery odds. They're playing for each other, for pride, and for every single point they can scrape together down the stretch.
And on Saturday night, inside the Wells Fargo Center, that mindset carried them to a thrilling 4-3 shootout win over the New York Islanders—a back-and-forth, grind-it-out kind of game that highlighted everything this team has been about all season long.
It wasn't perfect. It rarely has been with this group this year. But that's almost part of the appeal. This Flyers team might be imperfect, but they're resilient. They're evolving. They're fearless. And they showed it again with a dramatic victory sealed by a Bobby Brink shootout goal and a wall-like performance from Sam Ersson.
1. Sam Ersson’s Poise and Presence Continues to Anchor the Flyers
There’s something about Sam Ersson’s game that defies chaos. Even when the play around him gets scrambled—when the Islanders are throwing bodies in front, trying to jam in pucks, and unleashing flurries of shots—he doesn’t flinch. He reads the game in slow motion. He stays locked in, one save at a time, even when the pressure ratchets up.
Saturday was one of those nights.
Ersson faced 40 shots through regulation and overtime and stopped 37 of them. But the numbers, while obviously impressive, don’t tell the whole story. It was the timing of his saves that mattered most. In the second period, when the Islanders started to press and hemmed the Flyers in their zone, Ersson stood his ground. He was especially sharp with his pad work—calm, technical, efficient. No wasted movements. No panic. Just a goalie doing his job with quiet excellence.
And then, of course, came the shootout. This is where Ersson shines, time and again. He stopped all three Islanders attempts with his signature blend of composure and instinct. It’s not flashy. It’s not acrobatic. But it works. The Flyers haven’t lost a shootout he’s been in all season.
The 25-year-old Swede has cemented himself not just as the team’s go-to goaltender, but as a calming presence who seems to elevate when the moment demands it most.
2. Tyson Foerster Is Red-Hot—and It’s More Than Just the Goals
Five goals in two games. That’s what Tyson Foerster has on his résumé after a dominant performance against the Islanders. He buried two more Saturday night, each of them showcasing different layers of his offensive game.
But it’s not just the goals. It’s the confidence he’s playing with. The puck is finding him in good areas, and he’s shooting decisively. His skating has looked more explosive post-break, and his chemistry with Noah Cates and Bobby Brink is unmistakable. That line has become one of the Flyers’ most reliable in terms of energy and two-way structure, and Foerster’s ability to tilt the ice is a huge reason why.
"I think he's always a very conscientious player as far as a 200-foot game," interim head coach Brad Shaw said of Foerster postgame. "I like how he earns his success. I like how he doesn't cheat to get his success. That's not an easy thing to do on a regular basis. It's a really good sign for a young guy that's showing that he's going to be a good pro and a good player for a long time."
For a player who went through stretches earlier this season where the goals weren’t coming, this hot streak is a reminder of the talent that made Foerster a first-round pick in the first place. He’s playing with his head up. He’s trusting his instincts. And the results are following.
3. Jakob Pelletier Gets His Moment—and the Flyers Show What Really Matters
It’s easy to root for Jakob Pelletier.
He plays the game with an infectious energy—always moving, always engaged, always smiling. On Saturday, he finally got the reward he’s been chasing since he arrived in Philadelphia.
His goal was one of those moments that lifted not just the whole bench, but the whole arena. You could see it in the way his teammates and fans celebrated. Pelletier hasn’t had the easiest road this season, but he’s stayed positive, put in the work, and shown he can impact games even when he’s not on the scoresheet.
Now, he’s on it—and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
"It gives us some balance," Shaw said of Pelletier's offensive success. "It gives us lots of different options. The more balance you can have, obviously the better it is."
Pelletier’s impact stretches beyond the stat line. Players and coaches have spoken about the boost his energy gives them. Whether it’s a well-timed forecheck, a shift that changes momentum, or just the general spark he brings to the room, he’s the kind of player every team needs to help keep spirits high.
Final Thoughts
The Flyers’ 4-3 shootout win over the Islanders was more than just two points in the standings. It was a window into the identity this team is forging—one based on effort, growth, and an unwillingness to back down from any challenge.
"I'm not surprised they're still playing with discipline and focus," Shaw said. "I think that's the hardest thing to do. You get a different coach and a different voice and I think it's pretty easy to step off script and do a lot of your own stuff. That's happened and it's expected, but I really like how we've caught ourselves.
"We have a lot of young guys that I think are going to be key pieces here for a long time and, as a staff, we feel it's our duty to keep the plan as focused and as disciplined as we can."
People will grumble and fret and make a fuss about draft positioning. But that’s something that will be found out later down the line. The future will come. But for now? They're playing for now. And it's working.