Flyers’ goaltender Carter Hart out with lower-body injury

Credit: Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Flyers netminder Carter Hart will miss his team’s home contest against the Montreal Canadiens with a lower-body injury.

Flyers just put this out: Carter Hart will not play tonight. He's said to be day-to-day with a lower body injury. Felix Sandstrom will start tonight. Sam Ersson has been recalled on an emergency basis.

— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) March 28, 2023

The injury puts a dent in the Flyers’ chances to extend their 3-game win streak against a Montreal outfit that has won 2 games on the bounce.

Hart has been ever-present in the Flyers’ goal this season; the former Everett Silvertip has already started a career-high 52 games with 10 games remaining.

Before his injury, listed as day-to-day, the 24-year-old had enjoyed a stellar 2022-2023 campaign. Hart has exceeded league averages in GAA (2.90) and save percentage (.909), winning 21 contests and losing 10 in overtime despite playing behind the league’s joint third-worst offense.

For comparison, regular Flyers backup Felix Sandstrom sports a 1-10-2 record while allowing 3.49 goals per game on a .884 save percentage.

Hart’s success in 2022-2023 represents something of an early-career resurgence. After a stellar first two seasons, the goalie was one of the league’s worst in 2020-2021 before producing mixed returns last season. Hart’s return to form will make him a valuable centerpiece for a Flyers organization in flux.

While Hart recovers from his injury, Lehigh Valley Phantoms goalie Samuel Ersson will return to the Flyers for a third stint this season. The 23-year-old Swede is 6-1; the Flyers have kept him in the AHL this long for game time and to avoid passing Sandstrom through waivers.

Despite their post-All-Star game slump landing them far out of the playoffs at 28-32-12, the Flyers have played much-improved hockey of late. The Orange and Black are 3-1-1 over their last five and have run their points streak to 4 games.

Sandstrom will be between the pipes when the Flyers host Montreal on Tuesday at 7 pm ET.