Felix Sandstrom and the case for using your backup in Game 1 of a back-to-back

Despite posting a .907 save percentage in seven NHL starts, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Felix Sandstrom has yet to win a game. And some of that, I think, has to do with coaching decisions.

The Swedish netminder is 0-6-1 throughout his short NHL career. But I don’t think he’s been given the best opportunity to succeed.

Let me explain from a unique perspective that I lived during my time in the NHL. Playing the second night of back-to-back games is the proverbial poop sandwich for goaltenders. And all but two of Sandstrom’s starts have occurred during that exact situation.

The latest was Sunday when the Flyers lost 3-0 to the San Jose Sharks. Sandstrom was making his second start of the season. And just like his first game of the year, the matchup was the second game in two nights for Philadelphia.

I don’t need to dig up fancy stats to prove an NHL team is less likely to win the second game of a back-to-back set. It’s just reality. Players are tired both mentally and physically. Mistakes happen. And for a rookie netminder, the situation can be daunting.

Just look at Sandstrom’s record so far. 0-6-1. And he’s supposed to be the Flyers’ No.2 goaltender this season behind Carter Hart. So why hasn’t head coach John Tortorella put Sandstrom in a better position to succeed by starting him in the first game? Why did Alain Vigneault and Mike Yeo also choose to let Sandstrom bat clean up?

To me, the answer is tradition. The No.2 goalie plays the second game of the series. That’s just how it is. It’s how we’ve always done things in hockey, right?

I think it’s an antiquated thought process.

I know it’s only been two games for Sandstrom this season, but his starts are the only matchups that the Flyers have lost. Philadelphia owns a 4-2-0 record. And I think Tortorella has done a fantastic job so far, he needs to take a different approach with his goaltending next time the Flyers have games on consecutive days.

Sandstrom desperately needs his first win. Going seven games without one is not an ideal way to start an NHL career. And mark my words, it could bury him. It’s way too easy for a goalie to start second-guessing when success doesn’t come.

And therein lies the conundrum. If Sandstrom doesn’t start winning, the Flyers will replace him. It’s just how it works. But the trial-by-fire nature of only playing the second game of a back-to-back series is harsh.

If you need evidence, look at the goal support – or lack thereof – Sandstrom has received. The Flyers have scored a grand total of nine goals during the seven games he’s played. And they’ve been shut out three times.

I know what it feels like. During my NHL career, I started 27 games. 11 of which were the second tilt of a back-to-back set. I lost six of them in a row before finally getting a win on November 27, 2018 as a member of the Ottawa Senators. It happened nine years after my first attempt. And I never found the win column again.

I know I wasn’t the most outstanding goaltender. And I’m aware that this may come across as an excuse. But in those 11 games, my teams only scored 23 goals combined. For a third-string goalie like myself, that’s not much margin for error.

Players all play lip service to the media about back-to-back games, that it shouldn’t matter. That the team has to find a way to bring the energy and put the previous night behind them.

But I can tell you first hand, it doesn’t feel the same at breakfast on those days. Players are weary. They’re nursing injuries. Ice packs are everywhere. Massage tables need a reservation system. And there’s not enough coffee in the world.

So why, if Tortorella wants to win, is he playing his second-string goaltender when his team isn’t firing on all cylinders? Why not give Sandstrom the first game of the back-to-back and let Hart play the second game?

To me, that second game is when a team needs their ace goaltender to step up and play. Those are not easy games. But a No.1 goalkeeper should be able to treat them like any other day at the office. I want a goalie that craves the challenge.

Philadelphia suddenly is competitive again under Tortorella. The Flyers are 4-2-0 on the year. But the team will need secondary goaltending to make the Stanley Cup playoffs.

I think Tortorella needs to toss Sandstrom a bone. Let him start the first game of a back-to-back. Give him the best chance of earning his first NHL win.

When the Flyers face off against the New York Rangers on Nov. 1, I want to see Sandstrom in the crease at Madison Square Garden. Let Hart play against the Maple Leafs in Toronto the next day. It’s for the best.