Flyers goalie Carter Hart returns to practice, good to go for upcoming road trip

When goalie Carter Hart stepped on the ice on Tuesday for the Flyers’ first practice following the NHL’s holiday break, the heart of the team returned too.

Hart, who has often been the team’s best player this season, sustained an upper-body injury with roughly two minutes remaining in the second period Friday after colliding with Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen shoved Jarvis into Hart, and Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored a power-play goal while Hart was down. Hart did not return.

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But after three days off, the 24-year-old Hart participated in each drill throughout a high-tempo practice in Voorhees. Coach John Tortorella said afterward that Hart is good to go for the upcoming three-game California road trip, which begins on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks.

“I talked to him over the break each day, and today, he doesn’t seem to have any problems at all,” Tortorella said.

In addition to Hart, goalie Felix Sandström was present for practice after missing the last two games before the break because of an illness. Samuel Ersson, who started the game against the Hurricanes, was pulled after the team fell behind, 5-2, and returned once Hart exited, also practiced with the Flyers.

Tortorella said he wasn’t sure if all three goalies would travel to California. The Flyers will practice at 11 a.m. Wednesday before flying to San Jose.

In 27 games this season (10-11-6), Hart boasts a 2.89 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. Those numbers are more impressive considering his underlying advanced metrics — according to Money Puck, Hart is second in the league in expected goals against (87.77) and fifth in goals saved above expected (12.8).

After Ersson’s NHL debut — a 6-5 loss to the Hurricanes — Tortorella wasn’t ready to offer critiques of his 23-year-old goaltender. However, when Ersson re-entered the game late in the second period, Tortorella was pleased with how he responded to help the Flyers rally.

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“I don’t think it really went well for him before I took him out,” Tortorella said. “I was just worried about, I didn’t want to scar him too much. And the way it worked, I liked how it all came around. He gets a chance to play a third period and give us an opportunity. We’re coming back in it. I thought it worked out well.”

Ersson called his debut a “tough game,” but he said the overall experience of his first NHL game was “incredible.” He was recalled to back up Hart in place of Sandström on Wednesday ahead of the road back-to-back. Ersson is focused on the positives from his debut, including his play in the third period, in which he denied each of the Hurricanes’ eight shots on goal.

The Flyers surged in the final frame, as defenseman Nick Seeler, center Scott Laughton, and winger Travis Konecny scored three unanswered goals to pull the team within one.

“Those are the things I’ve got to take with me after that game,” Ersson said. “It’s hard. It’s always tough. You want to help the team win. And when you feel like you’re not playing at your best, it was tough. But it’s up to me to make it a good experience.”

Technically, Ersson is not credited with the loss. Hart conceded the Hurricanes’ sixth goal of the night right as he was injured, which wound up being the game-winner.

While Ersson may not have had the NHL debut he wanted on Friday, he is off to a strong start with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In 18 games (9-8-1), the native of Sweden has a 2.72 goals against average and a .910 save percentage. Last season with the Phantoms, Ersson was limited to just five games because of a groin injury.

Tortorella called Ersson “probably our best goalie in camp.” Over the course of four preseason games and 122 minutes of ice time, Ersson posted a 1.47 goals against average and a .947 save percentage.

Even if Ersson doesn’t travel or play on this road trip, the NHL hasn’t seen the last of him, and he’s eager to move forward.

“I kind of have to learn from it,” Ersson said. “Try to take with me the positive things and learn from the mistakes I made.”

Center Sean Couturier participated in a rehab skate on the secondary ice surface while the Flyers practiced on Tuesday. Couturier, 30, is working his way back from a second back surgery on Oct. 27. General manager Chuck Fletcher said nearly a week ago that Couturier could return to the lineup in March. ... Flyers prospects Cutter Gauthier (drafted No. 5 overall in 2022) and Brian Zanetti (drafted No. 110 overall in 2001) helped their respective countries to victories on the first day of the preliminary round of the World Juniors on Monday. Gauthier registered five shots in the United States’ 5-2 win over Latvia. Zanetti had two shots and was minus-1 in Switzerland’s 3-2 overtime upset of Finland.