Goalie Sam Ersson used the holiday break to ‘recharge’ as Flyers try to reverse recent struggles

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Sam Ersson took his mind off things the past few days.

During the NHL’s mandated holiday break, the Flyers goalie once again spent Christmas in New York City with some of his fellow Swedes who play for Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. He went to Aquavit, a restaurant that serves a traditional Swedish julbord, or Christmas table, showcasing a smörgåsbord of traditional food from herrings and meats to desserts.

The restaurant has become a tradition for Ersson. As he told The Inquirer last December, he was going with his family that year but spent the two previous seasons with his countrymen at the Swedish restaurant.

This year a taste of home came at a good time.

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“I think you can use those moments to recharge and kind of take your mind off things for a little bit,” Ersson said.

A reset is just what the Flyers’ No. 1 goalie needs. He has struggled to find his form since he missed two games in November after aggravating a lower-body injury. Since returning on Dec. 8 against Utah, a 4-2 loss, he has gone 2-4-0 with a 4.28 goals-against average and .810 save percentage.

In the Flyers’ last game before the break on Monday, a 7-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, he allowed five goals on 14 shots and was pulled after 40 minutes. It was the first time this season Ersson was relieved.

“Erss didn’t play well,” Tortorella said after that game.

But the past is in the past. Ersson will be in goal Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks (4 p.m., NBCSP).

“[Goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh] and I talked on the plane about who’s going to go, and I want him to get right back,” Tortorella said. “I think both goalies are trying to find their game. Erss is a very important one coming off the injury. I don’t believe in the big resets with breaks, but with goaltenders, I think it’s different. I think it gives him a chance to process some of the things that have gone on.

“He should not get all the blame for some of the things going on, because we’ve been sloppy in front of him. But I think goaltenders are a different breed. I think sometimes they need to stop and reassess and I think that’s what Erss is really good at.”

Certainly not all the blame for the Flyers’ recent struggles — they have lost four of the past five and seven of the past 10 — falls on the skates or pads of Ersson.

In the past 10 games, the Flyers are averaging 3.50 goals, sixth-best in the NHL, but allowing a league-worst 4.70 goals against. The penalty kill has also struggled, dropping to 57.7% effectiveness. Tortorella wants to help Ersson regain his confidence but knows that a lot is going wrong for his club beyond the blue paint.

“That’s part of our job as a coaching staff, is to figure out how to help them,” Tortorella said. “We’ve got to get back to a little bit of what we did my first year here, and play better in front of our goalies. And that’s one of the focuses that we’re starting as we start this road trip, is we’ve got to be better in front of them. There’s a lot of ... stuff going on in front of them that we need to correct.”

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Known as a coach who likes to build from the crease out, in the first season under Tortorella the Flyers focused on defense and protecting their end of the ice. Last season, his staff honed in on the transition game. Now the coach wants to go back to square one.

For Ersson, he is getting back to basics, too.

“I think it’s just overall things,” he said. “I think before the last game, maybe before the Columbus game as well, what I was feeling is what I lacked was a little bit of the big saves, like the key moments. I still think that’s definitely a big part of it, just coming up with the right type of save at the right moment. And then overall, just be at a more consistent level [and] play way better overall.”

When asked about Ducks star Cutter Gauthier’s comments on having Saturday’s game circled, Tortorella said: “Oh, I don’t give a [expletive] what he says. Yeah, I’m not interested in answering questions about Cutter Gauthier. Don’t wish anything bad on the kid. I’m not gonna answer any questions on him.” ... Forward Noah Cates has taken Joel Farabee’s spot on the second power-play unit. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was moved there before Monday’s game. ... Forward Olle Lycksell, who was recalled from Lehigh Valley on Thursday, and defenseman Erik Johnson will be healthy scratches against the Ducks.