Flyers Goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov Inspired by ancient legends to overcome new challenges

Just a few weeks ago, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov seemed like a lost cause. Despite all the promise he brought with him from the KHL, Fedotov was 0-4-1 in his first six NHL games and had a save percentage of 5.18 GAA and .817.

Lately, Fedotov has looked like a brand new player for the Flyers, although the team will continue to be cautious with him due to limited ice time.

“Still a small sample size,” Flyers head coach Johannes Tortorella said after Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Buffalo sabers. “He played very well, three games. He will have to continue. This is five or six games for him, and I think he’s definitely feeling more comfortable.”

Fedotov has gone a flawless 3-0-0 in his last three starts, giving the Flyers a more than comfortable 2.22 GAA and .918 save percentage in those games. The 27-year-old’s dramatic increase in his level of play has had a tangible effect on the play of his teammates. The Flyers coaches see it.

“When you have a goalie who looks like he’s looked good the last few games, it gives you confidence,” associate coach Brad Shaw said. “You know you can make a mistake every now and then and it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the back of your net, so that does change the way you play, in terms of confidence.”

One match that particularly stood out to Shaw was Fedotov’s try against the Ottawa Senatorsa courageous performance of 33 saves in a game in which the Flyers were thoroughly outplayed from start to finish. Fedotov never stopped doing his thing, even as the defensive zone collapsed around him.

Ironically, that match was Fedotov’s worst, statistically, of the three victories he has had. The 6-foot-1 Russian allowed four goals on 37 shots (0.892 SV%) in a dramatic 5-4 overtime victory.

Shaw noted that if it weren’t for his goalie, the Flyers wouldn’t have even made it to overtime.