WATCH: Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov still getting used to way of NHL, wanders into wrong net ahead of OT

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Apr 02, 2024 20:02 GMT

In a moment that highlighted the transition from international hockey to the NHL, Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov found himself inadvertently in the wrong net at a crucial juncture of the game.

Bleacher Report's Open Ice Twitter account shared a clip of the incident, capturing Fedotov's brief confusion as he headed toward the wrong goal at the start of overtime. The caption read:

"Ivan Fedotov learning the ways of the NHL... he went to the wrong net to start OT."

The mishap occurred during the Flyers' matchup against the New York Islanders.

Responding to the mistake, Fedotov said:

"It was funny, I was like, 'Oh, f--k.'"

The mix-up was brought to Fedotov's attention by Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov. Fedotov, who had previously played in Russia, may have been unaware of the subtle differences in goalie positioning during overtime in the NHL, highlighting the learning curve for international players transitioning to North American hockey.

Fedotov's NHL debut came during the Flyers' 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders. He made 19 saves out of 21 with a save percentage of .905, which is indeed highly impressive.

Transitioning from the KHL to the NHL, Ivan Fedotov said:

"I'm not a young guy. I have some experience. I know how it works. I don't care [if I'm] playing from the first minute or during the game if I need to play. I just want to help the team."

The Flyers initially took a 1-0 lead over the Islanders but conceded two goals in the first period. The Islanders sealed the victory with Brock Nelson's overtime goal.

John Tortorella talks about Ivan Fedotov and team

Coach John Tortorella was impressed by Ivan Fedotov and said:

"Totally impressed. I put him in a hell of a spot, and he's the only goddamn player that played in the second period." (via The Score)

However, Tortorella was not pleased with the team's performance on the night. He said:

"There are certain people, they don't have a clue how to play, or just don't have it in them to play in these types of situations.

"This is why I'm glad we're playing them. We have to figure things out as far as what we're going to become as a team here. That was embarrassing in the second period for the Philadelphia Flyer uniform."

Currently, the Flyers hold the third position in the Metropolitan Division.