Dan Vladar is officially a game-time decision for tonight’s Game 4 against the Penguins.
Vladar suffered an apparent right arm/upper body injury during a goal-mouth scramble in the third period of Game 3 (a collision involving Penguins forward Bryan Rust). Vladar stayed in the net, finished the game (making 27 saves in the 5-2 win), but was clearly in pain—he didn’t use his right arm much in the post-game celebration line and needed treatment afterward.
Latest on Vladar:
- He missed practice on Thursday and Friday (described by coach Rick Tocchet as “maintenance days”).
- Tocchet has said the two days off between games should help, and Vladar reportedly “feels better,” but the team is being cautious.
- As of the most recent reports (as of April 24-25), he’s still listed as day-to-day/undisclosed and will be a true game-time decision—expect updates during warm-ups or in the final hour or so before puck drop.
Vladar has been outstanding in the series so far:
- 3-0 record
- 1.33 GAA
- .946 save percentage (including a shutout in Game 2)
- He’s been a big reason the Flyers lead 3-0 and are on the brink of sweeping their rivals.If Vladar can’t go?The Flyers have a solid Plan B in Sam Ersson, who was a reliable backup during the regular season and has playoff experience. The team has expressed confidence in him stepping in for a potential series-clincher, especially with the home crowd and the way the Flyers have played overall.This is classic playoff goalie drama—teams hate risking their starter if he’s not 100%, but with a 3-0 lead, they can afford to be extra careful. A sweep tonight would send Philly to the second round for the first time in a while, and resting Vladar could pay off long-term if the series somehow goes longer.
Keep an eye on pre-game updates. Warm-ups should give the clearest indication. Nervous about the goalie situation, or trusting the depth to close this out? Go Flyers!
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