The Los Angeles Kings have been struggling to score all series long. After Game 3's 4-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, the Kings are tied with the second-fewest goals scored in the Stanley Cup playoffs with four.
Only the Ottawa Senators have fewer goals, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are the team that shares a four-goal total with the Kings. All three teams are down 3-0 in their respective series.
The bottom line for Los Angeles is that they've struggled offensively, with the top line of Artemi Panarin, Anze Kopitar, and Adrian Kempe should take a bigger part of the blame for that. It may be time to change the look of that line ahead of Game 4.
Game 3 is a great example of why the team's first line hasn't had the answer in these playoffs. Panarin, Kopitar and Kempe combined for a minus-nine plus-minus rating, including for the empty-net goal that Brock Nelson scored to close out the game.
On Friday's off day for Los Angeles, interim coach D.J. Smith spoke about how the effort is there on the ice, but he's looking for results.
"As well as we've played, in my opinion, there's some guys that can play better," Smith told reporters. "There's a few guys that I think can play better. Not for a lack of effort, (but) better execution."
Panarin leads the team in scoring with two goals and three points, but every single marker he's contributed to has been on the power play.
Artemi Panarin (Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)
The same can be said about Kempe, who has just one point in this series. It was Los Angeles' second goal in Game 3 on the mad advantage, and with the goalie pulled.
As for Kopitar, the Kings captain hasn't registered any sort of scoring and could very well be making his final NHL appearance in Game 4 on Sunday.
With the makeup of the top line on a downward trajectory in terms of form, it's a good time for Smith to try something new and mix up the personnel. Especially since the Kings are in a position where they have nothing to lose, against a team they had no business competing with.
"I think you got to think about everything," Smith said. "Whether it's jumble the top six, move a guy up, move a guy down… we're going to look at all possibilities to win one game."
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Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway had caught Crosby with a high stick in the face in Game 3 as he lined up for a faceoff. Crosby dropped to the ice, Hathaway made a diving gesture and the Penguins captain was called for embellishment.
Instead of the Penguins going on a power play because of the Hathaway high stick, it was 4-on-4. The Penguins lost the game, trail the series 3-0 and face elimination on Saturday, April 25.
"I don't really want to get into it," Crosby told reporters Friday about the incident. "It happened. He hit me in the face with his stick. I don't know what else you want me to tell you. Make up whatever you want to make up. Those are the facts. He got away with it. Good tradeoff."
Hathaway high sticked Crosby before the draw, but Crosby was ALSO penalized for embellishment, we play 4 on 4.... pic.twitter.com/QcsGi9wg7J
Penguins coach Dan Muse had been upset after Game 3 that Crosby was also penalized.
"We don't have a single embellishment all year," he told reporters afterward. "Sidney Crosby doesn't have an embellishment in 21 seasons. So stick's in his face and they take both. I disagree on that strongly.
"Not one. Not one for our team all season. We didn't come in this series to start now. Our guys have done a good job with that, and Sid doesn't embellish."
The Penguins will try to win Game 4 in Philadelphia Saturday, April 25 (8 p.m. ET, TBS) to stay alive.
The Carolina Hurricanes can punch their ticket to Round 2 with a Game 4 win over the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday, April 25.
While this has easily been the tightest defensive series of Round 1, my latest Hurricanes vs. Senators predictions and NHL picks are calling for the offenses to heat up.
Hurricanes vs Senators Game 4 prediction
Hurricanes vs Senators best bet: Over 5.5 (-115)
Despite combining for 23.72 expected goals and 81 high-danger scoring chances, the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators have totaled just 10 goals across the first three games of the series.
Hurricanes starter Frederik Andersen sports a .964 save percentage for the series, and Sens No. 1 Linus Ullmark checks in at .933, so statistical correction will be rearing its ugly head due to the unsustainable play of both goalies.
This is also an elimination game, so we could see an early goalie pull if Ottawa is trailing late in the third period, and the Sens haven’t had a lead all series long.
Hurricanes vs Senators Game 4 same-game parlay
Ottawa defenseman Thomas Chabot is set to log huge minutes in Game 4, including quarterbacking the No. 1 power-play unit. It’s a role he’s familiar with, and with the season on the line, I’m anticipating the longest-standing Senator stuffing the stat sheet.
Chabot has already picked up five shots on 19 attempts while blocking eight shots in the series, in addition to being on the ice for a team-high 5.24 expected goals.
Carolina has won 15 of its last 20 games (+9.40 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Senators.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Senators Game 4
Location
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
Date
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Puck drop
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet, TBS
Hurricanes vs Senators latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
A former Vancouver Canucks prospect has been named AHL MVP for the 2025-26 season. That former prospect is Michael DiPietro, who became the ninth goaltender to win the now-named Les Cunningham Award. DiPietro currently plays for the Providence Bruins, who are the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins.
The Canucks drafted DiPietro 64th overall in 2017. The now 26-year-old was a star in the OHL for the Windsor Spitfires and Ottawa 67's, with his junior career including a Memorial Cup championship in 2017. DiPietro also represented Canada multiple times during his junior career and would later win a Gold Medal at the 2021 World Championship.
DiPietro's time with Vancouver was short as he was traded to the Bruins in 2022. He played three NHL games with the Canucks and spent most of his time in the AHL. In return for DiPietro as well as defensive prospect Jonathan Myrenberg, Vancouver received Jack Studnicka, who would play 52 NHL games for the Canucks.
Since leaving Vancouver, DiPietro has become one of the best goaltenders in the AHL. This includes winning the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award, which is given out to the AHL's best goaltender in back-to-back consecutive season. Over his AHL career, DiPietro has a record of 118-50-16 along with 12 shutouts.
Jan 23, 2022; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Michael Dipietro (65) in action against the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
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Travis Konecny consistently produced against weak defensive teams all season, and that has held true in the playoffs so far.
My Penguins vs. Flyers predictions see Konecny finding his way onto the scoresheet in a potential series-clinching game.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Saturday, April 25.
Penguins vs Flyers Game 4 prediction
Penguins vs Flyers best bet: Travis Konecny Over 0.5 points (-155)
Travis Konecny feasted on Bottom-10 defenses in the regular season, picking up a point in 16 of 22 games (76%).
That hit rate soared even higher on home soil as Konecny hit the scoresheet in 11 of 12 games (92%).
Given that the Pittsburgh Penguins ranked 24th in goals against during the regular season, it should be no surprise that Konecny has continued to produce consistently in the playoffs for the Philadelphia Flyers.
He has points in two of three games and posted a team-leading 84 xGF% in the only game he didn’t.
Look for him to make his mark again in Game 4.
Penguins vs Flyers Game 4 same-game parlay
Christian Dvorak skates alongside Konecny at 5-on-5 as well as on the power play. The two are highly correlated, making it no coincidence they both found the scoresheet in the first two games of the series before being blanked last time out.
Travis Sanheim blocked multiple shots in three of his last four games against Pittsburgh. He’s routinely clearing 25 minutes of ice in this series, and the Penguins will desperately throw as many pucks towards the net as they can in this do-or-die game. That sets up well for Sanheim.
Travis Konecny has points in five of his last seven games against Pittsburgh. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Flyers.
How to watch Penguins vs Flyers Game 4
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
TBS, Sportsnet
Penguins vs Flyers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Chicago Blackhawks finished in 31st place, but they had a great start to the season. The promising year fell apart in early December when Connor Bedard went down with an injury. He missed some time, and the Blackhawks floundered after that.
Despite missing a portion of the season, Bedard finished with 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points in 69 games. That is a pace of 89 points and 35 goals over an 82-game schedule. He hit somewhat of a wall in the final ten games, which kept his numbers from being even more prolific.
Part of his development will be finding ways to be healthy for the entire season and not hitting that wall towards the end. The latter is less likely to happen if the team is good and competing for the postseason. Bedard must be one of the catalysts in that quest.
Despite having his first 30-goal and point-per-game season in the NHL, Bedard is far from satisfied. He had a great year, but he doesn't see it that way.
"There's ups and downs," Bedard said. "I don't think I was good enough. I think there is a lot of room for me to grow. I haven't scored in 10, and we kind of struggled in the last bit, so maybe [I'm] a little more negative in the moment. Once [I] break things down, there were positives for myself and the team. [I] want to get better."
Last summer, Bedard skipped going to the World Championships in order to stay home and work on his skating and skills with the puck. It was noticeable right away that he put the work in, and the results speak for themselves.
If he doesn't hurt his shoulder on a freak play in St. Louis, he probably has an even more productive season. At the time of his injury, he was a top-five NHL scorer.
Bedard believes that there is room for him to improve, which is a good thing. No elite players are ever satiated by their current results. They always want better. The organization has a responsibility to keep providing him with the necessary resources to continue the upward trend.
"I thought Connor had an excellent year, to be honest with you," said head coach Jeff Blashill. "If you look at when he got hurt, he was one of the very best players in the league. My biggest thing with Connor isn't about points. It's about what his mindset was. His mindset is 100% on playing winning hockey and building this thing into a winning team more than anything else. Once I realized that, I was really pleased with his approach on a daily basis."
Between Bedard's reputation coming into his NHL career as a "hockey-obsessed" player, the work he put in last summer, and his praise from the coach, it is clear that he will continue to work towards greater heights.
"Has he been perfect? No," Blashill said. "Is he learning like every elite scorer that comes into the league, and how to do things and play that type of winning hockey every shift? Yes. He's committed to it. As long as his mindset is in that place, which it is, he'll continue to skyrocket as a player".
Bedard is already a top-20 center in the National Hockey League, and he isn't even 21 years old yet. Before long, he will reach a level of play that has him in that next tier. He may never be satisfied until they win the Stanley Cup, but they have a long way to go. The work is being put in for him to be the type of player who can lead that kind of team.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild (1-2) was back on the ice for practice on the eve of Game 4 against the Dallas Stars (2-1).
Mats Zuccarello has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury and was not on the ice on Friday for practice with the team. He did skate before Minnesota practiced.
Forward Yakov Trenin missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury as well and was not on the ice for practice on Friday.
Wild head coach John Hynes said after the practice that Zuccarello will be a game-time decision and Trenin will not play.
"That means he's questionable for tomorrow," Hynes said on Zuccarello skating on his own. "He's making good strides. Trenin will not be available tomorrow. Zuccy is going to be game time."
Trenin, 29, led the NHL in hits with 413 hits in his first-ever 82-game season. He also set the Wild franchise record for most hits in a single season.
The 6-foot-2 forward was the only Wild player to have played in 82 games. Trenin set a Wild franchise record for most hits in a single game with 13 in Game 1.
He has 1,359 career hits in 457 NHL games. In 28 career playoff games, Trenin has 115 hits. Including 50 hits in eight career playoff games with Minnesota.
Tough not to have him in the linup for sure.
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With the Bridgeport Islanders' season over, an era ends, with a new one beginning in Hamilton, Ontario.
Rocky Thompson, whom Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche hired ahead of this season, is expected to remain as head coach. Thompson led the team back to the Calder Cup Playoffs after back-to-back last-place finishes in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
We'll see about his assistant coaches, who, I'm sure, will get some attention from other teams, especially with the move up north.
Rosters from one season to the next are never the same. Here are the players under contract for at least 2026-27: those who finished the season with Bridgeport or are likely to be with Bridgeport next season.
RFA contracts must be tendered by 5 PM ET on June 30 or the Monday after the NHL Draft, whichever is later.
Unrestricted Free Agent:
A player whose contract has expired and who is completely free to sign with any team, with no restrictions and no compensation owed to their previous team.
Forward: Matthew Highmore, Matt Luff
Defensemen: Ethan Bear
Goaltender: Marcus Hogberg
Group Six Unrestricted Free Agent:
A player who is 25 or older, has played three or more professional seasons, and has played less than 80 NHL games.
The Colorado Avalanche picked up a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings in their Game 3 matchup. With this, the Avalanche now have a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Kings and have increased their odds of advancing to the second round significantly.
Former Montreal Canadiens forward Artturri Lehkonen certainly played a role in the Avalanche winning Game 3, as he put together a strong performance for the Central Division club.
First, Lehkonen recorded an assist on Cale Makar's second-period goal that gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead. Then, the former Canadiens winger scored the Avalanche's game-winning goal at the 7:39 mark of the third period.
After a game like this, it is clear that Lehkonen was the Avalanche's hero for Game 3. The former Canadiens forward now has two goals and three points in three playoff games for Colorado this spring. This is after he had 21 goals, 27 assists, 48 points, and a plus-32 rating in 70 games this regular season.
It will now be interesting to see if the former Canadiens forward can stay hot for the Avalanche from here. He is having a great start to the playoffs.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 10: A general view of the video board during an ABS challenge against Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees in the third inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Friday, April 10, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mary Holt/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When I first started writing here about a decade ago, the biggest gripe we had with the institution that is MLB is how scared they were to make changes. Replay review had been instituted but in comparison to the other Big Four leagues, baseball seemed unwilling to challenge the century-old traditions that enveloped it, even to the point of self-harm. Fast forward to 2026 and the game looks very different, and in a good way.
We’re a couple years into the pitch clock era, and pulling up highlights from 2015 make me wonder why it took so long to implement that little change. Larger bases and the pickoff limit have helped incentivize a more athletic, dynamic style of play on the basepaths, one that the Yankees surprisingly finally started to take advantage of this season. The “Ohtani rule”, allowing Shohei to remain at DH even once he’s been taken out as a starting pitcher, helps keep the biggest start in the sport in the spotlight as long as possible — regardless of how you feel about the guy, MLB is truly marketing its marquee attractions, a complaint levied many times in my adult life against the league.
And of course we’re a month into the ABS era, and after the whirlwind of excitement that was the rule’s first week, we’ve settled into a nice rhythm with it. Fans aren’t waiting with quite the bated breath the way that Cincinnati crowd tormented CB Bucknor, and Ben Rice seems to have learned his lesson about challenging, but the ABS challenge itself has simply become another part of the game. Any addition to game time seems marginal — average gametimes so far this year have been two hours, 40 minutes, exactly in line with averages the last couple of seasons — and I haven’t felt any disruption to the “flow” of things, although others may differ.
In short, MLB has been getting it right with their rule changes post-COVID. They have identified areas where tweaks and fixes have been needed, experimented with the right solutions in the minors, and then allowed those solutions to graduate to the majors. That process itself deserves credit, as MLB teams are graduating prospects to the 26-man roster that have already experienced pitch clocks and challenge systems while in the developmental system, so they’re used to the changes before things start to really matter.
Each of these rule changes has also addressed an actual need, and that’s the cautionary tale going forward. You can get far too cute with rulebook tinkering — the way the NBA calls fouls jumps immediately to mind — and that does eventually degrade the product. Instead, MLB wanted to cut down overall game time, keep the most bankable name on the field as much as possible, introduce a faster alternative play style, and clean up the most egregious missed calls. Specific needs, targeted solutions.
Everything we write and talk about with respect to baseball in 2026 is overshadowed by coming labor troubles. Whether we lose games in 2027 or not, this winter is going to be ugly. MLB has had a load of successes come its way, from an emergent dynasty (and dynasties are always good for business) to the World Baseball Classic to the growing international spotlight shone on the game. The rule changes the league has implemented have contributed to that success, both in terms of a higher-quality game and positive coverage.
The game itself is healthy, thriving, and growing, which is not something we’ve been able to say at many points in my lifetime. Squabbling over what exact percentage of a few billion dollars — when the San Diego Padres are worth four billion on their own — will halt all that progress in its tracks. The most acute, appropriate rule changes on the planet cannot undo the harm of a lost season. MLB has made great strides to improve the state of baseball, and keeping that momentum going needs to be the focus, not a salary cap.
The Buffalo Sabres were in a precarious position trailing 1-0 in the second period and facing a penaltyshot attempt from Viktor Arvidsson, who scored a pair of goals in the Boston Bruins 4-2 victory in Game 2 earlier this week. After a loss where Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen dropped the ball by allowing a center-ice dump-in to get past him and change the momentum of the series, Lyon stopped Arvidsson and gave the Sabres the boost they needed in a 3-1 victory in Game 3 at TD Garden on Thursday to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
"(The Lyon save was) definitely a turning point,” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. “I mean really bad luck, (Rasmus Dahlin) breaks a stick and can't do anything with the puck, and (Alex) came up with a huge save for us, at a crucial time of the game."
Bowen Byram tied the game soon after, and Alex Tuch scored the game winner early in the third period, with Noah Ostlund adding the empty-net insurance goal. The rookie center had a two-point night (1 goal, 1 assist) in his first NHL playoff game in relief of the injured Josh Norris.
“He's got experience, he's been in the (AHL) playoffs. Everybody's a little nervous going into a game like that, I totally understand that," Ruff said. "I thought (Noah) played a really solid game for us, a little disjointed with all the penalties, I'd like to see them play a little bit more because he was going so good. But for a first playoff game with us, you could say, gets an A plus."
The power play continues to be a sore spot for the Sabres, as they went 0 for 5 in Game 3, and are 0 for 14 in the playoffs, but unlike the first two games in Buffalo, where Boston scored with the man advantage in each game, the Sabres killed off four penalties, including a pair of minors in the final 10 minutes of regulation with the Bruins pressing for the tying goal.
"We weren't really happy with our first couple kills. We lost a little bit of our positioning, and gave him a couple big opportunities. We went through through some of those after the first period. And I thought those last two kills were, were excellent," Ruff said "I thought we got a couple great blocks. I thought especially those top four guys up front they were killing and the (Conor)Timmins block, I thought (Mattias) Samuelsson was really solid around net front and didn't really give him that second opportunity."
The Sabres have an extra day of rest in before Game 4 on Sunday afternoon, and Ruff is conveying the message to his club not to get overconfident and flush the results of the win, just as he instructed them to get past the loss in Game 2.
"You've got to get through the emotion of losing a tough game. You lose at home, and you had all this emotion after Game 1. That's the battle of the playoffs is you've got to be ready to put put away a big win, like we have to be ready to put this game away and get ready for a really desperate team on Sunday in their building, Ruff said. "Just the same way they have to put the game away and and know that they got a battle to bounce back. It's something that our guys, some of them, haven't been through, but they've got a little bit of a taste of it."
Leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was a big name in the rumor mill. However, the Flyers decided to hold on to him past the deadline.
Now, the Flyers' decision to not trade Ristolainen is paying off for them.
Ristolainen has had a strong start to the postseason for the Flyers, as he has three points and a plus-2 rating in three games. This included him scoring in the Flyers' Game 3 win over the Penguins. He also had two assists for the Flyers in Game 1, which was the first playoff game of his 13-year NHL career.
With this, there is no question that he has been making a positive impact for the Flyers this postseason. Had the Flyers decided to trade him, they very well might not have had their strong finish to the regular season that got them into the playoffs.
Ristolainen is exactly the kind of big right-shot defenseman that teams need during the playoffs, and he is showing that with the Flyers right now. It will be interesting to see how he performs as the playoffs continue from here.
The rhythm of this playoff series for the Philadelphia Flyers has been built on repetition. Same lines and pairings, same opponent, same patterns sharpened and re-sharpened until something gives.
But every so often, in the throes of postseason hockey, something small can come in and disrupt that rhythm. Not enough to cause panic, not enough to demand overhaul, but just enough to force a recalibration.
For the Flyers, that recalibration may come in the crease.
Dan Vladar has been, in many ways, one of the crucial constants behind their early series control against the Pittsburgh Penguins. A stabilizer and a leading voice in the locker room, his game has been defined by both spectacle and sequence—save selection, rebound control, emotional presence. It’s the kind of goaltending that pulls focus for all the right reasons.
But Vladar has been asked to backstop three consecutive high-intensity, physical games against Pittsburgh, rarely getting a day off with travel and practices in between. He's stepped up to the challenge (and then some), but he's not immune from joining the banged-up brigade that makes up so many playoff hockey teams.
Head coach Rick Tocchet isn't sweating it, though, should he have to sit Vladar to avoid risking injury. He has full confidence in the other half of the Flyers' goalie tandem, Sam Ersson, to take care of business if he's called upon.
The Wear Beneath the Workload
Vladar took a knock to the hand in Game 3 on April 22. It wasn't dramatic or immediately consequential, but it was cause for a bit of worry.
He followed with a pre-planned maintenance day on April 23. Then another on April 24.
Maintenance days for Tippett, York, and Vladař. Rick Tocchet said Vladař is feeling better today after taking a knock to the hand last night, clarifying that he probably would have a maintenance day today regardless.
Rick Tocchet’s framing was careful, but not dismissive of the question of Vladar's fitness for Game 4 on April 25.
“It’s more of a maintenance thing," he said after practice on Thursday. "He was gonna probably be off [today] anyway, but he’s a little banged up. He feels better today.”
The name of the game for playoffs—especially a series as physical as this one has been—is maintenance, management, and precaution. The Flyers have admitted that they came out of the regular season banged up, but as many NHL players do, have refused to sit out games like these—especially since for most of this Philadelphia team, this is their first playoffs.
But goaltending, more than any other position, lives in the margins of physical precision. A fraction of a second in tracking, a slight hesitation in sealing the post, a rebound that travels a few inches farther than intended—small disruptions like those can compound quickly.
And Vladar has played a lot. Not just in volume, but in intensity. These have not been passive minutes. They’ve been layered, high-attention performances in games where structure has held, but still required finishing touches. The Flyers have not needed him to steal games, but they have needed him to complete them.
The Value of Readiness Over Reaction
If there is a potential shift coming for Game 4, it doesn't feel like one born of urgency. It feels like one born of preparedness.
Sam Ersson has not been an afterthought in this series. He’s been, in Tocchet’s words and actions, a parallel track—developing quietly, staying engaged, maintaining a rhythm that isn’t always visible from the outside.
Tocchet didn’t hedge when asked about the possibility of turning to him for what could be the final game of the series (Flyers currently hold a 3-0 series lead over the Penguins).
“His mental and physical game since the Olympics—I don’t think he’s had a bad start," Tocchet said on Thursday. "I’ll tell you, the Montreal game [on April 14], going in there, we have half [Lehigh Valley Phantoms call-ups], people are saying we’re throwing him to the wolves, and he was really good. So I’m not really worried if he had to play. He’s locked in, even in practice. If his number is called, he’ll be ready to go.”
Tocchet's viewpoint is clear: Should Ersson be put in net for Game 4, they have full confidence that he could slam the door on the Flyers' western Pennsylvania counterparts.
Ersson’s trajectory since the Olympic break has been defined by correction—refinement rather than total reinvention. His game has tightened in predictable ways: cleaner reads through traffic, more controlled rebounds, a steadier presence in moments where games begin to stretch.
“I think that a good finish was well needed," Ersson told media on Thursday. "I had to take a step up from how I was playing and just trying to do my best and contribute. We knew that every point during that stretch mattered. It was very important… I feel like I’m in a good spot with my game. Obviously it helps stringing wins together, makes you feel better about your game.”
The Psychological Balance of a Possible Change
Switching goaltenders in a playoff series—especially with a dominant lead—could be framed as a risk. But it can also be insulation.
The Flyers are not reacting to a breakdown. Vladar has been extremely effective, composed, and aligned with the structure in front of him. The question isn’t whether he can continue. It’s whether he should, right now, in this moment of the series.
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 22, 2026. (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
Rest, in this context, is not retreat. It’s preservation.
And if Ersson starts Game 4, the responsibility doesn’t change. The environment will.
Philadelphia will still have the advantage of home ice in this game, with a chance to sweep, yes, but also with the expectation of a response from Pittsburgh. The Penguins will push—harder, earlier, with greater urgency. The Flyers know this.
So does Ersson.
“I try to work very hard throughout the year and build day by day and just be ready at all times," he said. "I think that’s something you work on to just keep your game in a good spot so that when your name is called upon, you’re ready to go.”
Continuity, Even in Change
The most important detail in all of this is not who starts Game 4, because at the moment, we just don't know yet. It's that, structurally, very little changes regardless.
The Flyers have built their early series success on predictability—not in the sense of being easy to read, but in the sense of being internally consistent. For a goaltender, that matters.
It defines sightlines, dictates shot quality, reduces the number of situations that require improvisation. And whether it’s Vladar or Ersson, or even AHL call-ups Aleksei Kolosov or Carson Bjarnason, the expectation is not that the goaltender will redefine the game. It’s that he will fit into its existing shape.
If Vladar plays, it will be a continuation with the understanding that he’s managing more than just the opponent.
If Ersson plays, it will be an opportunity—not as a deviation, but as an extension of the same identity.
Either way, the Flyers are not approaching Game 4 as a pivot point. They are approaching it as part of a sequence they believe they control. The crease, for now, is simply the most visible place where that control might be tested.
And the most telling thing about this moment is that it doesn’t feel like this team is uncertain or panicking at a possible point of adversity. Every reaction feels considered. They trust their lineup enough to handle whatever the chaos of the postseason throws at them. Which, in a playoff series defined by structure, discipline, and emotional balance, may be the clearest sign yet of where the Flyers are—and how prepared they are for whatever comes next.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 13: Grant Holmes #66 of the Atlanta Braves takes the mound during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on April 13, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Braves and Phillies again. Grant Holmes vs. Andrew Painter again. Not on BravesVision again.
In the time we’ve been apart, the Braves took three out of four against the very pesky Nats to conclude a 6-1 road trip. The boys will return home to Cobb County with the best record in baseball (18-8).
The Phillies… were swept again. If you’re not a sicko who’s scoreboard watching in April like some of us, you’d be shocked to learn of their current streak of nine straight losses. (The Mets snapped their skid at 12, but lost Lindor to the IL in the process.)
After losing three at Wrigley, I’m sure they’re thrilled to be in Atlanta for the weekend. Sunday’s short-lived starters will have a second chance on Star Wars Night at Truist Park.
After the starter switcheroo that brought us the callups of Didier Fuentes and JR Ritchie, Grant Holmes will pitch on regular rest to open this three-game set. Only going 4.2 innings the last time out versus Philadelphia, he threw 81 pitches, gave up four hits, allowed two earned runs on a Schwarber homer, walked one, and struck out four. He allowed the home run in the first and locked it down until Walt Weiss came to pull him just shy of qualifying for a win. While encouraging, Holmes is fighting to stay in the rotation instead of being moved to the bullpen in a long relief role. His longest outing to date was 6.2 innings in Anaheim on April 8, where he threw 99 pitches. Spencer Strider looms, and JR Ritchie had a strong debut. The saxophones are getting louder.
Holmes did outlast Phillies starter Andrew Painter, who threw 84 pitches in 4 innings on Sunday. In the rookie’s first loss, he was charged with a Michael Harris homer and two runs inherited by Tim Mayza. He walked one and struck out four. The only Braves to record a knock off him so far are Harris (twice), and Ronald Acuña Jr., Dom Smith, and Mike Yastrzemski all have one apiece. Ozzie Albies recorded a walk.
Same clubs seeing the same pitcher in less than a week. What could go wrong?
If we’re going to feel this much déjà vu, we might as well lean all the way in – might be an unpopular opinion, but I wouldn’t mind another Atlanta series sweep.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 28: The Baltimore Orioles mascot on field before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 28, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
But enough about the Yankees series. Let’s move right on.
The Red Sox are headed to Baltimore to play the Orioles. Baltimore is 12-13 and Boston is 9-16 and on a three-game losing streak. Things haven’t gone great for the O’s while missing Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutchman, Tyler O’Neill, Ryan Mountcastle, Zach Eflin and playing sub-.500 baseball, but they’re still close to a coin flip away from the postseason.
Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt have been bad in the rotation. Sadly they won’t be facing the Sox. Who is?
Friday night the O’s start things off with Brandon Young. Young is a 27-year old righty who made 12 starts last season for Baltimore to the tune of a 6.75 ERA / 5.35 FIP. In one appearance this year he tossed five scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks while striking out two. He’s a fastball/splitter/slider/sinker guy who tends to give up more ground balls than fly balls. Perfect for a team struggling for power. However, last year he allowed 12 homers in in 57.2 innings of work so, I don’t know, pencil in 1 home run. Let’s be optimistic.
Brayan Bello will oppose Young for the Red Sox. The arrival of Payton Tolle gave Alex Cora the chance to push him back a day. Bello has had good numbers against the Yankees but given his current funk who can argue with extra rest? In that 6.2 inning, 2-run outing against the Cardinals was back on 4/12 (coincidentally the last time Payton Tolle pitched before last night) he still looked like he was figuring some things out. Let’s hope he can channel that energy.
Trevor Rogers pitched like an ace last year in his short season. For 109.2 innings he posted an ERA of 1.81 (2.82 FIP) and won 9 games. Wins aren’t really meaningful this century because of baseball’s structural changes, but the O’s only won 75 games. In fact, the Orioles would win 13 of his 18 starts. He alone kept their season from becoming truly awful. For Boston, Garrett Crochet will be on the mound. What can you even say at this point? Just assume Tommy John and he’s back in 2028? Or is he really just a tweak away from being a Cy Young pitcher again? He certainly thinks this is a tweak situation and his start against Detroit looked good – still had 8 Ks, his season high – before the wheels fell off again. Bring back the War Pig!
The Sunday matinee features Kyle Bradish for the O’s. Through five starts he’s allowed two runs three times while allowing four and one, respectively, in the other outings. He’s been averaging about 5.0 innings per start. It would be nice to see the opposing starter leave the game early for a change. In 25 innings he’s allowed 31 hits plus 13 walks. The bases could be absolutely filled. Connelly Early will finish then series for the Red Sox. He was cruising through 5.0 innings against the Yankees before trouble hit. Can’t think of anyone the Sox have started you’d feel most certain about how he’ll do though. 90 pitches, 5 innings, probably 1 run. And he might do better!
Gunnar Henderson leads the O’s with 7 homers and as a team they’ve hit 26. He also leads the team with 36 strikeouts. And steals with 4. He’s pretty good.
Pete Alonso is hitting .213/.327/.372 with 3 homers and many years remaining.
Taylor Ward, acquired for frequent IL visitor Grayson Rodriguez has hit 13 doubles.
Roman Anthony should return to the lineup.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, April 24: Brayan Bello (6.75 ERA / 5.77 FIP) vs. Brandon Young (0.00 ERA / 3.54 FIP)
Saturday, April 25: Garrett Crochet (7.88 ERA / 4.98 FIP) vs. Trevor Rogers (4.08 ERA / 3.87 FIP)
Sunday, April 26: Connelly Early (2.88 ERA / 4.18 FIP) vs. Kyle Bradish (3.96 ERA / 3.50 FIP)
What Changes The Penguins, Senators And Kings Must Make To Avoid Playoff SweepThe Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings need a miracle to reverse-sweep their first-round playoff opponents. But this is what they can do to win Game 4.
