NHL Player News

Vladar is expected to patrol the crease at home for Game 3 versus the Hurricanes on Thursday, Jackie Spiegel of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Vladar has given up three goals in four of his last five outings, all losses, while recording a 42-save shutout in the fifth. While the 28-year-old backstop did enough to get the Flyers past in-state rival Pittsburgh in the first round, head coach Rick Tocchet may have to consider giving Samuel Ersson a look if Vladar comes out flat again in Game 3.

Lyon stopped 26 shots Wednesday in the Sabres' 4-2 win over the Canadiens in Game 1 of their second-round series.

Buffalo never trailed in the contest, as Lyon allowed goals late in the first and second periods after his team had already struck twice in each frame. The veteran netminder has won four of five starts since taking over in the crease for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, posting an eye-popping 1.36 GAA and .947 save percentage over that stretch heading into Game 2 on Friday.

Dobes made 12 saves Wednesday in the Canadiens' 4-2 loss to the Sabres in Game 1 of their second-round series.

While his final numbers look shaky, two of Buffalo's goals came on power plays, while a third came after Lane Hutson blew a tire at center ice to create an odd-man rush. It's the first time this postseason that Dobes has allowed more than three goals in a start, and he'll likely take a 2.28 GAA and .910 save percentage into Game 2 on Friday.

Hart stopped 25 of 27 shots in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Ducks in Game 2. The third goal was an empty-netter.

Hart put in a strong performance but couldn't get any help from his teammates. It still took the Ducks a while to wear down the Golden Knights' defense, so this is shaping up to be a fairly close and competitive series. Hart's winning streak ended at four games, but he's still 5-3 this postseason with a 2.44 GAA and a .912 save percentage over eight games. Expect the 27-year-old to get the nod again in Game 3 on Friday in Anaheim.

Dostal stopped 21 of 22 shots in Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Golden Knights in Game 2.

Dostal continues to trend in the right direction -- he's now allowed two goals or fewer in three straight games. He's given up five tallies on 70 shots in that span. It could have been even better for him Wednesday, but Mark Stone's power-play tally just before time expired in the third period denied Dostal a shutout. This second-round series is now tied at 1-1, and Dostal will likely be between the pipes again as the action shifts to Anaheim for Game 3 on Friday.

Miner recorded a 20-save shutout in AHL Colorado's 4-0 win over Henderson in Game 3 on Wednesday.

Miner is up to three shutouts in five playoff games for the Eagles, including two in wins over Henderson. He's 4-1 this postseason and should continue to play the bulk of the games during the AHL club's playoff run.

Hart will protect the home goal versus the Ducks in Game 2 on Wednesday, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Hart stopped 33 of 34 shots in Game 1 on Monday. He's won four straight outings while looking particularly steady in the last two, when he stopped 55 of 57 shots. The Ducks had more shots in Monday's loss than the Mammoth did in five of six Round 1 contests against the Golden Knights, so expect Hart to stay busy in Wednesday's matchup.

Lyon will guard the home goal versus the Canadiens in Game 1 on Wednesday, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports.

Lyon went 3-1 over the last four games of the Sabres' 4-2 series win over the Bruins in the first round. He allowed just five goals in that span. Lyon is now the Sabres' No. 1 goalie, though the team could pivot back to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen if Lyon struggles at any point.

Dobes will protect the road goal in Game 1 versus the Sabres on Wednesday, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports.

Dobes got the Canadiens past the Lightning in the first round, going 4-3 with a 2.03 GAA and a .923 save percentage over seven games. The 24-year-old's strong play is impressive, and he'll now turn his attention to another inexperienced playoff team. Until he shows significant struggles, Dobes looks to have control of Montreal's crease.

Dostal is expected to start on the road against Vegas in Game 2 on Wednesday, per Derek Lee of The Hockey News.

Dostal has a 4-3 record, 3.59 GAA and .878 save percentage in seven playoff outings this year. He held his own in the second-round opener, stopping 19 of 21 shots, but a lack of offensive support resulted in a 3-1 loss for Anaheim. Vegas has been tough to contain so far in the playoffs, averaging 3.71 goals per game.