The Bruins coughed up a 2-1 lead and lost in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night. But goaltender Daniel Vladar is low on the list of people to blame.
Vladar made 29 saves in Monday’s OT loss, and a handful of them were timely. He most notably made a pair of impressive stops in succession on the Flyers’ Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny during a Bruins penalty kill in the second period. If anything, Vladar kept the Bruins alive in the game for as long as he could.
The 23-year-old may remain a little rough around the edges, and his long-term outlook remains unsettled. But there’s no denying Vladar’s athleticism and agility in goal. He also exudes a quiet competitiveness, which should endear himself to Bruins fans as he continues to get starts in the absence of both Tuukka Rask (upper-body injury) and Jaroslav Halak (COVID-19 protocol).
“I’m just living my dream, so I’m enjoying every second out there and trying to do my best,” Vladar said. “That’s all I do. I want to stop everything.”
“Obviously they’re big-time saves,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy on Vladar’s two big stops during the Bruins’ PK. “He’s a very athletic guy, he never quits on a puck. I mean, that’s what everyone loves about him. He’s going to have to work on his technique like every other young goalie – puck play, little details. But he’s a battler in there, it’s great for us.
“You need those types of saves that give you some juice, especially after a penalty kill. So, good for him. Like I said, I think Vladdy will do that, make some of those acrobatic saves. He certainly did there.”
Vladar’s record is now 2-1-1 in four starts in the 2020-21 season, with a solid 2.25 goals against average and .922 save percentage. The Bruins face the Flyers again on Tuesday in the second night of a back-to-back, so it’s possible that 22-year-old Jeremy Swayman makes his first career NHL appearance.
MORE: Flyers Beat Bruins In OT
Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.