No Sweep: Flyers will head back to Pittsburgh after 4-2 loss in Game 4

Nobody actually expected the sweep. I moved my prediction to Flyers in 4 after Game 3 and I’ll own that. But deep down, everyone who watches hockey knew a team with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin wasn’t going to lay down and get swept in a playoff series. That’s not how this works. Pittsburgh was always going to find one game in this series and Saturday night was it.

The Penguins beat the Flyers 4-2 at Xfinity Mobile Arena to cut the series lead to 3-1. It stings because the building was ready to celebrate a sweep and the Flyers gave them a flat first period that put them in a hole they couldn’t climb out of.

The series isn’t over. It just shifts back to Pittsburgh where the Flyers already won Games 1 and 2. They’ve been the better team on the road all series. Go back to PPG Paints Arena on Monday, win one more game, and this thing is done.

Crosby Finally Showed Up

After being held to zero goals and one assist through the first three games, Crosby decided to remind everyone why he’s a future Hall of Famer. He won a first-period faceoff and scored five seconds later with a quick release on the power play.

Vladar got a piece of it with his glove but it still snuck past him. In the third, Crosby won a puck battle and set up Kris Letang’s goal that made it 3-1.

This was Crosby’s best game of the series by a wide margin. The ultimate Flyers killer had been quiet for three straight games and the Flyers were making him look old and slow. Saturday night he proved he’s still capable of taking over a game when his team needs him. It changes nothing about how this series ends but it’s a reminder that you cannot count Crosby out until the final handshake.

Vladar Made a Rare Mistake

Vladar had been nearly flawless through three games with 70 saves on 74 shots. Saturday night he turned the puck over behind his net a minute into the second period and Rickard Rakell made him pay immediately. That put the Flyers in a 2-0 hole and completely changed the complexion of the game.

Vladar finished with 17 saves on 20 shots, which is fine, but the turnover was the kind of unforced error he hadn’t made all series. He’s allowed to have a rough night. He’s been the MVP of this series through four games and one bad puck decision doesn’t change that.

The Flyers Battled Back But Couldn’t Finish

Down 2-0, the Flyers clawed back. Zegras found Denver Barkey to cut it to 2-1 late in the second period and the building came alive. Konecny pulled the Flyers within 3-2 in the third with a snap shot from the circle after aggressive plays from Dvorak and Sanheim to set it up. For about five minutes it felt like the comeback was happening and the sweep was still alive.

Zegras and Barkey get the Flyers on the board

Need more of this. #IgniteTheOrange pic.twitter.com/8UzeXhNoll

— x – Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 26, 2026

Then Crosby won the puck battle that led to Letang’s goal to make it 4-2 and that was the dagger. The Flyers pulled Vladar with under two minutes left but couldn’t net the equalizer. Connor Dewar scored the empty-netter and Pittsburgh survived.

The power play continues to be a problem. The Flyers went 0-for-3 Saturday night and have been invisible on the man advantage all series. They also gave up another power play goal, which is exactly what they’ve been trying to avoid.

The Flyers don’t want this series to become a special teams battle because that’s the one area where Pittsburgh has a clear edge. Getting back to 5-on-5 hockey in Game 5 is critical.

Pens Switch Goalies

Arturs Silovs got his first start of the series in place of Stuart Skinner and stopped 28 of 30 shots. It was a smart move by the Penguins because Skinner had been getting shelled and the Flyers clearly had his number. Silovs was solid and gave Pittsburgh a chance to win for the first time all series. Whether he starts Game 5 will be interesting to watch because going back to Skinner after Silovs played well would be a tough call.

Another Chance Monday Night

The last time the Flyers swept a playoff series was 1995 against the Rangers. The sweep wasn’t meant to be this time. That’s fine. The Flyers have already won two games at PPG Paints Arena in this series. They know how to win in that building. They know the atmosphere. They know the matchups.

Game 5 is Monday night at PPG Paints Arena. 7 p.m. ET on NBCSP. Go back to Pittsburgh, play the 5-on-5 game that has dominated this series, let Vladar be Vladar, and close out the Penguins on their home ice. Crosby had his moment Saturday. Now end his season on Monday.

Flyers in 5. Back to the original prediction. Let’s finish this.

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