🏒 The real MVP | Sports Daily Newsletter

Most of the national media outlets were backing the Penguins in this Eastern Conference first-round series, including ESPN — which predicted that the Flyers would get swept out in the first round.

Now this isn’t to throw shade, but it just goes to show that the Orange and Black are hot right now, leading the series two games to none as they enter Wednesday’s 7 p.m. matchup at Xfinity Mobile Arena (TNT).

To get you ready for the series shifting to Philly for the first playoff game in eight years, here are four points of emphasis the Flyers will need to carry over to Game 3, which includes their penalty kill prowess.

And they partly have Dan Vladař to thank for that.

The goaltender has been one of the MVPs all season long. On Monday, he earned his first career playoff shutout, but what the stat sheet didn’t show was Vladař speaking up when Pittsburgh’s offense was heavily outshooting the Flyers.

A lot of goalies prefer to stay by their net to keep focused during the timeouts. Many goalies don’t even like to talk to teammates in the locker room on the days they start a game. But that’s not Vladař.

“I’ve never played with a goalie that’s been that vocal, both on the ice, off the ice,” said Owen Tippett.

— Isabella DiAmore, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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❓Can the Flyers complete a sweep of the Penguins? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

How does a team go from getting steamrolled to winning in convincing fashion? That’s what the Sixers did on Tuesday night at TD Garden in a 111-97 victory over the Celtics that evened the best-of-seven first round series at one game apiece.

The headliners were VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey as the rookie and the All-Star combined to score 59 points. Edgecombe became the youngest player to have 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game. It was a heck of a role reversal from Game 1, writes columnist David Murphy.

⚽ Learning: If you thought it was too late to get World Cup tickets at face value, FIFA is offering another chance.

🤔 Wondering: Why the Packer Avenue exit ramp on I-95 South will be closed into May — which will disrupt traffic to the sports complex.

⚾ Preparing: The MLB announced the full five-day schedule for All-Star week in Philadelphia beginning on July 10.

🎧 Listening: Jeff McLane and Devin Jackson size up what the Eagles might do in the NFL draft.

It’s Howie Roseman season. During the NFL draft, the general manager is notoriously known for having a lot of success. He frequently misses. Roseman has been in charge of all but one of the last 16 Eagles draft classes.

So with that in mind, we ranked the best and worst classes — including the 2015 draft that Chip Kelly had control of — and here’s what we found.

Zack Wheeler will return to the Phillies rotation on Saturday to start against the Braves. He is expected to pitch around six innings and/or 90 pitches. It will mark his first major league start since Aug. 15 following a blood clot that led to surgery. Wheeler’s return comes at a good time as the rotation has been scuffling.

The Phillies showed some life on offense but dropped their seventh consecutive game with a 7-4 loss to the Cubs. Jesús Luzardo and the Phillies’ bullpen combined for 10 walks.

Two games at PPG Paints Arena, two Flyers performances that were as solid and smart as could have been expected from a team so young and inexperienced.

There is no reason to think the Flyers will lose this series. It’s not merely that the Penguins will have to beat them four times in no more than five games to pull off a minor miracle and advance — and that three of those games will be in Philadelphia. It’s that the Flyers aren’t playing like the team they are on paper, writes columnist Mike Sielski.

Olivia Reiner and Jeff McLane will take a closer look at the NFL draft. They’ll walk through the biggest storylines, what the Eagles are really looking for, and the players to keep an eye on. Watch Gameday Central here on Thursday at 3 p.m.

Bobby Clarke won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s regular-season MVP three times. Who is the only other Flyer to win the award?

A) Eric Lindros — Joey M. was first with the correct answer.

We asked: Thumbs up or down on A.J. Brown’s impending trade and why? Among your responses:

Unless there’s some absolutely shocking information that comes out about AJ and Jalen’s relationship, trading the best receiver the Eagles have ever had at this point, is absolutely the most ridiculous thing Howie could do. When the team’s OC has changed every year, the QB coach has changed nearly as frequently, and the team has still managed to be as successful as they have, it means you figure out the personality issues, because they can CLEARLY be successful on the field. This isn’t a TO situation here, or the 2nd coming of Carson Wentz. Howie needs to find a different solution, because trading AJ, unless the Pats are sending Mike Vrabel, ain’t likely to be a successful endeavor. — William F.

Eagles make horrendous choice in hiring Patullo and AJ Brown pays the price! — George J.

Brown was once my favorite Eagle. Such a talented game changer. But the performative sideline reading and non-stop whining screamed anywhere but Philly. — Tom O.

Thumbs up on trading A.J. He quit on his team, and that’s unacceptable. — Tom G.

Sometimes you just have to say goodbye and good luck. A.J. is just way too disruptive. Sort of like T.O. 2.0 except it never affected T.O.’s play. That playoff game last season against the 49ers tells you everything you need to know. Good luck in New England! — Ronald R.

Guess I’m sick and tired of A.J. Brown. Reminds me so much of TO. Doesn’t want to be here, get him out of town. However there should be an investigation of tampering, since New England has . Too bad the Salary cap rules don’t allow the Eagles to dump him now. He can short arm catching passes for some other team. He does that to Vrabel, he will take him somewhere and break both arms. — Bill M.

Thumbs up for sure. Once a prima donna player such as AJ starts dividing a team and its coaches he has to go. The word team is really important and only really together teams win Super Bowls and World Series. I remember my grandmother saying “One rotten apples spoils the barrel.” — Everett S.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Gabriela Carroll, Jackie Spiegel, Jeff Neiburg, David Murphy, DeAntae Prince, Devin Jackson, Jeff McLane, Mike Sielski, Kerith Gabriel, Lochlahn March, Matt Breen, Matt Mullin, Henry Savage, Conor Smith, and Owen Hewitt.

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As always, thanks for reading. There’s a lot to talk about this week, but we’ve got you covered on everything playoffs, NFL draft, Penn Relays, and more. — Bella