The Philadelphia Flyers traveled back to Pittsburgh Monday night for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Dan Vladar got the start in net. Emil Andrae and Alex Bump were inserted into the lineup with Matvei Michkov and Noah Juulsen becoming healthy scratches. The Penguins kept themselves alive and forced a Game 6 with a three-to-two victory. The Flyers would fall two-zero in the second, but resiliency kept them in it. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get a third goal to tie the game. The orange and black lead the series 3-2.
Elmer Soderblom gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead just 2:45 into the first period. Anthony Mantha’s pass from behind the net found Soderblom in the slot, and he put a wrist shot past the glove of Vladar. Mantha and Parker Wotherspoon tallied assists.
The Flyers got the game’s first power play at the 4:17 mark of the first as Samuel Girard was called for tripping. They had trouble setting up in the zone in the beginning, but once they did, they controlled and passed the puck around nicely. Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs only ended up making one save on Cam York, and the Flyers had a few shots blocked.
The Penguins got their first power play at the 14:27 mark of the first period as Garnet Hathaway got called for roughing and tripping, Travis Konecny for roughing, Evgeni Malkin for roughing, and Mantha for cross-checking. They looked very dangerous, and Vladar made a handful of saves. Christian Dvorak had a chance while shorthanded, but Silovs made the glove save.
Connor Dewar made the score 2-0 Penguins at the 3:17 mark of the second period. He took a nice pass from Sidney Crosby and put a snapshot over the blocker of Vladar. A failed clear by Owen Tippett allowed this to happen. Crosby and Blake Lizotte picked up assists.
12 seconds later, Alex Bump got the Flyers on the board. He took a pass from Rasmus Ristolainen, got around Wotherspoon, and put a wrist shot under the left arm of Silovs from the right circle. 2-1 Penguins. Ristolainen and Noah Cates were given assists.
The Flyers went on their second power play at the 9:23 mark of the second as Erik Karlsson was called for tripping. Tyson Foerster missed on a shot from in front just wide, and Ristolainen had a few shots blocked. The Penguins were able to clear the puck down the ice multiple times as well.
Travis Sanheim tied the game up at two for the Flyers at the 15:06 mark of the second period. His wrist shot from just inside the left circle went off the stick of Karlsson and past the blocker of Silovs. Assists went to Ristolainen and Konecny.
The Penguins took a 3-2 lead at the 17:12 mark of the second courtesy of Kris Letang. His wrist shot went off the boards, bounced off of Vladar’s pad, and into the net. Crosby and Ryan Shea tallied assists.
Andrae got called for tripping at the 1:37 mark of the third period, which gave the Penguins their second power play. Vladar only had to make one save on Rickard Rakell, and the Flyers were able to clear the puck down a few times.
Vladar was pulled with 1:58 left in the third in favor of the extra attacker with the Flyers down by one. However, they couldn’t get any more pucks past Silovs. The Penguins held on for the three-two win.
Flyers went zero for two on the power play and killed off both of the Penguins’ man advantages.
Vladar saved 18 of 21 shots, giving him a .857 save percentage.
Goal Summary
1st Period:
Soderblom (1) Assists: Mantha (1), Wotherspoon (1)
2nd Period:
Dewar (2) Assists: Crosby (3), Lizotte (2)
Bump (1) Assists: Ristolainen (3), Cates (2)
Sanheim (2) Assists: Ristolainen (4), Konecny (3)
Letang (2) Assists: Crosby (4), Shea (1)
3rd Period:
No goals
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