The Philadelphia Flyers took on the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game One of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dan Vladar got the start in net, and all the regulars returned to play. They’d take the first one by a score of three to two. There was plenty of physicality on both sides, but the offense scored just enough to seal the deal. Flyers lead the series 1-0.
The Penguins got the game’s first power play just 1:53 into the first period as Rasmus Ristolainen was called for roughing. The Flyers were able to clear the puck down multiple times, and Vladar came up with a huge save on Sidney Crosby. Egor Chinakov missed on a shot just wide as well.
The Flyers went on their first power play at the 6:37 mark of the first as Kris Letang got called for tripping. Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner made a huge save off a deflection by Christian Dvorak, and the Flyers had a goal waved off due to goaltender interference.
The game went to four-on-four at the 11:16 mark of the first period as Crosby was called for roughing and Jamie Drysdale for interference. Nothing much worth noting happened here. Both teams had their chances in their respective zones, but the goaltender had all the answers.
Drysdale gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at the 9:19 mark of the second period. Trevor Zegras, from below the goal line, found Drysdale at the right circle, and he put a wrist shot through the legs of Skinner. Zegras and Denver Barkey tallied assists.
Travis Sanheim got called for interference at the 10:38 mark of the second, which gave the Penguins their second power play. The Penguins couldn’t get set up until the very end and didn’t record any shots on net. The Flyers did their job of clearing the puck down when given the opportunity.
The Penguins tied the game up at one at the 15:51 mark of the second period courtesy of Evgeni Malkin. Vladar made the initial save on Thomas Novak but allowed a rebound. Malkin got to the rebound and put a wrist shot through the legs of Vladar from the right circle. Noah Cates screened Vladar in front. Novak and Rickard Rakell picked up assists.
Anthony Mantha was called for cross-checking at the 18:48 mark of the second. This gave the Flyers their second power play. Skinner made a few saves on Dvorak, and that’s it. The Penguins didn’t give the Flyers much to work with.
The Flyers received their third man advantage at the 3:48 mark of the third period as Mantha got called for high-sticking. They didn’t record any shots on net and had a few shots blocked. Dvorak missed a tip-in try just wide, however.
Sanheim gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead at the 10:00 mark of the third. He took a pass from Ristolainen, got around a few Penguins, and put a wrist shot past the glove of Skinner from the slot. Ristolainen and Dvorak were given assists.
The score became 3-1 Flyers at the 17:23 mark of the third period thanks to Porter Martone. He took a pass from Travis Konecny in the neutral zone and finished with a wrist shot over the glove of Skinner from the right circle. Assists went to Konecny and Ristolainen.
Skinner was pulled with 2:26 left in the third in favor of the extra attacker with the Penguins down by two. However, Sanheim was called for cross-checking and Crosby for slashing. This made the game go to five-on-four with Skinner pulled with 51 seconds left.
Bryan Rust scored on the five-on-four to get the Penguins within one at the 18:59 mark. Malkin’s shot went off Cam York in front and went straight to Rust. Rust then put a snapshot past the glove of Vladar. Malkin and Erik Karlsson tallied assists.
The Penguins couldn’t get any more pucks past Vladar. The Flyers held on for the three-two victory.
Flyers went zero for three on the power play and killed off both of the Penguins’ man advantages.
Vladar saved 15 of 17 shots, giving him a .882 save percentage.
Goal Summary
1st Period:
No goals
2nd Period:
Drysdale (1) Assists: Zegras (1), Barkey (1)
Malkin (1) Assists: Novak (1), Rakell (1)
3rd Period:
Sanheim (1) Assists: Ristolainen (1), Dvorak (1)
Martone (1) Assists: Konecny (1), Ristolainen (2)
Rust (1) Assists: Malkin (1), Karlsson (1)
Flyers Next Game
Flyers next game is Monday, Apr. 20, in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.
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