The Philadelphia Flyers took on the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday night at PPG Paints Arena. Dan Vladar got the start in net. Emil Andrae sustained an injury in game one, so Noah Juulsen was inserted into the lineup on defense. Vladar picked up a 27-save shutout to give the Flyers a two-zero lead in the series. The series remained physical, but the Flyers kept getting the best of the Penguins. The series is now 2-0 in favor of the orange and black.
The Penguins got the game’s first power play at the 8:24 mark of the first period as Tyson Foerster was called for high-sticking. It wouldn’t last long as Erik Karlsson would get called for tripping at the 9:01 mark. This made the game go to four-on-four, and then the Flyers would get an abbreviated power play.
Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner only had to make a save on Rasmus Ristolainen, and that’s it. Ristolainen was called for roughing at the 10:13 mark of the first. This would give the Penguins a four-on-three man advantage for a few seconds and make its way to a Penguins power play. Aside from Skinner making a save, the Flyers did a nice job of blocking shots and clearing the puck when given the opportunity.
Nick Seeler got called for roughing at the 13:18 mark of the first period, which gave the Penguins their third power play. Cam York blocked a few shots, and Vladar ended up making a save on Anthony Mantha. Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin missed on shots wide as well.
The Flyers got their first power play at the 5:34 mark of the second period as the Penguins got caught with too many men on the ice. Egor Chinakov served the penalty. Skinner only had to make a few saves on Porter Martone, and the Penguins did their job of clearing the puck down the ice to waste time.
Martone gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at the 13:39 mark of the second. Travis Konecny’s shot got blocked and went straight to Martone. Martone then put a backhander past the glove of Skinner. Konecny and Christian Dvorak tallied assists.
The Penguins went on their fourth power play at the 15:48 mark of the second period as Luke Glendening was called for cross-checking. Vladar ended up making one save on Letang, and Malkin missed on a shot wide. The Flyers did their job of clearing the puck down as well. However, Garnet Hathaway scored a shorthanded goal to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead. Owen Tippett made a pass to himself along the boards, got through two Penguins, and made a pass to Hathaway, who put a snapshot into a wide-open net. Tippett received the lone assist.
Malkin got called for high-sticking at the 19:45 mark of the second. This gave the Flyers their second power play. Skinner made a handful of saves on Martone, Dvorak, and Sean Couturier, and the Penguins were able to clear the puck down a few times.
The Penguins went on their fifth power play at the 6:31 mark of the third period as Konecny was called for interference. Vladar made two huge saves on Ben Kindel, and Glendening had a chance while shorthanded, but Skinner made the save. He had gone on a two-on-one with Couturier.
Tippett was awarded a penalty shot at the 9:45 mark of the third as Karlsson got called for hooking. No goal was scored, but he hit the outside of the post.
Skinner was pulled with 2:33 remaining in the third period in favor of the extra attacker with the Penguins down by two. It backfired, however, as Glendening scored an empty-netter at the 17:55 mark. He took a pass from Couturier in center ice and put a wrist shot into the empty net. Couturier and Hathaway picked up assists.
The Flyers received a four-minute power play at the 18:13 mark of the third as Letang was given a roughing and interference penalty alongside a game misconduct. Mantha and Seeler also received game misconducts. Skinner made a save on Dvorak, and then the Flyers held on to the puck until time ran out.
The physicality continued as Noel Acciari, Ristolainen, and Parker Wotherspoon all received game misconducts at the 19:41 mark. Wotherspoon was also called for cross-checking. The Flyers stayed on the power play.
Flyers went zero for four on the power play but killed off all five of the Penguins’ man advantages.
Vladar saved 27 of 27 shots, giving him a 1.000 save percentage.
Goal Summary
1st Period:
No goals
2nd Period:
Martone (2) Assists: Konecny (2), Dvorak (2)
Hathaway (1) (Shorthanded) Assists: Tippett (1)
3rd Period:
Glendening (1) (Empty Net) Assists: Couturier (1), Hathaway (1)
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