Flyers Edge Penguins in Game 1

 

In the Battle of Pennsylvania at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday, the Penguins lost 3-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round. Evgeni Malkin ignited the building with a second-period equalizer, and Bryan Rust brought the Pens within one during a chaotic final minute. Still, a third-period strike from Travis Sanheim proved to be the difference. Jamie Drysdale and rookie Porter Martone also tallied for Philadelphia. The battle continues on Monday at the igloo for Game 2.

Philadelphia Flyers Lineup:

Foerster - Zegras - Tippett 

Konecny - Dvorak - Martone 

Barkey - Cates - Michkov 

Glendening - Couturier - Hathaway

Sanheim - Ristolainen 

York - Drysdale 

Seeler - Andrae

Vladar

Ersson

Pittsburgh Penguins Lineup:

Chinakhov - Crosby - Rust

Novak - Rakell - Malkin

Soderblom - Kindel - Mantha

Dewar - Lizotte - Acciari

Wotherspoon - Karlsson

Girard - Letang

Shea - Clifton

Skinner

Silovs

In the opening frame, it appeared Christian Dvorak put the Flyers ahead 1-0 at 11:41 when he crashed the net, sliding the puck under Stuart Skinner; however, the goal was immediately waved off when it was determined he interfered with the goaltender.

Jamie Drysdale got the Flyers on the board 1-0 with 10:41 to go in the second period after Owen Tippett's breakaway attempt off a stretch pass from Tyson Foerster was turned away by Skinner with a pad save at 11:40. Trevor Zegras got the puck from Denver Barkey before he found Drysdale, and fed him a pass from below the goal line to Drysdale in the right circle, who fired a wrister between Skinner's pads through traffic. Pittsburgh responded with 4:09 on the clock when Evgeni Malkin tied it 1-1 after Dan Vladar kicked a rebound into the right circle, where Tommy Novak hit back to Malkin for a wrist shot through the five-hole. This was Malkin's first playoff goal since May 13, 2022.

At 10:00 in the third frame, Travis Sanheim split Elmer Soderblom and Anthony Mantha after taking a pass from Rasmus Ristolainen, drifting to the slot for a wrist shot past a screen from Porter Martone for the go-ahead goal, 2-1. Christian Dvorak picked up the secondary assist. Martone took a pass from Sanheim, who was along the right boards, and Martone skated into Pittsburgh's end, circling back into the right face-off circle, and fired over Skinner's glove. With just a minute left, Bryan Rust cut the deficit to 3-2 off a pass from Malkin, putting a snap shot past Vladar from the slot.

Sidney Crosby on the difficulty of generating a consistent offense, the biggest things that need to be worked on heading into Game 2, and Stuart Skinner: "I think it was just tight. You know, it's playoff hockey. It's tight. We didn't do a good job of sustaining some zone time. They were getting out. We gotta find a way to generate a little bit more there. ...We just gotta be better in all areas, to be honest with you. I mean, execution, you know, just being a little bit more connected." - "Really well. We had a couple of breakdowns; they had some really good chances. He made some big saves."

Notes:

- Stuart Skinner made a total of 17 saves for Pittsburgh.

- Evgeni Malkin had a two-point night, recording both a goal and an assist.

- Both Porter Martone and Jamie Drysdale made their playoff debuts.

- Martone, a 19-year-old rookie and the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, scored his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal.

- Drysdale, who also scored in his playoff debut, is the fifth defenseman in Flyers history to score in his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut. The others: Philippe Myers (2020 SCQ-RR), Karl Dykhuis (Game 1 of 1995 CQF), Jim Mair (Game 2 of 1971 QF), and Dick Cherry (Game 1 of 1969 QF).

- Dan Vladar made 15 saves for Philadelphia.