PHILADELPHIA — Game 4 bore little resemblance to the previous three games of the Metro Division Round One series. The Pittsburgh Penguins made good decisions with the puck, skated away from trouble after the whistles, and put the puck into the net.
The Penguins used their extra day off to cool their nerves, while the Philadelphia Flyers may have read a few of their press clippings. The Penguins never trailed after Sidney Crosby scored a first period power play goal and solidly claimed a 4-2 win over Philadelphia in Game 4 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“Yeah, it’s only one, but I think it gives us some life. I think that looked more like our game and it’s probably taken us three games to look like ourselves,” said Crosby. “So I think something that we can definitely build on. Obviously, going home, it doesn’t get any easier. And you know, with every game in the series, it’s more difficult, but we’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity to go back home.”
The Penguins avoided the sweep, and just in case there is no new contract waiting for him this summer, Evgeni Malkin will get at least one more home game.
The series is not yet disparate from its state Saturday evening when the Penguins faced elimination, but a lack of silliness after the whistles combined with the Penguins’ ability to get the puck into the offensive zone certainly made Game 4 a potential pivot.
Penguins coach Dan Muse made a goaltending change for Game 4, inserting Arturs Silovs after Stuart Skinner started the first three games. Silovs was very good, stopping 25 of 27 shots, and for better and worse, his best saves came when the Penguins were on the power play.
The Penguins’ man advantage both staked them an early 1-0 lead, but also nearly ended their season by feeding the Flyers momentum when the Penguins had opportunities to put the game away.
After Crosby ripped a one-timer past Flyers goalie Dan Vladar, the next couple of Penguins power plays were not only ineffective but dangerous, as the team gave up a couple of odd-man rushes and a breakaway. And toss on some a couple of good rips by Flyers penalty killers; the Penguins should consider themselves lucky a couple of the opportunities rested on the sticks of Garnett Hathaway and Luke Glendening and not more dangerous shooters.
After Crosby earned the first period power play goal, Rickard Rakell scored a goal by taking the puck away from Vladar, who stopped a dump in behind the net. Rakell dove to be the first to the loose puck that bounced in front of the net, and from his stomach, swatted it into the empty cage for a 2-0 lead.
“Yeah, it was a miscommunication. One of the defensemen yelled “up” and (Vladar) held onto it a little too long. It happens,” said Flyers coach Rick Tocchet.
The melees, brawls, and post-whistle nonsense were nearly nonexistent Saturday. Perhaps the Flyers gave up trying after several first period attempts? Early in the game, Owen Tippett confronted Ben Kindel in the Penguins’ zone with a cross-check across the chest. Kindel absorbed it and merely stood there stoically. He didn’t appear to say anything.
Kindel just … stood there. And mostly, the Penguins did the same, though refs busted Blake Lizotte for a minor penalty after cross-checking Hathaway following a whistle late in the first period. It was soft, but such calls also established stripes Furman South’s and Jean Herbert’s ability to make more of the calls.
“I thought we were a little bit more poised. I mean, that stuff’s going to happen, it’s the playoffs, but we have to be a little bit more smart about it. And I thought we did a better job of that,” said Crosby. “And ultimately, we’ve got to save our energy for in between the whistles. So, I think translated into the game and the way we played. We had a lot of guys contributing, generating really good chances and we looked more like ourselves.”
The Penguins looking more like themselves might be the understatement of the evening.
For the near entirety of the 60 minutes, the game was markedly different from the three previous contests, which were played on the Flyers’ terms, both physically and defensively. Saturday, the Penguins had puck possession, counterattacks, controlled zone entries, and … controlled emotions.
And that third period shutdown was as well as they’ve played defensively in some time, even after the Flyers closed to within 3-2 early in the third period.
“No one looked down. No one got pissy. We’ve faced that situation in the past and we learned how to play in that type of role,” said defenseman Ryan Shea.
Silovs was stellar, too. And all of those things are why the Penguins’ season will last at least another game, and why the usually rowdy Philadelphia crowd instead seemed like kids nervously waiting for a birthday present which never came.
Penguins Analysis
The Penguins didn’t have to play as ugly as expected. Whether it was a tactical adjustment on the breakouts that provided clean zone entries, or a Flyers breakdown, the Penguins had controlled zone entries.
The Penguins used the right wall to navigate forward from level to level, getting the puck ahead to a winger waiting at the blue line with a runner through the middle. From there, the Penguins played low in the zone by holding onto the puck.
It did not hurt the Penguins cause that both Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson had their best Saturday. Both had their legs moving and skates at full speed. On multiple occasions, Karlsson intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and sprang into the transition.
Malkin did same.
The combination of attacking star players and a Flyers team that played much softer than in previous games in the first two periods.
The Penguins even adopted their own 1-2-2 defensive structure in the third which squelched the Flyers’ attack. To the Penguins’ credit, the final minutes were not high drama.
“Yeah. I mean, sometimes you’ve got to play that way. We’ve got to make sure we have guys back when they’re going to go for it,” said Rakell. “They’ve been doing it for us for three games. So, yeah, we’ve got a play smart hockey, as well.”
In fact, the Penguins took advantage of the Flyers’ 1-1-3 defensive scheme by happily slow playing the puck in their own end. It wasn’t quite like sitting on the basketball eating an Edy’s Pie (which happened at the University of Kansas in 1920) or former Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger who stood still in the defensive zone with the puck just waiting for Tampa Bay to break formation and cross the red line in 2011.
No, the Penguins did not go to the extreme when dealing with the Flyers’ desire to wait in the neutral zone, but they made their point and the Flyers had to adjust–after all, they trailed.
Impressivley, with less than 12 minutes to go in the game and leading 3-2, the Penguins allowed just two shots on goal for 11:27 until after Connor Dewar scored the empty netter.
“Overall, I thought the guys were working to do the right things. Guys were getting back and getting into spots, looking to fill lanes, and still, when we had the puck, having that poise to be able to make the necessary plays,” Muse said of their shutdown defensive effort.
And another note of game analysis: the Penguins cleaned up on the walls. They were winning the battles they’d been losing and used the increased puck possession to attack spots in the offensive zone.
The fourth line with Blake Lizotte, Connor Dewar, and Noel Acciari was extraordinarily good.
Penguins Report Card
Team: A
There were times in the game when it felt like the Flyers were going to take over, but they never did. The Penguins did a masterful job of playing defense in the third period, but also of taking momentum in the first 40 minutes.
The controlled zone entries with space were perhaps the most surprising aspect. Simply, the Penguins not only did what they needed to do, they figured out ways to play they wanted to play. Game 5 is going to be a collision of the Flyers getting back to strangling the game, chipping at them, and the Penguins’ response.
Arturs Silovs: A
He made some big saves, especially when the Penguins had power plays–he denied the Flyers a shorthanded goal which very easily could have changed the game. The Penguins liked Silovs’ ability to play under pressure; he was quite good for Vancouver in 2024 when he necessity and coach Rick Tocchet thrust into action for 10 games and he nearly led them to an upset win over the Edmonton Oilers in Round Two. Last season, Silovs commanded the AHL playoffs en route to the Calder Cup and playoff MVP honors.
“(I like) just the atmosphere to play. It’s a meaningful hockey and everyone is doing their hardest,” Silovs said. “And yeah, you’re playing for something, and there’s an ultimate goal to do something. It’s fun to play, to be part of it.”
Bad Grades
Sam Girard-Kris Letang in the first period. They were swimming against the tide, not able to break the puck out of the zone efficiently (They will also appear in the good grades section).
Anthony Mantha: He had his best scoring chance of the playoffs in the first period, but otherwise, the Penguins’ 33-goal scorer has been AWOL. In 18 career playoff games, Mantha has not yet scored a goal.
Egor Chinakhov: It’s fair to wonder what’s happening with the Russian sharpshooter. Muse seemed to provide some cover for him Saturday morning regarding his learning to play playoff hockey.
“You just have to live through it,” said Muse of Chinakhov gaining experience.
But it sure would help the Penguins for Chinakhov to find some space in the slot and unleash a shot past Vladar. Or at least a couple that makes Vladar work. It would also help to have a center on the line playing with the puck more or winning more battles. Novak has set up little in the offensive zone throughout the series.
Good Grades
Ryan Shea: A+. He was excellent in Game 3 and was unbeatable in Game 4. He had numerous nullifications and quite a few cleanups, with a quick up pass immediately following.
Noel Acciari: “Cookie” was a monster getting after loose pucks, absorbing hits and being hard to play against for 200 feet.
Connor Dewar: Identical game to Acciari. Much needed.
Girard-Letang: After a dangerous first period, they settled in and played a solid game with breakouts, and they were very good defensively when challenged. Girard made a handful of plays in the defensive zone to take possession.
“I think we did a pretty good job coming out of our zone and maintaining possession in the offensive zone,” said Letang. “I think we can do a better job of putting more pucks at the net to create a second chance for our forwards.”
Ben Kindel: The “little rookie who could” is not necessarily playing his best hockey of the season, but he was clearly inserting himself in Game 4. He was physical and solid defensively. He is visibly gaining momentum and working toward his best game.
Categorized:Penguins Analysis
