Pittsburgh Penguins beat Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 to force playoff Game 6
The Pittsburgh Penguins avoided NHL playoff elimination for the second time in 48 hours by securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 5 on Monday night.
Goals from Connor Dewar, Kris Letang and Elmer Soderblom ensured the hosts cut their first-round series deficit to 3-2.
Sidney Crosby provided two crucial assists as his team continued their dramatic resurgence to force a vital Game 6 in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.
Finding an attacking stride
The five-time Stanley Cup champions endured a dismal start to the post-season, being heavily outscored 11-4 across three opening defeats.
However, head coach Dan Muse has overseen a rapid turnaround, with his squad adopting a much more aggressive approach to outscore their state rivals 7-4 over the last two fixtures.
That renewed attacking intent was evident immediately on Monday, as Anthony Mantha set up Soderblom behind the net to fire past goaltender Dan Vladar inside three minutes.
“It was great for us to get that start, especially here at home,” Soderblom said after netting his first career playoff goal.
Capitalising on fortunate bounces
After a fluky equaliser from the visitors temporarily silenced the passionate home crowd, Pittsburgh quickly regained their advantage in the second period.
Veteran defenceman Letang restored the lead through a bizarre ricochet that somehow slipped past Vladar following intense offensive zone pressure.
“Obviously it made a crazy bounce, but sometimes you create your own luck,” Letang observed.
Muse echoed his player’s sentiments, suggesting that a relentless work rate ultimately dictates which side receives the benefit of the doubt.
“I think you earn your bounces, and if you’re working to do the right things, that’s usually when they go your way,” the Penguins head coach added.
Momentum shifts ahead of Game 6
Having managed a paltry 18 shots during their opening loss of the series, the resurgent hosts are now dictating the tempo and sustaining puck possession.
Crosby, who briefly left the ice after taking a shot to his left knee, believes the momentum has firmly shifted back into his dressing room.
“The last couple games we’ve found our stride a bit, so we feel good about that,” the 36-year-old captain stated.
The pressure now shifts entirely to Philadelphia, who must extinguish this dramatic comeback on home ice on Wednesday to avoid a nerve-wracking Game 7 decider.
