Sidney Crosby calls for heightened urgency as Pittsburgh Penguins trail 0-2
Sidney Crosby says the Pittsburgh Penguins are facing a heightened level of urgency as they travel to the Philadelphia Flyers for Wednesday’s Game 3, trailing 2-0 in their first-round playoff series.
The veteran captain’s side lost the opening two encounters of the post-season matchup on home ice.
They must now find a way to halt the momentum of their cross-state rivals to keep their progression hopes alive.
It marks the sixth occasion in the three-time Stanley Cup champion’s illustrious career that his team has fallen into a 2-0 series deficit.
He has successfully rallied his squad to series victories twice before, overcoming both the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings during their triumphant 2009 campaign.
Power-play struggles hinder progress
The 36-year-old forward has been held without a point so far in his first post-season appearance since 2022.
His offensive drought is particularly notable given he recorded 23 of his 74 regular-season points with the man advantage.
A resolute Philadelphia defence has limited the visitors to just 15 shots from the inner slot across both fixtures.
Special teams have also proved decisive, with the hosts successfully killing all seven penalties they have faced.
“The power play is not always going to score, but you want to try to at least get momentum from it,” said Crosby.
“And we haven’t done a good enough job doing that.”
The former first-overall draft pick noted that he has experienced both sides of significant series leads and understands how quickly momentum can shift.
Flyers return to home playoff hockey
Wednesday’s clash marks exactly eight years since Philadelphia last hosted a post-season game.
Ironically, that 2016 encounter ended in elimination at the hands of their current opponents.
Head coach Rick Tocchet praised his squad’s aggressive approach and the stellar performances of goaltender Dan Vladar, who boasts a .956 save percentage.
“We’ve been a little more aggressive. I like our up-ice pressure,” Tocchet explained.
The Philadelphia boss also warned his players against becoming overwhelmed by the emotion of their returning home crowd.
“We’re excited to get playoff hockey back, but we’ve got to be careful that we’re not overexuberant,” he added.
Tactical shifts for Game 3
To spark a turnaround, Pittsburgh will hand a third consecutive start to goaltender Stuart Skinner.
Imposing forward Justin Brazeau is also expected to enter the lineup to bolster the offensive effort.
The 6ft 6in winger will skate alongside rookie centre Ben Kindel and the scoreless Egor Chinakhov as the visitors seek a vital breakthrough.
