PITTSBURGH – Maybe some predicted the Flyers could win a pair of games in Pittsburgh to start their playoff series, but how many forecasted the high-flying Penguins would be held to just a pair of goals over the two encounters?
Taking up where they left off on Saturday, the Flyers played staunch defense, kept the Sidney Crosby-Evgeni Malkin scoring machine off the board and came away with a 3-0 victory – the Flyers’ first shutout this season – on Monday night at PPG Paints Arena.
The win gives the Flyers a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which resumes at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday night.
After the Flyers’ 3-2 victory in Game 1, the general feeling was the Penguins would come out with fire in their eyes.
But the Flyers were equal to the challenge. And that started with some fine work by goaltender Dan Vladar, who helped turn aside all five Pittsburgh power plays with one sharp save after another. To top it off, the Flyers got a shorthanded goal from Garnet Hathaway.
At one point, four minutes into the second period, the Penguins had a grand total of just two shots on net. That’s virtually unheard of.
Coach Rick Tocchet confirmed the Flyers’ ability to stop Pittsburgh’s seventh-ranked power play was a key to this game.
“A few adjustments that we made, we were a little more aggressive,” Tocchet said. “Things like that have helped. Whether it’s a key block or a clear or a key ‘Vlady’ (Vladar) save. That’s what usually happens with a good PK.”
Christian Dvorak, who spends a lot of time on the penalty kill, said the success in this crucial area was apprarent on Monday night.
“The PK (seven-for-seven overall in the series) has been huge in this series so far,” Dvorak said. “Just trying to pressure them on entries, pressure them in the zone, don’t give them too much time and space. They have high-end skilled players. I think we’ve done a great job with that. That’s been our main key so far.”
Meanwhile, the Flyers got their offense in gear.
Rookie Porter Martone scored his second goal in as many games to break a scoreless tie at 13:39 of the second period. Martone started the play by keeping the puck in deep behind the Penguins’ net. Moments later, Travis Konecny found Martone open on the left side for a shot past goaltender Stuart Skinner.
By now, the surprise factor concerning Martone has worn off. The Flyers just sort of expect the 19-year-old to come up with something special every night.
Just before scoring the goal, he won some battles along the walls, taking a page right out of his playing days at Michigan State.
“That’s a big part of the game,” Martone said. “Winning the walls. I know it’s something I can get better at. But I wanted to make the jump, it’s something I’ve worked on this year. I think the key to keeping the puck out of your net is winning the walls.” “
Then the Flyers got a massive shorthanded goal. With time running out on a Flyer penalty, Owen Tippett took control along the boards. He dodged a check, then spotted Hathaway breaking toward the net. Tippett’s pass was an easy tap-in at 17:43.
Tippett indicated the penalty kill was at its best when the Penguins started to apply pressure.
“I think everyone is buying in,” he said. “I think you see everyone blocking shots, everyone thinking plays. I think ‘Seels’ (Nick Seeler) dove head-first into a puck there. I think it’s just everyone pulling on the same rope. And everyone’s kind of having doing it.”
How excited are the players going back to the friendly confines of XMA for Game 3?
“We’re staying even-keeled,” Tippett said. “Obviously we’re excited to get back home to our fans and back in our rink. But we can’t get too high, can’t get too low.”
The first period went scoreless, in part due to the Flyers’ strong penalty killing which kept Pittsburgh’s power play off the board for three attempts.
In addition, the Flyers held the Penguins to just three shots.
Luke Glendening completed the scoring with an empty-net goal with 2:05 left in the game.
>Not over yet
The Flyers know the Penguins are a dangerous team and expect a big effort from them for Game 3. Tocchet is aware there’s still a lot of fight left in that team.
“Coming in here is tough to do,” he said. “They’re not dead. So we have to act like they’re not. We’re not coming out of here on a high horse. We’re happy but we’re going to have to adjust a few things.”
>Short shots
Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae was scratched due to an upper-body injury (day-to-day) and replaced by Noah Juulsen. . .Martone’s goal in Game 1 of the series was the scored by the youngest ever Flyer in his postseason debut. Martone (19 years, 174 days) bested the previous mark held by Simon Gagne (20 years, 44 days) who scored in Game 1 of the 2000 conference quarterfinals. Only four teenaged players in the history of the NHL have scored the game-winning goal in their playoff debut.
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