PITTSBURGH – So much for that road magic.
After winning the first two games of their best-of-seven series with the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena, the Flyers couldn’t make it three straight on Monday night.
They lost to the Penguins, 3-2, which means the Flyers’ edge in the series has been reduced to 3-2.
Game 6 will be played on Wednesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs, who replaced Stuart Skinner in a Game 4 victory, picked up his second straight win. Dan Vladar suffered his second straight loss.
Alex Bump returned to the lineup, scored a goal and skated with Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster. Matvei Michkov was scratched.
The deciding goal actually was scored late in the second period. Vladar had trouble securing a puck off the end boards, there was a scramble and Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang was the last one to make contact before it crossed the line.
Vladar shrugged when asked what happened on the play.
“You can always do something better on every single goal, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “If it’s a bounce off the boards or a two-on-one breakaway. We can always do something a little bit better. They got the bounce and they were the happier team today.”
Has the pressure switched over to the Flyers now that it seems Pittsburgh has the momentum?
“No,” said Owen Tippett. “Like I said, we knew we weren’t going to win every game. We still have a 3-2 lead in the series. Take it one game at a time and go from there.”
Rasmus Ristolainen said the confidence level is still high.
“I feel pretty good,” he said. “We’re very confident. Just one game at a time and next game at home so we’re pretty confident.”
Coach Rick Tocchet gave credit to Pittsburgh for playing a strong fundamental game. The Pens made few mistakes and took advantage of the chances offered.
“It was a tight game,” he said. “Got to give them credit. They defended really hard, blocked a lot of shots. I thought ‘Bumper’ (Bump) was great. But the younger guys have to step it up. Play with a little more pace, shorter shifts. They (the Penguins) were the better change team tonight.
“At 2-2, our game started to come. Then a flukey goal. But give them credit. They defended really hard and we have to come up with some stuff.”
Is there anything Tocchet can say to his team so it doesn’t feel like the series is getting away?
“Each guy has to come (to Game 6) with the mindset to play his best game,” Tocceht said. “That doesn’t mean scoring goals. It’s what is your best game to help the team? A good clear, a good change. If you have the puck, have the courage to skate and make a play.”
In a somewhat wild second period, the Flyers rallied from a 2-0 deficit to gain a tie but then gave away a goal as things were drawing to a close.
Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead at 3:17 of the middle session. Sidney Crosby set up Connor Dewar for a shot just above the left inner hash marks. The rising puck hit the inside of the top of the top and caromed out so quickly that officials didn’t blow a whistle. But the Penguins knew and so did their fans and the goal was eventually made official.
Just 12 seconds later, Bump rushed through the right circle, pivoted and sent a rising short-side shot past Silovs.
Then Travis Sanheim tied the score at 15:05 on a shot from the left circle’s outer hash marks.
That held up until Crosby took control below the goal line. He got the puck out in front and a scramble ensued. Kris Letang rushed in fron the point and got just enough of the puck to get it across the line at 17:12.
Some good forechecking by the Penguins produced the only goal of the first period.
Pittsburgh’s Anthony Mantha and Ristolainen raced for a puck behind the Philadelphia net. Mantha prevailed and found Elmer Soderblom open in front for a 15-foot shot past Vladar at 2:45.
Sanheim believes the Flyers can recapture some of their early series magic when they get back to home ice.
“We can play a bit harder but I believe in this group,” Sanheim said. “We’ll look for a response back home. They (the Penguins) are playing for their lives. In saying that, we’re still getting looks, still getting chances. And just need to tighten up a little defensively. Win some battles and the results will follow.”
>Short shots
According to NHL stats, teams down 1-3 in a best-of-seven playoff series have forced a Game 6 approximately just 10 to 12 percent of the time. In over 210-plus instances, only 25 have forced a Game 6.
In addition to Bump, defenseman Emil Andrae returned to the lineup and Noah Juulsen was a scratch. . .Vladar entered the game with a goals-against average of 1.76, fourth-best in the first round of the playoffs. . .Tocchet hinted there might be lineup changes for Game 6.
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