PITTSBURGH – The situation was familiar to a lot of the players on a veteran Pittsburgh team but not so much with the Flyers.
That’s because about a dozen Philadelphia players were taking part in their first playoff series and didn’t have experience taking a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven before losing Game 4.
Prior to Monday night’s Game 5, Flyers defenseman Cam York said his team would have to learn on the fly.
“I think they’re an experienced group,” York said of the Penguins. “They’ve been in this situation before. We have to play our best game. They’re not going to go easy.”
York said his team is taking a lot of its confidence from goaltender Dan Vladar, who made it clear the Flyers are still in the driver’s seat in this series.
“We need him,” York said. “He’s got confidence and so do we.”
>Zegras leads the way
After four games, Trevor Zegras led the Flyers in scoring with a goal/four points and plus-1.
Coach Rick Tocchet realizes Zegras has to be at the centerpoint of all situations in order for his team to be successful.
“I think it’s been that way the whole year, the excitement of playing pressure games,” Tocchet said. “Being counted on. I think he’s really enjoyed the moment in these important games. It’s fun to watch him in those settings.”
>Coach’s message
What advice did Tocchet give his team prior to the game?
“Today’s game is not a system’s thing,” the coach said. “We all know what they’re going to do and they know what we’re going to do.
“To me, it’s the guy who’s next to you, who you’re battling. You beat him to the puck, a puck battle. Can you make that play? Can you block a shot? The little things, what they’re going to do, what we’re going to do.
“When you add all those things up, that’s what it comes down to.”
As he said on Sunday, Tocchet said the Flyers can’t dwell on past errors.
“Those things we recognize we have to be better at in order to be successful,” Tocchet said.
>Quicker starts
The Flyers got off to fast starts in the first three games. Game 4 not so much. Tocchet was hoping for a better beginning in Game 5.
“I think this year it’s been a mixed bag with starts,” he said. “We don’t want to stick our toe in the water to see what the water temperature is, we want to dive in. Last game we were kind of wait and see. Maybe that’s inexperience, maybe being young.
“I don’t care what they (the Penguins) do. I think that’s the approach we have to have right from the start.”
>Between the lines
Through four games, the Flyers had a total of 12 players with at least one goal. That leads the NHL. Anaheim was second with 11.
Denver Barkey (20) and Porter Martone (19) each had goals in the first four games. Only three other years in franchise history have featured multiple players 20 or under to achieve that feat.
The others:
>2012: Sean Couturier, 3; Brayden Schenn, 3.
>1985: Murray Craven, 4; Derrick Smith, 2; Peter Zezel, 1.
>1979: Ken Linseman, 2; Behn Wilson, 1.
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