The Philadelphia Flyers got the best of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1, but both teams understand that the Keystone State rivals are likely headed for a long series.
The Flyers aim to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Penguins when the teams match up Monday in Pittsburgh.
In Saturday’s series opener, Philadelphia posted a 3-2 victory behind third-period goals from Travis Sanheim and Porter Martone. Sanheim, one of the team’s veteran players, scored the go-ahead goal midway through the final session before Martone added an insurance tally with 2:37 remaining.
Martone’s goal proved to be critical as Bryan Rust scored with 1:01 to play. However, Philadelphia goaltender Dan Vladar stayed firm down the stretch as the Flyers held on.
“I think I understand the level that’s needed to play in the playoffs,” said Sanheim, who helped keep Sidney Crosby off the scoreboard. “I understand the challenge ahead and my job, playing against top guys.”
Crosby and Sanheim received penalties late in the third period – Crosby for slashing and Sanheim for cross-checking – that forced both key players off the ice for the final stretch.
“That’s going to be part of a series,” Crosby said. “I think we’ve got to stay out of it a little bit more and trust that when they do it and try to start it up, that they’re going to get penalized for it. But that’s more something I think they’re looking to do. We’ve got to stay out of it and trust they’ll be undisciplined.”
Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia, while Rasmus Ristolainen notched a pair of assists. The headline, though, was Martone with the game-winning goal in his postseason debut.
“Everyone’s been great,” said the 19-year-old Martone, the sixth pick in the 2025 draft. “I think we were all pretty excited going into this game, being able to play in the playoffs. For me, it’s my 10th NHL game. It’s pretty special, and it’s an opportunity you can’t pass up.”
Philadelphia is in the postseason for the first time since 2020, while Pittsburgh is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Penguins certainly don’t want to go down 2-0 in the series before heading across the state for Games 3 and 4.
“(The Flyers) make it hard,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse said. “I think that’s part of their game. They’ve been doing that for a while. … They can make it difficult. I think we got away from things that worked. Part of that is the intensity. Everything is ramped up here in the playoffs.”
Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin was a force in Game 1 with a goal and an assist. He has 68 goals and 114 assists in 178 career playoff games.
“We played good all year long,” Malkin said. “We know how we play and we just, like, maybe nervous too much or we want (it) too much. We just (weren’t) thinking a little bit, I think.”
The Flyers are expecting a crisper overall effort by the Penguins in Sunday’s affair.
“We did a good job, but we know they’re going to respond,” Philadelphia captain Sean Couturier said. “We know they’re going to come hard next game. We’ve got to keep respecting their skill and just be prepared.”
