Follow along with the THN - Pittsburgh Penguins' LIVE game blog for Round 1, Game 2 against the Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins v. Philadelphia Flyers - Game 2 (PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.) | Monday, Apr. 20, 2026
Puck Drop: 7:10 p.m. ET
Penguins' projected lines and pairings:
Forwards
Egor Chinakhov - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Tommy Novak - Rickard Rakell - Evgeni Malkin
Elmer Soderblom - Ben Kindel - Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari
Defensemen
Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard - Kris Letang
Ryan Shea - Connor Clifton
Goaltenders
Stuart Skinner (starter)
Arturs Silovs (backup)
Flyers' projected lines and pairings:
Forwards
Travis Konecny - Christian Dvorak - Porter Martone
Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Denver Barkey
Tyson Foerster - Trevor Zegras - Owen Tippett
Luke Glendening - Sean Couturier - Garnet Hathaway
Defensemen
Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York - Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler - Emil Andrae
Goaltenders
Dan Vladar (starter)
Samuel Ersson (backup)
First period
- Gary Bettman held a press conference prior to the start of the game. Piece to come on that. But here is a bit of a highlight.
After a question from Taylor Haase of DK Pittsburgh Sports about the success rate of coach's challenges on goaltender interference being low this season, I asked Bettman - who said that he met with NHL GMs last summer regarding the interpretation of goaltender interference - if part of those discussions involved any shift or deviation in the interpretation of goaltender interference that might help explain the low success rate.
He said:
"No. I mean, I think... listen. When you have a rooting interest or you are, in the moment, very passionate or frustrated, you may challenge a call. But, in the final analysis, overwhelmingly, they get it right... and this final analysis, it's a judgment call. You know, offsides - other than when it comes to control of the puck - but offsides in terms of where the skate is is a whole lot easier to do because it's more black and white. It's a fine line. Goaltender interference is, again, a judgment call, which is why you go with the call on the ice unless it's conclusively wrong.
"You know, when it was first instituted, we had warned the coaches and managers that this isn't going to be crystal-clear in every situation. It will be, sort of, a judgment. Whatever your view of the process is, I guarantee you it's much better in terms of getting it right than if we didn't have video replay. There's no question. But the only difference (is) it was originally designed for the most simple case: Somebody skates by the goaltender and hits his glove, but the officials on the ice don't see it. That would be something that's clear-cut when you pick it up in video.
"I think Colin Campbell and his people have done a great job with more and more cameras in the net (behind) the crossbar and overhead. We're going to get it right overwhelmingly. And we'll get a few calls where people will debate them. Depending on your interest in the game, you may have a different view."
- Penguins have been playing a bit more in the Flyers' end during thie first period. Still only three shots on goal for each team - and their power play could not convert on three opportunities - but, overall, a much better start to this one than in Game 1.
- The fourth line of Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte, and Noel Acciari, in particular, have had a nice start to this game. The Flyers are still frustrating the Pens in the neutral zone, but this line has had the most success in terms of zone entries and simplification.
- END OF FIRST PERIOD -
Score: 0-0 | Shots on goal: Philadelphia 5, Pittsburgh 2
Second period
- The fourth line had another solid o-zone shift about two and a haldf minutes into the period. The Penguins seem to be making a better effort to get pucks to the net, but they still only have two shots on goal and none this period. Flyers are still clogging up all their lanes.
Still too much happening on the perimeter. The Penguins absolutely need this first goal here.
- Rust hits the post on a solid shift by the first line. Chinakhov also whiffed on a chance.
Attack looks a good bit better so far in this period.
- Pittsburgh penalty, too many men on the ice (5:33). Philadelphia to the power play. No score.
- Penguins' penalty kill makes quick work of the Flyers' power play. Again, night and day difference between this unit with and without Blake Lizotte. It also helped generate some momentum for the Penguins, who have tilted the ice a bit for the time being.
- Chinakhov just threw the body a bit on Trevor Zegras, much to the delight of the crowd. A "Zegras sucks" chant rang out afterward.
Pens have the momentum now.
- Ben Kindel and the third line get mixed up with some Flyers around goaltender Dan Vladar. Kindel has been in the thick of the physicality through these first two games - but, especially, in this one - and it's a great thing to see from the 19-year-old, whose birthday was Sunday.
There is a lot of energy in this building right now. Pens need to feed off it.
- GOAL (Philadelphia): Porter Martone (2), from Travis Konecny an Christian Dvorak (13:39). Philadelphia leads Pittsburgh, 1-0.
- It's really a shame. The Penguins had all the momentum prior to a TV timeout, which gave the Flyers a chance to reset and generate one of their only instances of sustained zone time in the second period. They were cycling , and Martone snuck in down the left side to finish a perfect seam pass by Konecny.
The Penguins need to respond quick and keep on the pressure so Philly can't stack the blue line and deploy an effective neutral zone trap - which was their kryptonite last game.
- MASSIVE power play for the Penguins coming up with 4:12 to go in the second. Glendening for cross-checking. Penguins trail, 1-0, and head to the man advantage.
- This power play is a disaster right now. It's absolutely burying the Penguins, and if they lose this series, they could point to this alone as a primary reason why. Passes aren't connecting. Too many long, cross-ice, low-percentage passes. And... a shorty.
Flyers generated more on that penalty kill than the Penguins did on their power play.
- GOAL (PHILADELPHIA): Garnet Hathaway (1) - SHG, from Owen Tippett (17:43). Philadelphia leads Pittsburgh, 2-0.
- Fans are booing the home team here at PPG. All the life has been sucked out of the building. The Flyers continue to frustrate the Penguins, and Rick Tocchet's fingerprints are all over it again.
- Malkin takes a high-sticking penalty that they reviewed and confirmed. Ristolainen's stick got up on Konecny, too, but it appeared that Malkin initiated the play that led to both sticks clashing with Konecny's face.
Or, at least, that seems to be what the ruling was.
- END OF SECOND PERIOD -
Score: 2-0 Philadelphia over Pittsburgh | Goals from Travis Konecny (PHI) and Garnet Hathaway (PHI) | Shots on goal: Philadelphia 17, Pittsburgh 14
Third period
- The Penguins needed that kill, and they got it. Crosby mentioned after last game that the Penguins wanted to make sure they were supporting their PK more and feeding off the momentum from that unit.
Girard was stopped on a point-blank chance from the shot shortly after.
- The top-six has been switched around.
Chinakhov is now with Malkin and Novak on the second line, and Rakell has bumped back up to the first line with Crosby and Rust.
It's way past time for this, but the Malkin line has generated a bit so far in the third.
- Chinakhov came in with speed and almost created a scoring chance for himself. Lost a handle on the puck as he broke away from Philly's defense.
- Crosby with a one-time blast. The Penguins' first line has come to life. They are playing with desperation and energy and need one soon here.
Much more smooth operation with this set of lines. They're finally not galaxy-braining it.
Also, Penguins now lead in shots, 20-18, with 14:21 to go.
- Rust misses a pretty wide-open chance on the backhand just after this off the faceoff.
- Crosby is "chatting" with Konecny and Sanheim at center ice. Stirring it up. Gets the crowd going. Penguins to the power play, as Konecny goes to the box (6:31). Penguins to the power play. They trail, 2-0.
- Stuart Skinner absolutely bails out Erik Karlsson on an errant neutral zone pass on the power play. Went post-to-post for a save on Glendening. Remember that save if the Penguins come back in this one.
- Owen Tippett penalty shot. Clearly the right call. He misses the net on it.
- The Penguins are frustrated. Dan Vladar is standing on his head. They can't solve him.
This is not looking good for the Penguins at all. They cannot break the Flyers or their goaltender, and they were the third-highest scoring team in the regular season. If they don't figure out something quick, this series could be over in four games.
- GOAL (PHILADELPHIA): Luke Glendening (1) - ENG, from Sean Couturier and Garnet Hathaway (17:55). Philadelphia leads Pittsburgh, 3-0.
- Yeah, that should about do it. This team needs to figure something out and flip a switch before heading to Philly for Game 3. That is not going to be an easy building to play in.
- Penguins getting involved in post-whistle stuff. Emotions are high, and they are having a hard time controlling them. With 1:47 left, the Penguins go to the penalty kill, Flyers to the power play.
- Lizotte, Wotherspoon lose it. Lizotte quite literally loses his helmet. Game over. Oh, boy.
- END OF GAME -
FINAL SCORE: Philadelphia 3, Pittsburgh 0 | Goals by Porter Martone, Garnet Hathaway (SHG), Luke Glendening | Shots on goal: Philadelphia 23, Pittsburgh 27
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