RAV4 Things: Flyers vs. Penguins — Game 5
Rick Tocchet’s Philadelphia Flyers are again in western Pennsylvania on Monday to tackle Dan Muse’s Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal collection. The Flyers lead the best-of-seven collection, three video games to 1.
Game time is 7:00 pm EDT. The sport will probably be televised regionally on NBC Sports Philadelphia and nationally on ESPN.
On Saturday, the Flyers dropped a 4-2 residence determination in Game Four. Philly trailed by scores of 2-0 and 3-1. Tocchet’s group battled again to twice minimize the deficit to a single objective. They had been unable to search out an equalizer earlier than an empty internet objective sealed the result for Pittsburgh.
Denver Barkey (1st NHL playoff objective) and Travis Konency (1st) scored for the Flyers. Sidney Crosby (PPG, 1st) led the way in which offensively for the Penguins with a objective and an help. Rickard Rakell (1st), Kris Letang (4-on-4, 1st) and Connor Dewar (ENG, 1st) had the opposite tallies for the Penguins.
Dan Vladar made 17 saves on 20 photographs in a dropping trigger. Arturs Silovs turned apart 28 of 30 Philadelphia photographs.
The Flyers practiced on Sunday on the FTC in Voorhees earlier than departing for Pittsburgh. The session featured some potential lineup modifications for Philly.
In Game Four, the Penguins had three lineup modifications. Goaltender Arturs Silovs entered the collection, changing Games 1 to three starter Stuart Skinner. Elmer Soderblom returned after being scratched the earlier sport. Lastly, defenseman Ilya Solovyev made his playoff debut, paired with Ryan Shea.
Here are the RAV4 Things to look at in Game Five.
1. Lineup modifications for the Flyers
Over the course of Games 1 to 4, the Flyers featured the identical 12 forwards within the beginning lineup. Tocchet shortened the bench in third intervals, however the beginning lineup did not change. Within Game Four, there was juggling of two line combos.
At Sunday’s observe, there have been a number of potential modifications. Most notably, Noah Cates centered rookie Alex Bump and Tyson Foerster. If Bump performs, it is going to be his NHL playoff debut. Matvei Michkov skated with Carl Grundstrom and Garrett Wilson.
Porter Martone (two objectives, one help within the collection) was on Christian Dvorak’s line at observe. Barkey skated with Trevor Zegras, who arrange the rookie’s objective in Game Four, together with Owen Tippett. That trio performed collectively a number of weeks in the past and regarded efficient.
On the blueline, Emil Andrae was again within the prime six rotation at observe. Andrae was banged up in Game Two. Noah Juulsen (two assists) changed Andrae in Game Three and remained within the lineup in Saturday’s sport.
2. (*5*) sport
Even in Game Four, the Flyers had extra transition alternatives off the push than the Penguins together with a number of 2-on-1 scoring probabilities (a pair got here whereas shorthanded). Later, Tyson Foerster acquired behind the protection to go one-on-one with Silovs.
Odd-man rushes have closely favored Philly all through the collection so far. The subject has been an incapacity to complete these alternatives. That was masked in Games 1 to 4 by the Flyers’ discovering sufficient objectives by different means to win. In Game Four, nevertheless, it was a key consider why the Flyers trailed the remainder of the evening after Crosby’s objective.
3.Physical play
Earlier within the collection, the Flyers had been capable of set a really bodily type of play to their benefit. Game Four, not less than within the first half-hour, was performed extra to Pittsburgh’s liking. The Penguins had extra puck possession than Philly however their east-west play additionally saved the Flyers from moving into their hitting sport. Pittsburgh additionally managed the impartial zone for the primary time all collection.
The Flyers adjusted over the latter 25 to half-hour of Game Four. In Game Five, keep watch over which group, if both, is ready to pressure the opposite aspect out of its desired type of play on a sustained foundation.
4. Discipline and particular groups
This is an evergreen matter for each sport of postseason play. The Flyers have been a greater 5-on-5 group than the Penguins on this collection. Meanwhile, the Flyers broke even on particular groups in Game One and Game Three. They gained the particular groups battle, by advantage of Garnet Hathaway’s shorthanded objective, in Game Two.
However, in Game Four, the Penguins gained the particular groups battle for the primary time all collection due to Crosby’s energy play objective. Pittsburgh now has three energy play objectives scored within the final two video games. They additionally scored at 4-on-4 in Game Four; not formally a particular groups scenario however one in which there’s extra open room on the ice.
