'We're Up To The Test': Late-Season Must-Win Games Prepared Flyers For Playoffs
When the Olympic break ended, the Philadelphia Flyers tightened their defense and played tight-checking, playoff-type hockey in the last six-plus weeks of the regular season.
They carried that successful style into Game 1 of the playoffs Saturday night in Pittsburgh, and it paved the way for their hard-fought 3-2 win over the favored Penguins.
Credit a defensive style that allowed just 17 shots and kept Flyers killer Sidney Crosby off the scoreboard.
Porter Martone Makes Flyers History In Game 1 Win vs. Penguins
Flyers forward Porter Martone made some Flyers history in their Game 1 win against the Penguins.
'Prepared Themselves For This Moment'
"Everyone was ready. Everyone prepared themselves for this moment," Couturier said.
The Flyers patiently waited for their scoring chances, and they had plenty of them.
Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner, who played well, had to make many more tough saves than Philadelphia's steady Dan Vladar.
"The style of play that we have bodes well for shutting down good offenses. We're all buying in," said center Trevor Zegras when asked about how the Flyers were able to contain the high-powered Penguins offense.
"I liked our play without the puck," coach Rick Tocchet said. "That's what we've been really good at in the last six weeks, (and) we tried to stay to our identity."
Travis Sanheim, who scored an artistic goal, and his partner, Rasmus Ristolainen, anchored the defense.
"We just stuck to our game plan. We've been doing it for the last couple months now – playing well defensively," Sanheim said. "We didn't want to change a lot. We know they have tons of skill on the other side, and we wanted to be careful with some of the high-risk plays."
Flyers-Penguins: Rick Tocchet Is Ready For The Hate To Begin
The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins rivalry is set to be reunited, and coach Rick Tocchet is ready to throw away past feelings and allow the hate to take over.
Tocchet praised the way the Flyers' playoff newcomers handled themselves, especially the young players.
"To play at this pace, the development is huge," he said. "For them to get in this temperature in the playoffs, it fast-tracks their development. It's pace out there, and those guys are getting it.
"And I liked their demeanor. They were even-keel."
Now comes the hard part. Keeping the Penguins in check in Game 2 Monday night in Pittsburgh.
The Pens will be in desperation mode, needing to avoid being down 2-0 when the series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.
"This is going to be a long series," Tocchet said. "When you play a team like that and the players they have, you have to be a physical team.
"They were physical, too. It's the teams that can continue to do it over and over again in the playoffs that are usually the successful ones."
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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 6:42 AM.