Flyers Aim for Fourth Straight Win Against Penguins in Crucial Matchup

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — The Philadelphia Flyers are set to face the Pittsburgh Penguins Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. EST as they attempt to secure their fourth consecutive win. Streaming will be available on ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+, with radio coverage on 97.5 The Fanatic.

This matchup marks the seventh meeting of the season between the two Metropolitan Division rivals and the third game in February. The Flyers delivered a decisive 6-1 victory on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center, following a previous 3-2 win on February 8. The Penguins had bested the Flyers in their first encounter of the season, achieving a 7-3 win on December 23.

As the Flyers enter this crucial game, they sit five points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference playoff race with 59 points, and trail teams like the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators.

“We need to get on the scoreboard quickly against Pittsburgh,” said Flyers head coach John Tortorella. “They’ve been vulnerable, and we need to exploit that.”

The Penguins have struggled recently, having been outscored 19-7 since returning from the 4 Nations tournament break. Their poor performance included back-to-back home losses to the Washington Capitals and Rangers.

The Flyers took advantage of this vulnerability during Tuesday night’s encounter, taking a commanding lead early in the first period and limiting the Penguins to just 5 shots on goal in the opening frame. Rasmus Ristolainen scored within the first 4 minutes, followed by a second goal that gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead at the intermission.

What’s notable is the Flyers’ ability to generate offensive contributions from multiple lines. In Tuesday’s game, Noah Cates centered Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink to create a notable surge. Cates ended his point drought with two goals and an assist, while Brink set a career-high with four points.

“Every line needs to contribute, and we’ve seen that in our last few games,” Tortorella added. “It’ll be crucial for us in Pittsburgh.”

Philadelphia’s recent success coincides with strong performances from goaltender Samuel Ersson, who boasts an 11-4-1 record since Christmas, with a goals against average of 2.23 and a .919 save percentage. “I’ve been feeling great out there,” Ersson mentioned. “It’s all about keeping my focus.”

In contrast, Pittsburgh’s goaltending has faced turmoil, with Tristan Jarry recently cleared of waivers and both Alex Nedeljkovic and Joel Blomqvist struggling in their recent outings.

As the Flyers aim to improve their special teams, they’ve been unsuccessful on the power play in their previous three games against the Penguins. Overall, they rank 28th in the league with a power play percentage of 15.9.

Looking at rivalry dynamics, this game will see the Flyers targeting veteran defenseman Kris Letang and playmaker Evgeni Malkin, who have historically performed well against Philadelphia. Beside Letang, whose 53 points against the Flyers highlight his success, Malkin has tallied 91 points in 76 career games against the team.

When the puck drops at PPG Paints Arena, both teams will feel the pressure as they vie for points in the playoff race. A win for the Flyers would bolster their position significantly, while the Penguins search for a turnaround as the season enters its final stretch.