Flyers shut out Penguins
- The Philadelphia Flyers blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 to take a 2–0 lead in their first‑round series. (nhl.com) - Goalie Dan Vladar stopped 27 shots in the shutout as the Flyers closed out Pittsburgh at home. (nhl.com) - The result gives Philadelphia early control of the rivalry series, forcing Pittsburgh to chase on the road. (nhl.com) (bleacherreport.com)
Philadelphia took a 2-0 series lead Monday by beating Pittsburgh 3-0 in Game 2 and stealing both opening games on the road. (nhl.com) Dan Vladar made 27 saves for the shutout, and Porter Martone scored for the second straight game in the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Travis Konecny added a short-handed empty-net goal, and Noah Cates also scored. (nhl.com) Philadelphia also won Game 1, 3-2, on Saturday, April 18, when Travis Sanheim scored the go-ahead goal in the third period. Martone and Jamie Drysdale scored in their playoff debuts in that opener, while Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh. (nhl.com) That puts the Flyers one win from a 3-0 edge in a best-of-seven series that now shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Wednesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Pittsburgh has to reverse the series on the road after dropping both games at home. (nhl.com) The shutout gave Philadelphia control of a matchup between two Metropolitan Division rivals that opened the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs in Pittsburgh. Bleacher Report’s updated bracket on April 21 listed the Flyers among the teams up 2-0 after the first two games. (nhl.com) (bleacherreport.com) Vladar faced most of his pressure after the opening period, stopping 25 shots over the final 40 minutes as Pittsburgh chased the game. NHL media notes said he became the second Flyers goalie to record a playoff shutout against the Penguins, after Martin Biron in 2009. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) The Flyers have gotten goals from veterans and newcomers through two games. Martone scored in both contests, and Drysdale and Sanheim each delivered key goals in Philadelphia’s first two playoff wins of the series. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) Game 3 gives Philadelphia its first home playoff game of the series with a chance to push Pittsburgh to the brink. The Penguins, down 2-0, need their first goal lead since Malkin scored early in Game 1. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2)
