Venue: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT
TV/Streaming: ESPN, NBCSP, SN-PIT (national and local broadcasts)
Team Records
Philadelphia Flyers (regular season): 43-27-12 (98 points), finished 2nd/3rd in the Metropolitan Division (exact seeding placed them as the lower seed in this matchup). Road record: 23-14-4.
Pittsburgh Penguins (regular season): 41-25-16 (98 points), 2nd in the Metropolitan Division. Home record: 20-13-8.
Playoff records (current series): Flyers 1-0 | Penguins 0-1 (PHI leads 1-0 after a 3-2 Game 1 road win on April 18).
Both teams earned identical point totals in a tightly contested Metropolitan Division, but the Flyers enter as the hotter squad with superior defensive metrics and road success.
Recent Team Forms
Flyers: One of the NHL’s hottest teams down the stretch, posting an 18-7-1 record (37 points, 2nd-best in the league) since the 2026 Winter Olympics break. They closed the regular season strong and stole Game 1 on the road, limiting Pittsburgh to just 17 shots while generating odd-man rushes and capitalizing on defensive lapses. Philadelphia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games overall and an impressive 12-2 SU in its last 14 road contests.
Penguins: Solid regular-season form but struggled to sustain pressure in Game 1 despite home-ice advantage. Pittsburgh’s high-powered offense (3rd in NHL goals per game during the regular season) was held in check. The Penguins were 19-15 as favorites this season and have shown resilience at home, but they dropped Game 1 in a low-event, physical affair.
Game 1 recap: Flyers 3, Penguins 2. Goals from Jamie Drysdale, Travis Sanheim (game-tying/leading), and rookie Porter Martone (insurance). Penguins got goals from Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust (late). Dan Vladar was stellar for Philly; Stuart Skinner faced more rubber but allowed the late winner.
Injury Report
Philadelphia Flyers:
Nikita Grebenkin (RW) – OUT (upper body); not expected back until at least April 22–25.
Rodrigo Abols (C) – OUT (IR, fractured right ankle); out until at least May 2.
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Peyton Kettles (D) – OUT (long-term, est. return September 2026).
Additional notes: Filip Hallander (C) out (leg); Caleb Jones (D) out for season (shoulder).
Both teams are otherwise relatively healthy for Game 2, though the absences impact depth on the wings (Flyers) and blue line (Penguins).
Player Matchups to Watch
Goaltending Battle (Key to the Series):
Flyers: Dan Vladar (career-best 29-14-7, 2.42 GAA, .906 SV% in 52 games; .923 even-strength SV%). He was the Flyers’ MVP this season and earned his first career playoff win in Game 1 (14 saves). Expect him to start again—his composure under pressure has been elite.
Penguins: Stuart Skinner (12-9-5 with PIT, 2.99 GAA, .885 SV% post-trade). He has significant playoff experience (former Oilers starter) but was beaten on quality chances in Game 1. Skinner’s variability is a known factor; he can steal games or struggle with consistency.
Forward Lines & Key Skaters:
Flyers’ young core vs. Penguins’ veterans: Travis Konecny (team leader in points), Trevor Zegras (playmaking threat), Owen Tippett (speed/scoring), and rookie Porter Martone (already a Game 1 hero with the insurance goal). They thrive on counterattacks and odd-man rushes.
Penguins’ stars: Sidney Crosby (still elite at 38), Evgeni Malkin (Game 1 point producer), Bryan Rust (Flyer-killer historically; late goal in G1), and Anthony Mantha. Pittsburgh’s top-six depth is a strength, but they were outplayed 5-on-5 in Game 1.
Defensemen: Flyers’ Travis Sanheim (Game 1 go-ahead goal) and Jamie Drysdale provide mobility and offense from the back end. Penguins’ Erik Karlsson (offensive dynamo) must generate more without being exposed defensively.
Special Teams: Penguins hold a slight edge in regular-season PP/PK efficiency, but the Flyers’ 5-on-5 structure and penalty-kill aggression neutralized Pittsburgh in Game 1. Expect heavy physicality along the walls and battles in front of the nets.
Series History & Head-to-Head
This is the 8th playoff meeting between these longtime rivals (Battle of Pennsylvania). The Flyers hold a slight historical postseason edge (4-3 series wins), but the Penguins won the most recent series (2018 First Round, 4-2) and three of the last four playoff matchups overall. 2025-26 regular-season head-to-head: Penguins went 2-0-2 against the Flyers.
All-time regular season: Penguins dominate (155-120-44).
Playoff context: The 2018 series was the last time these teams met in the postseason; Pittsburgh has not won a playoff series since. Game 1 was a defensive, low-shot affair that favored Philadelphia’s structure.
Betting Trends
Flyers are 28-32 as underdogs this season but have covered well on the road and are red-hot (7-1 SU last 8).
Penguins are 19-15 as favorites but went 10-2 when favored by -152 or better—yet they were held to low shots in Game 1.
Road underdogs like the Flyers have performed well in low-scoring, physical playoff openers.
Historical: The total has gone OVER in 6 of Philadelphia’s last 7 road games vs. Pittsburgh.
Game Odds
Philadelphia Flyers 6.5
Pittsburgh Penguins – 155
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, April 19, 2026
