| Scoring | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIT | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| PHI | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Flyers, First Round Game 3, beat Penguins 5–2 at Wells Fargo Center on April 22, 2026.
The Philadelphia Flyers faced off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a crucial Game 3 of their First Round playoff series. With the urgency of an elimination game, the Flyers seized the opportunity to sweep the series, improving their record to 3-0 after a decisive 5-2 victory. The Penguins find themselves on the brink, needing to regroup and win four consecutive games to avoid being eliminated.
The Flyers now lead the series 3-0, putting immense pressure on the Penguins, who must find a way to win out to keep their postseason hopes alive. This game marked a turning point, as the Flyers continued to build on their momentum after winning the first two games.
The momentum shifted early in the second period when Trevor Zegras netted a goal at 5:18, tying the game after the Penguins had struck first with a goal from Evgeni Malkin in the first period. The Flyers didn't let up from there. Rasmus Ristolainen and Nick Seeler quickly followed up with goals at 9:06 and 11:18, respectively, giving the Flyers a 3-1 lead and effectively setting the tone for the rest of the game.
Although the Penguins tried to rally with a goal from Erik Karlsson in the third period at 9:39, the Flyers responded with two more goals, sealing their victory and asserting their dominance in the series.
Porter Martone continued to shine for the Flyers, contributing an assist and maintaining his strong offensive presence alongside Zegras. Noah Cates also played a key role, scoring a goal and assisting on another. The Flyers' overall teamwork and pressure were evident, as they outshot the Penguins 29-30 while also delivering a physical game with a staggering 45 hits.
Despite the loss, the Penguins saw moments of brilliance from their star players, with Malkin and Karlsson both finding the net. However, their overall struggle to maintain offensive pressure was evident, as they were unable to convert on their power play opportunities effectively.
With the Flyers looking to close the door on the Penguins in Game 4, all eyes will be on Pittsburgh to see how they respond to this daunting challenge. A win is crucial for the Penguins to avoid elimination and keep their playoff aspirations alive. For the Flyers, the possibility of a series sweep is tantalizingly close, and they will look to continue their strong performance in hopes of advancing to the next round.
Flyers won 5–2.
The final score was Penguins 2, Flyers 5.
Erik Karlsson, Evgeni Malkin.
Nick Seeler, Noah Cates, Owen Tippett, Rasmus Ristolainen, Trevor Zegras.
Stuart Skinner made 24 saves on 28 shots (.857 save percentage).
Dan Vladar made 27 saves on 29 shots (.931 save percentage).
At Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, the Flyers home rink.
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