Who: Philadelphia Flyers (3-2) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2-3) in Game 6 of the best of seven series
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports Philadelphia, nationally on TNT and truTV, streaming on HBO Max
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Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins need to win tonight in order to extend the series to a winner-takes-all Game 7, which would take place Saturday in Pittsburgh at a time to be determined.
Opponent Track: The Flyers are looking to snap their losing streak after dropping two straight. The home team is still one win away from earning the chance to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
Hidden Stat: Just 12 percent of NHL teams that have gone down 0-3 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series have gone on to force a Game 6.
Getting to know the Flyers
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone
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Denver Barkey – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Alex Bump – Noah Cates – Tyson Foerster
Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway
DEFENSEMEN
Travis Sanheim / Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York / Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler / Emil Andrae
Goalies: Dan Vladar and Samuel Ersson
Potential scratches: Matvei Michkov (?), Oliver Bonk (?), Helge Grans, David Jiricek, Garrett Wilson, Nikita Grebenkin, Oscar Eklind, Noah Juulsen, Hunter McDonald, Jacob Gaucher, Carl Grundstrom, Aleksei Kolosov, Carson Bjarnason
Injured Reserve: Rodrigo Abols (fractured ankle), Nikita Grebenkin (upper body)
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Defenseman Emil Andrae, who missed time after suffering an injury in Game 1, returned to the third pairing in Game 5 in place of Noah Juulsen.
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The Flyers scratched Matvei Michkov ahead of Game 5 in favor of Alex Bump, who celebrated his return to the lineup by scoring one of Philadelphia’s two goals.
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If Michkov draws back into the lineup tonight, it sounds like it won’t be in place of Tyson Foerster, who has been held without a point this series. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said Tuesday the Flyers would “try to stick with” Foerster.
“It’s just not him; we’ve got some other guys there that we need a little bit more from,” Tocchet said Tuesday. “But it is tough, hitting the wall, to be able to play at that pace and all that sort of stuff, maybe he has hit the wall a little bit. But 24 hours or 36 hours off, reset your brain, all that stuff can do wonders for the guy.”
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There could still be some changes coming to the lineup. Tocchet said the Flyers have been discussing potentially slotting 21-year-old Oliver Bonk, who has one game of regular-season experience at the NHL level, in for Game 6.
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When asked if Pens’ ability to adjust to the Flyers’ defense in Games 4 and 5 had impacted his game plan going forward, Tocchet said his emphasis ahead of Game 6 would be not on changing his team’s structure but on encouraging players’ “determination” to get the puck.
“They’ve adjusted. I’ve got to give their staff and their players credit. But there’s some stuff there that we’re not doing, that we can expose them,” Tocchet said Tuesday about the Pens. “And I’m not going to get into that part, but there’s a lot of skating and wanting the puck. There’s got to be a little bit more want and determination, and you’ll get pucks.
“I don’t think, me personally, it’s X and O’s. I think it’s determination, on some of these players, to wanting that puck.”
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
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Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Ilya Solovyov
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner
Potential Scratches: Connor Clifton, Justin Brazeau, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany, Sergei Murashov
IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)
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The Penguins canceled practice Tuesday, so the first look at any changes to the lineup will come before tonight’s game.
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Elmer Soderblom’s goal on Monday seems like a good indication he’ll be back in the lineup for Game 6, which could mean Justin Brazeau will remain out.
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Another positive in Game 5 was the Penguins’ fourth line. Goalscorer Connor Dewar, when asked Monday whether he felt the momentum in the series had shifted, answered: “We’re just fighting to stay together. Every win is a few more days together, so that’s the way I’m thinking about it.”
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From Pens PR: Arturs Silovs is the first Penguins goaltender since Frank Pietrangelo in 1991 to win his first two playoff starts while facing elimination both times.
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Kris Letang also joined Silovs in history as the first defenseman since 1971 to score back-to-back Stanley Cup playoff game winners when his team was facing elimination, per Pens PR.
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