Penguins Going Back To Same Lineup From Game 4 Was The Right Call

When a team goes down 3-0 in a Stanley Cup Playoff series, there typically isn’t a whole lot going right. And it typically takes something close to divine intervention to come all the way back, as it’s only happened four times in the history of the NHL.

So, when that fourth game ends up in the “W” column, it makes sense not to change anything and roll with whatever was working game-by-game.

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And the Pittsburgh Penguins are doing exactly that.

After finding themselves in that 3-0 opening-round series hole against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Penguins managed to stave off elimination with a 4-2 win in Game 4 to force a fifth game on Monday in Pittsburgh. And, understandably, they’re going with the same exact lineup they went with on Saturday, which includes rookie Arturs Silovs getting the nod between the pipes for the second consecutive game.

3 Takeaways: Penguins Earn Desperation Win Against Flyers To Force Game 5 The Pittsburgh Penguins – led by goaltender Arturs Silovs and captain Sidney Crosby – played well enough to force a Game 5 against the Philadelphia Flyers in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

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“I think both [Silovs and Stuart Skinner] have done a really great job,” head coach Dan Muse said. “I think it’s good that both guys were always engaged, they’re always ready to go. There’s never that long lull with anybody not playing for a really long time, and so there’s a rhythm that guys were able to keep throughout the course of the year. And they were able to build off the rhythm with the games they were playing.”

And, while that tandem worked in the regular season, the Penguins simply have to ride whoever has the momentum from game to game in the playoffs. Silovs was brilliant Saturday, stopping 28 of 30 Flyers’ shots on goal and making some key saves on odd-man breaks that could have buried the Penguins, much like Skinner was doing in the first three games of the series.

But the Penguins won the hockey game with Silovs in net, and they won the hockey game with a slightly adjusted lineup, too. Elmer Soderblom was back in for Justin Brazeau, the top line of Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby, and Bryan Rust was reunited – as was the second line of Egor Chinakhov, Tommy Novak, and Evgeni Malkin – and Ilya Solovyov took the place of Connor Clifton on the third defensive pairing.

Philadelphia Flyers At Pittsburgh Penguins Game 5 Preview: Penguins Keep Same Lineup Ahead Of Another Elimination Game The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to extend their season again on Monday.

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Going back to what worked in Game 4 – even if there is still more to build on – was absolutely the right call, as the Penguins were finally able to get to the game that was working for them all season long and break through Philadelphia’s neutral zone trap.

Crosby’s line had a 100 percent chances for share – meaning they gave up no scoring chances against – and the second line had their fair share of looks as well. The power play is still something that the Penguins will need to work on, though, as is making sure they don’t give up too many high-danger looks.

“I still think that there’s another level that we can get to. I believe strongly in that,” Muse said. “I think it just [starts] with the play with the puck, the puck support, I thought that was better. When you have that, I think it leads you to be in better positions as you navigate through the neutral zone.

Flyers Stick with Vladar, Make Lineup Shift Ahead of Potential Closer Against Penguins The lineup decisions that define a playoff series are going to be scrutinized.

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“Overall, some of the decisions being made to try to set up the o-zone overall – it was better, but there’s still room for even more there. I think we have to continue to take steps, continue to tighten things up defensively. We gave up too many odd-man rushes. Some of the chances we gave up last game, I think we can definitely clean up as well. But, it was more in line with the way we want to play.”

If the Penguins are to keep their season alive, they absolutely need to improve upon those fundamentals from last game, and they are going to have to see yet another “W” in the result column. Going back to what worked in Game 4 – without a doubt – gives them the best chance to repeat victory and extend the series.

‘You Don’t Really Have Anything To Lose’: With 3-0 Odds Stacked Against Them, Penguins Still Believe Comeback Is Possible It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a precarious spot down 3-0 in their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers. But they’re not ready to give up or give in.

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