Preview: Flyers will face the Penguins in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

It is official. The Philadelphia Flyers will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Penguins have home-ice advantage and the series begins Saturday. This is the eighth playoff series between these two franchises and the first since Pittsburgh eliminated Philadelphia in six games in 2018.

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The Flyers have not been in a position to play this series since 2020. The Penguins have not been in the playoffs since 2022. Both teams are back. The rivalry is back. Sidney Crosby is going to skate into Xfinity Mobile Arena for a playoff game and the building is going to be an absolute war zone.

Flyers vs Penguins Preview

Pittsburgh had the better regular season head-to-head, going 2-0-2 against Philadelphia and outscoring the Flyers 16-9 across four games. Crosby had five points including four goals in three games against the Flyers this season. Bryan Rust had six points in four games. The Penguins were the better team in the season series and they will have home ice in a best-of-seven.

The Flyers counter with Dan Vladar, who finished 29-14-7 with a 2.42 GAA and a .906 save percentage and has been the most valuable player on this roster all season. Travis Konecny led the team with 68 points. Trevor Zegras had 67.

Travis Sanheim was the defensive anchor. This is a young, hungry team that earned everything they got this season and they are not walking into Pittsburgh afraid of anyone.

The Penguins split their goaltending between Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner, acquired from Edmonton in December. Skinner helped the Oilers reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. He is a legitimate postseason goaltender and the Flyers will need to solve him in Pittsburgh.

Flyers vs Penguins History

The Flyers and Penguins have met in the playoffs seven times. Philadelphia won four of the first five series. Pittsburgh won the last two, in 2009 en route to a Stanley Cup championship and in 2018 in the first round.

Philadelphia wants that back and they’ve had six years to think about it.

Crosby in Philadelphia for a playoff series. The entire city gets to boo him for the first time since 2018. The O&B ended a five-year playoff drought to get here. There is no better first round matchup for a fanbase that has been waiting for this moment.

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