At one point, Sidney Crosby could have seen more of himself on an interstate billboard than on a playoff highlight reel for the Penguins.
Ask anyone who has followed his career, the two-time NHL MVP doesn’t stay down for long.
Crosby responded like a captain should with his Pittsburgh Penguins in a 0-3 series hole to the in-state rival Philadelphia Flyers, notching his first goal, an assist and a screen that set up longtime teammate Kris Letang’s crucial
goal in Saturday's 4-2 series-extending win.
“With every game of the series, it’s more difficult," Crosby said. "But we’ve got some life and we’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity of going back home now.”
The 38-year-old Crosby, now in his 21st NHL season, has long tormented the Flyers. He has more points against them than any other player has scored against Philadelphia, along with thrice raising the Stanley Cup since the Flyers won their two titles in 1974 and 1975.
He still has to absorb the boos and profane chants directed at him from the moment he hits the ice for warmups to his final shift. The sports travel group Phans of Philly even paid for a billboard of Crosby lying face down on the ice along with the definition of embellishment after he was penalized for it in Game 3. And he managed one assist through the first three games.
But he made a heads-up play Saturday when he kicked the puck to Letang and also set a savvy screen on defenseman Travis Sanheim, allowing Letang to have a clean look when beating Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar for a 3-1 third-period lead.
“It’s all those little details sometimes,” Letang said. “It’s not the crazy play or the passes. Finding a guy back post sometimes, it’s little details, like, picking the guy giving me a lot of time to pick my shot was an amazing play. So it just shows you how much IQ he has on the ice and, you know, what to do at every moment in every situation.”
When/Where to Watch: Game 5, Monday, 7 p.m. EDT (ESPN)
Series: Flyers lead 3-1
The Flyers missed their chance to advance to play the Carolina Hurricanes, who never trailed at any point in the series in their four-game sweep of Ottawa. The Hurricanes will take the breather — while the NHL will gladly take at least one extra game in the first round’s signature rivalry series.
The Flyers are still in control with a significant lead. Coach Rick Tocchet preached in the moments after Game 3 that clinchers are often the toughest to win. The Flyers proved their coach right once.
“I don’t know if it’s complacent, we didn’t do the little small things,” Tocchet said.
The Flyers overcame youth and inconsistencies to reach the playoffs courtesy of a 14-4-1 run, becoming the NHL’s first team to make it after being 10 points out of contention with 22 or fewer games remaining. Then they surprised the NHL — and probably themselves — by winning twice in Pittsburgh and then Game 3 at home in their first postseason appearance since 2020.
“If somebody told you before the series it was going to be 3-1 after four games, you guys wouldn’t believe us,” Vladar said. “So we are good. Nothing’s changing for us. Still being positive in here. They are a really good team. It’s not easy to win four in a row against a team like that.”
When/Where to Watch: Game 4, Monday, 9:30 pm EDT (ESPN)
Series: Mammoth lead 2-1
Utah won its first-ever home playoff game Friday by maximizing limited scoring chances.
Vegas allowed only 12 shots on goal, a franchise low for any playoff game. The Golden Knights even held the Mammoth to a single shot in the third period. It didn’t matter. Utah ripped off four unanswered goals over the first 30 minutes — converting half of their first eight shots on goal — while cruising to a 4-2 victory for the 2-1 lead in the first-round series. Lawson Crouse led the way, scoring twice over a six-minute span early in the second period.
“I think we stuck with it,” Utah forward Clayton Keller said. “They’re a great team, and they make you work for everything.”
Vegas allowed far fewer chances to score than it did during its Game 2 loss at home. The Golden Knights are feeling confident that’s a trend they can carry into Game 4 and perhaps steal a road win in Salt Lake City.
“We defend the proper way, then our offense will come, and I have full trust in the guys that way,” Vegas coach John Tortorella said.
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AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia and AP freelance writer John Coon in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
