Penguins Edge Flyers 3-2 To Force Nhl Playoffs Bracket Back Home

The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in Game 5 on Monday night, keeping their nhl playoffs bracket run alive and cutting the series deficit to 3-2. Pittsburgh had already avoided elimination on Saturday, and now the series returns to Philadelphia with the Penguins still standing.

Crosby And Letang Drive Pittsburgh

Sidney Crosby set up two goals, and Kris Letang scored the winner after his shot went off the glass behind the net, off Dan Vladar, and into the net. That finish came after a seesaw second period that left the game tied at 2-2 before Letang broke it open for good.

Connor Dewar scored early in the second period for Pittsburgh, and Alex Bump answered only 12 seconds later with his first playoff goal. Travis Sanheim later pulled Philadelphia even with less than five minutes left in the period, but the Penguins had the last clean strike.

Soderblom Opens The Night

The opening goal came fast. Elmer Soderblom scored his first-ever NHL postseason goal on Pittsburgh's first shot on goal, giving the game an immediate edge before the Penguins settled into the kind of back-and-forth night that decided the series.

Arturs Silovs made 18 saves in his second straight start, while Vladar also finished with 18 saves for Philadelphia. The Penguins held a 21-20 edge in shots, and both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play.

Flyers Head Home 3-2 Down

The result sends the Flyers back home for Game 6 on Wednesday night with their earlier 3-0 series lead already gone. Monday was a light night around the league, and the other result saw the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Utah Mammoth 5-4 in extra time in Game 4 after wasting a big lead.

Pittsburgh did not close the door, but it changed the shape of the series. The Penguins have a path again, and the next game now sits in Philadelphia with the Flyers trying to protect what is left of a lead that was once 3-0.