Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin being back in the NHL playoffs after a three-year absence is considered a boost for television ratings.
But unless the Pittsburgh Penguins can turn things around on Saturday, April 25, their time in the 2026 postseason will be a short one.
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The Philadelphia Flyers are on the verge of sweeping the cross-state rival Penguins after a 5-2 victory on Wednesday, April 22.
The Flyers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. They won both games in Pittsburgh before winning at home on Wednesday for a 3-0 series lead. Only four NHL teams have overcome that big a deficit to win a series.
Here’s why the Flyers have a big lead in their first round series:
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals’ Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens’ Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals’ Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens’ Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Feb. 28: The Ottawa Senators’ Brady Tkachuk (7) battles along the boards with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Brandon Carlo in the second period at Scotiabank Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Feb. 28: The Nashville Predators’ Filip Forsberg hits the boards alongside the Dallas Stars’ Nils Lundkvist during the third period at the American Airlines Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Feb. 5: The Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk (left) and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Victor Hedman fight during the second period at Benchmark International Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Feb. 4: The St. Louis Blues’ Brayden Schenn fights with the Dallas Stars’ Justin Hryckowian during the second period at the American Airlines Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Feb. 1: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman fight during the second period of the 2026 Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Jan. 29: St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (left) fights Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer during the second period at Enterprise Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Jan. 27: Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) fights with San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren during the second period at Rogers Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Jan. 19: San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic (left) fights Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Jan. 15: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy (5) fights with Calgary Flames left wing Joel Farabee (86) during the second period at United Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Jan. 15: Boston Bruins center Alex Steeves (21) and Seattle Kraken center Ryan Winterton (26) fight during the third period at TD Garden.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Jan 10: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) checks Seattle Kraken right wing Kaapo Kakko (84) during the first period at Lenovo Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Dec. 30: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) fights with New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) during the third period at Scotiabank Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Dec. 20: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Nicolas Deslauriers (44) and New York Rangers left wing Brennan Othmann (78) are separated by officials and teammates after a fight during the second period at Madison Square Garden.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Dec 8: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua (81) and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier (24) fight during the third period at Scotiabank Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Dec. 4: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Bokondji Imama (14) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Curtis Douglas (42) fight in the first period at Benchmark International Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Dec. 1: New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (71) and Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) fight during the second period at Prudential Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 28: New Jersey Devils right wing Stefan Noesen (11) and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 28: Philadelphia Flyers right wing Garnet Hathaway (19) checks New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) during the second period at UBS Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 28: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (19) checks Carolina Hurricanes center Justin Robidas (46) during the first period at Lenovo Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov 24: Members of the New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings fight at the end of the third period at Prudential Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 22: Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) and Edmonton Oilers center Trent Frederic (10) fight during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Utah Mammoth center Jack McBain (22) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) fight during the third period at Delta Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 16: The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings engage in a major scrum after their game at Madison Square Garden.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 6: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) fights Minnesota Wild center Tyler Pitlick (19) after his hit injured Carolina’s Jalen Chatfield.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 6: Los Angeles Kings right wing Corey Perry (10) and Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) fight during the third period at Crypto.com Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 6: Buffalo Sabres center Josh Dunne (44) and St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov 4: New York Islanders and Boston Bruins players get in a scrum after Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) was roughed by Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov (91) during the second period.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 1: Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Mathieu Olivier (24) fights St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) in the first period at Nationwide Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov 1: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov (9) hits St. Louis Blues right wing Jordan Kyrou (25) along the boards in the third period at Nationwide Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Nov. 1: Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) and Buffalo Sabres left wing Jordan Greenway (12) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 24: Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley (64) fight in the first period at Canada Life Centre.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 23: Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) fights with Anaheim Ducks left wing Ross Johnston (44) during the second period at TD Garden.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 21: Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) and Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby (83) fight during the third period at Bridgestone Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 18: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) is held back by a linesman after scuffling with Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Marchand is holding Dahlin’s helmet and later pulled off the straps in the penalty box.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 18: Tampa Bay Lightning center Curtis Douglas (42) and Columbus Blue Jackets center Mathieu Olivier (24) fight during the first period at Nationwide Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 16: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) checks Boston Bruins center Michael Eyssimont (81) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct 14: Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) checks Minnesota Wild center Yakov Trenin (13) during the first period at the American Airlines Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 11: Calgary Flames left wing Ryan Lomberg (70) and St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) fight during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 11: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) checks New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 11: Los Angeles Kings left wing Jeff Malott (39) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Luke Schenn (5) fight during the first period at Canada Life Centre.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 9: Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) checks San Jose Sharks center Philipp Kurashev (96) at center ice during the third period at SAP Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 9: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) and Ottawa Senators left wing Kurtis MacDermid (23) fight during the first period at Benchmark International Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 9: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) checks New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) during the third period at Lenovo Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 9: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) checks New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) as he goes after a loose puck during the second period at KeyBank Center.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct 7: Los Angeles Kings left wing Jeff Malott (39) points to Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) after he finished fighting Josh Manson during the first period at Crypto.com Arena.
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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Oct. 7: Chicago’s Nick Foligno fights with Florida’s A.J. Greer during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena.
Flyers entered the series with momentum
Philadelphia was nine points out of a playoff spot on March 10 but went 12-4 down the stretch to finish third in the Metropolitan Division. They have carried that momentum into this series.
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Sidney Crosby is being limited
The Flyers have been using defenseman Travis Sanheim against Crosby, his Canadian Olympic teammate. Sanheim and company have been playing a physical game against the Penguins captain. He cross-checked Crosby several times late in Game 2, drawing a retaliatory slash. Crosby picked up his first point on Wednesday. He also picked up his third penalty of the series, an embellishment call after he was high-sticked by Garnet Hathaway.
Flyers getting scoring through the lineup
Porter Martone got the attention as the first NHL teenager to score game-winning goals in his first two playoff games. But the Flyers’ fourth line has been dangerous, too. Luke Glendening and Hathaway scored in Game 2. The line also scored twice in Game 3, with captain Sean Couturier picking up two assists. Flyers defensemen have four goals.
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The Penguins moved Rickard Rakell back to the Crosby line and reinserted Justin Brazeau in the lineup for Game 3, but it wasn’t enough. Only six Pittsburgh players have a point in the series, compared with the Flyers’ 15.
Dan Vladar has been strong in net
Vladar, who shined this season after being signed as a free agent, has continued that in the playoffs. He has a 1.33 goals-against average and .947 save percentage, stopping 71 of 75 shots and getting a Game 2 shutout. He even made a save in Game 3 after a shot knocked off his skate blade.
Flyers have edge in special teams battle
The Penguins were held without a power-play goal on seven attempts in the first two games, managing only three shots, and the Flyers scored a short-handed goal in Game 2. Pittsburgh finally connected in Game 3 − twice − but the Flyers responded with their first two power-play goals of the series. The Penguins had the seventh-best power play in the regular season while the Flyers were last. So the slight edge is a good sign for Philadelphia.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Philadelphia Flyers are on verge of sweeping Pittsburgh Penguins
