Going Back To Pittsburgh: Flyers vs. Penguins Game 5 Preview
Apr 25, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (28) and Philadelphia Flyers right wing Owen Tippett (74) battle for position during the first period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
After not being able to complete the sweep against the Penguins on Saturday night, the Flyers will have the chance to punch their ticket into the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday night, on Pittsburgh’s home ice.
But still, being up 3-1 is a massive advantage in the playoffs. The Flyers have to contain the momentum the Penguins built on after their win and, hopefully, once again quiet the crowd at PPG Paints Arena. The Flyers will have to make some adjustments and see what comes after them as they try to clinch across the state.
Keep The Game at 5-on-5
The Flyers mightily struggled on the penalty kill Saturday night. It cost them a power-play goal from Sidney Crosby, which jump-started the Penguins to apply pressure all night en route to the victory. The Flyers control most of their chances when they are at full strength, but they can not do anything stupid that will get a player into the penalty box.
The Penguins ranked 7th in power play opportunities in the regular season, and they have already scored three goals on the man advantage. An unnecessary shove, high-stick, or grab of a player on the ice sends a Flyer to the box. That gets the crowd excited, and if the Penguins score on the power play, that changes the entire direction of the game.
READ MORE ON THE FLYERS’ SPECIAL TEAMS:
Start Fast and Apply Early Pressure
Starting fast for the Flyers may be the most important key for the Flyers in Game 5. The longer the Penguins become comfortable, the more dangerous the game and series become. The Penguins come home with belief, and that means the Flyers cannot afford a passive first period. They have to create chances; they have to be quick. Even if they don’t score, they’re still applying pressure, and it will soon lead to a goal. They can’t let the Penguins dictate the pace of the game right from the drop. That’ll lead to the Penguins seizing control, and before you know it, the Flyers will be losing.
In a closeout game, the first 10 minutes matter more than anything. If the Flyers match Pittsburgh’s urgency, they put themselves in a fantastic chance to silence the crowd early. They already did it in Game 2; they know they can do it in Game 5. Most of the players seem calm and believe they can wrap up the series on Monday.
Could We See A Different Lineup?
Coach Rick Tocchet hinted Saturday night that there could be changes to the lines and pairs heading into Monday. Late into the second period, he moved the struggling Tyson Foerster from the first line to the third line, with Denver Barkey taking his spot. That shift led to the Flyers’ first goal of the game from Barkey himself, but the third line has been struggling all postseason.
On Sunday, during practice, the Flyers made some line changes.
One thing to notice here is the disappearance of Matvei Michkov. He was with Garrett Wilson and Carl Grundstrom, and it looks like he’ll be a scratch Monday night, with Alex Bump replacing him on the third line. Forester was also dropped to the third line during practice, so that’s likely where he will be on Monday as well. Emil Andrae also returns to the lineup after missing Games 3 and 4 with an injury. Noah Juulsen goes back to the bench.
Michkov has been struggling in his playoff debut. He hasn’t been skating well and has looked very slow. He’s also been sent to the box for stupid reasons after getting into someone’s head too early or too long. The 21-year-old is learning what the playoffs are like, and he’ll definitely rebound. But for right now, he sits at the moment until the Flyers work out what will be best for them moving forward in the playoffs.
They also have to adjust to who will be starting in goal for Pittsburgh on Monday night. After Stuart Skinner started the first three games, Arturs Silovs got the start for Game 4 and saved 28/30 Flyers shots. The Flyers got to Skinner, and the Penguins knew they had to make a change, but the Flyers must be able to rebound by creating chances against Silovs if he starts again.
Game 5 is scheduled for a 7:00 PM puck drop Monday night, and can be viewed on ESPN and NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Andrew Glover
Andrew is in his first year covering sports for Philly Sports Reports. He is a podcaster and a digital content creator. Right now, he is in his second semester at Temple University pursuing a degree in Media Studies and Production. He has a certificate in Broadcast Journalism from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
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