Pittsburgh Penguins Patric Hornqvist Will Miss Game 5

His game-winning goal and 6:51 worth of penalty killing time was both timely and inspirational.

In Game 4, Penguins defensemen were outstanding.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper doesn’t think Vasilevskiy played poorly in the final quarter of the regular season as much as his team’s defensive game sagged. They scored four goals on their first 10 shots of the first period, chasing Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk after just 12 minutes of action.

Giroux and the Flyers will be back home for Game 6 on Sunday afternoon. Not only his ability to step and step into a little bit different of a role and go out and executive that role with a lot of confidence and help our team that way. Meanwhile, Connor Hellebuyck continued to dominate since he was yanked in Game 3, making 30 saves to secure his second consecutive shutout and clinch Winnipeg’s first-ever series win. If none of the first-round series go seven games, the second round could start earlier. Neuvirth made a few nice – if risky – saves, but he couldn’t hold the lead after losing Rust behind the net.

The only thing Philadelphia has to build off of is that its only victory in the series came in Game 2 at PPG Paints Arena, proving the team can win on the road. Vasilevskiy earned it with a strong first half of the season, struggled late and is back in form with Atlantic Division-champion Tampa Bay able advance with a win Saturday (3 p.m. EDT, NBC/NBCSN).

Couturier believes the Flyers have maintained belief in themselves and it shows.

And the San Jose Sharks (-169), the only home team which is favored on Wednesday, are trying to complete a sweep against the Anaheim Ducks (+152).

Saskatoon’s Chandler Stephenson, who played throughout the Washington Capitals lineup during the regular season, was skating on the left side of the second forward unit during Thursday’s morning skate. This was the second straight phantom penalty called against the Flyers in the game and the Flyers players were starting to wonder how they only were given one power play back in the middle of the first period. Filppula was able to pick up the rebound and stuff the puck between Murray’s legs to tie the game at two each just before the end of the period.

Jonas Brodin and Matt Dumba – The Wild blueliners were both on the ice for three even-strength goals against in a 5-0 Game Five loss at Winnipeg. Avs coach Jared Bednar announced that Andrew Hammond will start Game 5 with Jonathan Bernier is out with a lower-body injury. They lost the game 4-2.

Philadelphia’s skaters have been whistled for penalties 3.5 times per game in total this season, and 4.6 per game over their last five road outings. For the Flyers to have any hope to extend the series they would need to come out with their best effort.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for that guy”, captain Claude Giroux said after the win cut the Penguins’ lead in the series to three games to two.

Filppula had two assists as well as the shorthanded goal for a three-point game. Neuvirth finished the game stopping 30 of 32 shots in his first full game since March 28th.

Valtteri Filppula’s short-handed goal tied it late in the second period shortly after the Penguins had taken the lead and Couturier’s second goal of the playoffs was a knuckler that deflected off Pittsburgh defenseman Brian Dumoulin and by a surprised Murray.

Can Flyers Pull Off Comeback to Win Series? Now Philadelphia has to do it again at home, a place where the Penguins outscored the Flyers 10-1 while rolling in Games 3 and 4. Instead, they regained momentum in a huge way. Bryan Rust beat Neuvirth with a wrap around 12 minutes into the second for his ninth career goal in a potential elimination game. They did just that with surprise goalie Michal Neuvirth in between the pipes to take the series back to the City of Brotherly Love on Sunday April 22, 2018 to face the Pittsburgh Penguins down 3-2.