Flyers Finish Off Penguins With Thrilling Ot Win, Head To Second Round In Playoffs

Flyers finish off Penguins with thrilling OT win, head to second round in playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

There will be no Game 7.

The Flyers’ playoff run is headed to the second round.

Rick Tocchet’s club finished off the Penguins in six games with an eke-it-out, 1-0 overtime win Wednesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. In this best-of-seven first-round matchup, the Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 series lead and then fended off Pittsburgh after dropping Games 4 and 5.

Cam York scored the Game 6 winner. It came with 2:30 minutes left in overtime. The Flyers’ defenseman tossed his stick into the crowd before being mobbed by his teammates.

“I hope everyone’s OK in the stands, definitely don’t want a lawsuit,” York said with a laugh. “I honestly blacked out, I didn’t even know what to do, I was so excited. Just so happy for my teammates and obviously the fans.”

Tocchet said the Flyers would have to “stick a fork” in these experienced Penguins. They eventually did.

Dan Vladar played a significant role in that. He was magnificent in closing out Pittsburgh.

“Good things happen to good people and we are good people in here,” Vladar said. “We deserve this.”

The Flyers face the Hurricanes next. The last time the Flyers made the second round was 2020, their previous playoff berth. They lost to the Islanders in seven games.

• After the Game 4 loss, Vladar was adamant that the Flyers would be OK.

The 28-year-old backed up his words with 42 saves Wednesday night.

He turned away Anthony Mantha at the doorstep around the midway mark of overtime. He made a superb stop on Bryan Rust with under four minutes to go in regulation.

Vladar was excellent in the series, allowing just 10 goals and delivering two shutouts.

“He has been our backbone all year,” York said Monday. “When he’s that confident, that poised, it just bleeds through the room. He has been our MVP this year.”

Arturs Silovs, making his third straight start for the Penguins, stopped 31 shots.

The Flyers opened the third period with a power play after Travis Konecny drew a roughing penalty on Kris Letang at the end of the middle stanza. But the Flyers came up empty.

Their last-ranked power play went 2 for 17 in the series. It didn’t cost them.

Christian Dvorak and Travis Sanheim nearly connected for a shorthanded goal in the second period. Silovs, though, turned away Dvorak in close to keep the game scoreless.

Early during the third period, Dvorak made a clutch defensive play in the slot to help prevent a goal.

After being healthy scratched in Game 5, Matvei Michkov had a couple of good looks during the second period. In a span of 29 seconds, he was denied on a semi breakaway and then at the post when he tried to tuck one past Silovs.

Michkov and Noah Cates assisted York’s winner.

• Give the Flyers credit for tightening things up defensively and really grinding out a win.

Their stinginess is what pushed them into the playoffs.

They needed to get back to that and did. They found a way to close out Pittsburgh despite scoring just five goals over the final three games.

• Sean Couturier oozed with experience in Game 6. He played a true brand of playoff hockey.

The 33-year-old captain led by example all series.

• The Flyers now have a second-round date with the Eastern Conference’s top seed.

Carolina swept the Senators in the first round and finished the regular season with 113 points at 53-22-7.

Every matchup between the Flyers and Hurricanes in the regular season went past regulation. The Flyers lost three of the four games.

The schedule for the series has not yet been announced.