PITTSBURGH -- The Philadelphia Flyers believe the pressure hasn't shifted onto them despite twice failing to close out the Pittsburgh Penguins in their first-round series.
After preventing a sweep with a Game 4 victory in Philadelphia, the Penguins won Game 5 at home 3-2 on Monday night to continue their rally in the Battle of Pennsylvania.
"No, we knew we weren't going to win every game. And we still have a 3-2 lead in the series," Flyers forward Owen Tippett said afterward.
Philadelphia defenseman Travis Sanheim said his team hasn't played with enough desperation since taking a 3-0 series lead.
"Not as much as them, obviously. So, we've got to regroup and find that desperation, because I think going home in our building, we're still in a good spot," Sanheim said. "They're pushing. They're fighting for their lives."
The Flyers are one of the youngest teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Many of their players hadn't previously appeared in the postseason, to say nothing of feeling the strain of closing out a team such as the Penguins.
"They found their game. We should be pushing back with forechecks, getting on people. A couple of guys look a little sluggish," Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. "It's all brand-new to them. So, I don't know. We'll talk to more tomorrow for the next lineup change."
Tocchet said he needs to see more "courage" from his players in Game 6 back in Philadelphia, especially on offense. After scoring 11 goals across their three wins to open the series, the Flyers have been limited to two goals in each of their past two losses.
"Each guy's got to come in with a mindset they can play their best game. That doesn't mean scoring goals or assist. What's your best game that's going to help the team?" said Tocchet, a former Flyers star in his first season as head coach. "If you have the puck and there's room to skate, have the courage to make a play. It's OK to make a play. We have it in us."
The Penguins took a 1-0 lead Monday on a nifty bit of forechecking by Anthony Mantha, who hit and stripped the puck away from Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Mantha attempted a pass to center Ben Kindel, who whiffed on it. But goalie Dan Vladar had to pay so much attention to Kindel that he wasn't set for the eventual shot from winger Elmer Soderblom, who scored his first of the playoffs at 2:45 of the first period.
The teams traded goals in the second period.
Pittsburgh's Connor Dewar blasted a shot past Vladar that went in and out of the net so quickly that the referee initially thought it hit the post. Just 12 second later, Flyers rookie Alex Bump scored to cut the lead to 2-1. Bump made his playoff debut in Game 5 as a replacement for Matvei Michkov, who was a healthy scratch, and was arguably Philadelphia's best forward.
The Penguins got a scare with about seven minutes remaining in the second period, as defenseman Ryan Shea's shot deflected off the left knee of Sidney Crosby, sending the Penguins captain to the ice. Crosby was assisted down the tunnel but returned to the bench a few minutes later to see Philadelphia tie the score.
"I feel good. That's stuff that happens. Sometimes, they hit you; sometimes, they go by you," Crosby said.
Sanheim's shot at 15:06 of the second deflected off the stick of defenseman Erik Karlsson behind goalie Arturs Silovs to make it 2-2. But the Penguins regained the lead just 2:06 later on an own goal by Vladar.
The Flyers goalie missed a Kris Letang shot with his glove. The puck flew off the end boards and bounced back between his legs, deflecting off the inside of his left leg. The puck slid over the goal line before Vladar knocked it all the way into the net with his right pad, giving Pittsburgh the lead again.
"It's an unfortunate bounce, to be honest with you. I mean, you can always do something better on every single goal, whether it's a bounce off the boards or a 2-on-0 breakaway. They got that bounce," Vladar said, "and they were the happiest today."
With the action shifting back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Wednesday night, it's hard not to think back to 2012, when the Flyers squandered a 3-0 series lead to the Penguins before closing out their rivals in the sixth meeting. The score of Game 5 in that series, played in Pittsburgh, was 3-2.
Crosby said the past isn't necessarily prologue and that every series is "new" for the players. And in this series, it's clear the Penguins have found their game.
"It's quite clear the situation for us is win or go home," Crosby said. "I think that urgency, that desperation, whatever you want to call it, I think has brought [out] some of our best hockey because of it. So, we just got to keep going here."
