The Philadelphia Flyers have gotten off to a flawless start in the 2026 NHL playoffs. In the first round, they are facing off against the Pittsburgh Penguins, probably their biggest rivals. This matchup is also known as the Battle of Pennsylvania, as the two cities are pretty close.
Despite being only 300 miles apart, fans in both cities are very different and genuinely dislike each other, and not just because of the game. The Flyers won the first game 3-2 of the first round against the Penguins. The team mainly controlled the third period, scoring two goals to finish the game with a one-point lead.
Game 2 between the Flyers and the Penguins is scheduled for Monday on the Penguins’ ice. The game is expected to begin at 7 p.m. ET, and this is where fans may watch it live:
In the USA:
- TV channels: ESPN
- Live streams: DIRECTV, fubo, ESPN app
In Canada:
- TV channel: SportsNet
- Live stream: SNP 360, fubo
This regular season, the Flyers and Penguins had nearly the same record. Both teams qualified for the postseason by finishing in the top three of the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh finished in second place with a record of 41-25-16 for 98 points. On the other side, Philadelphia finished third with a record of 43-27-1 and 98 points.
Interestingly, prior to this season, the two teams had squared off seven times in the playoffs, with the Penguins winning four series. They not only have an edge in the overall playoff record, but they also won the last meeting between the two which happened during the 2018 Stanley Cup first round.
Penguins Hoping to be a Little Smarter in Game 2 Against the Flyers
The Flyers gained an advantage over the Penguins in Game 1 thanks to their excellent defense. Philadelphia only allowed Pittsburgh to take 17 shots, and then goals by Travis Sanheim, Porter Martone, and Jamie Drysdale helped them get through.
Following the loss, the Penguins’ alternate captain, Evgeni Malkin, went on to discuss the game, noting that they need to play smarter from here on.
According to the NHL’s official website, Malkin said:
“It’s what we talked about, you know? We should play our game. We start fighting. This is what they want, you know? We know it’s a tight, physical game, but we need to play better. We know it’s Philly, we know it’s the playoffs, we know it’s coming. I like to play physically, and I like to play a hard game. But just after a whistle, we need to just, like, go away and play smart. … Everybody should be a little bit smarter. That’s it.”
Despite losing the first game, the Penguins remain confident about making a comeback. The team captain, Sidney Crosby, has extended that losing is a part of the game and they can still win the first round.
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