Trailing by three at the first intermission, the Flyers had the Penguins right where they wanted them. Or at least where they had the Penguins exactly six years ago to the day in Game 1 of the last playoff series played between the Keystone State rivals.
This time, there would be no comeback. This time, there would be no pushback, either.
Though it was a physical affair, to be sure, Wednesday night's game at PPG Paints Arena featured just eight penalties called and none of a particularly violent nature. That, of course, is a bit of departure from Philadelphia teams of old.
Some things, however, never change. Namely, porous goaltending from the Flyers.
No, Brian Elliott wasn't the only reason that the Flyers find themselves in a hole after Wednesday night's 7-0 debacle, but he was the biggest reason.
TAP ABOVE FOR BOXSCORE, VIDEOMaking just his third start since coming back from a core muscle injury that sidelined him nearly two months, the 32-year-old journeyman goalie allowed three goals on the first 10 shots he faced. He was pulled in the second period after giving up his fifth goal on Pittsburgh's 19th shot.
“It was one of the worst games I’ve been part of,” said Flyers captain Claude Giroux.
It was officially the worst loss in a Game 1 in Flyers history. But, surely, one of the other games Giroux was referencing was Game 4 of that 2012 series when the Penguins scored a 10-3 win. Of course, the Flyers went on to win that series six years ago.
But if they are to even give themselves a chance against the Penguins, they'll have to do a better job defensively. And that starts in goal. Whether Elliott, who posted a 23-11-7 record this season, is healthy enough to handle the job is the question.
Though he pitched a 17-save shutout against a glorified minor-league Rangers team in the season finale on Saturday, he's given up 10 goals in his other two starts, including Wednesday's in Pittsburgh.
Against the Penguins, he was guilty of giving up a big rebound that led to Bryan Rust's goal just 2:08 into the game and getting beaten by an Evgeni Malkin backhander from 21 feet. Afterward, Elliott said there was nothing he wasn't expecting from the two-time defending champions:
After Sidney Crosby gave the Penguins a 5-0 lead 9:01 of the second, Elliott was lifted in place of Petr Mrazek, who fared little better. Mrazek allowed two goals -- both Crosby's -- on 14 shots.
How bad was it? Ilya Bryzgalov, at age 37, was offering his services:
I’m ready whenever you are @NHLFlyers pic.twitter.com/YsMrslgB3T
— bryzgoalie30 (@bryzgoalie30) April 12, 2018
The Penguins have now scored 27 goals in five games against Philadelphia this season, including their four-game sweep of the season series. They also chased the Flyers starter in their meeting on March 25. That game, Mrazek replaced Alex Lyon, who has since been reassigned to Lehigh Valley.
Earlier Wednesday, the Flyers recalled Dustin Tokarski from their AHL affiliate. Tokarski, 28, has appeared in 34 career NHL games with the Lightning, Canadiens and Ducks.
After Wednesday's loss, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said that he was leaning toward Elliott getting the nod in Friday night's Game 2.
“Like everything else, we’re looking hard at it,” Hakstol said. “But right now my gut instinct is that he's our guy, and I don’t see a reason we would go away from him.”