Through the first four games of the Penguins' first-round series against the Flyers, all the Penguins got out of their third line was a few penalties.
For Monday's 3-2 win over the Flyers in Game 5, the third line scored a huge goal that helped set the tone for the win.
The Flyers had the far better start, recording the first three shots on goal and first eight shot attempts through only 2:20. That was until Anthony Mantha went behind the Flyers' net and used his size to win a battle for a puck, finding Elmer Soderblom in the slot, who buried it for his first career playoff goal:
"A good forecheck there," Soderblom said. "Mo found me in the middle there, I was ready. Just shot the puck and it went in. It was great for us to get that start, especially here at home. It was great to get going there."
That line stayed strong, playing its best game of the series. When they were together at five-on-five, they controlled 88.5% of the expected goals, far and above the best line for the Penguins in that regard, a stat fueled by them limiting high-danger opportunities more so than generating their own. The line combined for four shots on goal -- two from Ben Kindel, one from each of his wingers -- and each had a high-danger attempt of their own at five-on-five.
Soderblom and Mantha each tied for second on the team in hits, with three.
Dan Muse thought it was a step forward for the line as a whole.
"I thought Mo did a great job just getting in on the forecheck on that goal, he makes a play into the slot, that's a big moment in the game," Muse said. "I thought you saw some really solid contributions, there were other moments too. A couple other forechecks where they're just getting in there. I thought they were able to generate a little bit more speed of getting in on the puck, because of that, got some some good offensive zone time. It was a good game for them. I thought they took a step there from the previous game."
Soderblom, too, felt his line was "solid."
"I feel like when we get down low, it's hard for them to control," he said. "We've just got to keep being heavy down low and get the puck in the O zone."
When the Penguins are at their best, they're rolling all four lines, and can count on contributions from each of them. That had been missing through the first four games of this series. If the third line can have more games like this one, it'd go a long way toward coming back in this series.
THE ASYLUM
Third line steps (way) up
Through the first four games of the Penguins' first-round series against the Flyers, all the Penguins got out of their third line was a few penalties.
For Monday's 3-2 win over the Flyers in Game 5, the third line scored a huge goal that helped set the tone for the win.
The Flyers had the far better start, recording the first three shots on goal and first eight shot attempts through only 2:20. That was until Anthony Mantha went behind the Flyers' net and used his size to win a battle for a puck, finding Elmer Soderblom in the slot, who buried it for his first career playoff goal:
"A good forecheck there," Soderblom said. "Mo found me in the middle there, I was ready. Just shot the puck and it went in. It was great for us to get that start, especially here at home. It was great to get going there."
That line stayed strong, playing its best game of the series. When they were together at five-on-five, they controlled 88.5% of the expected goals, far and above the best line for the Penguins in that regard, a stat fueled by them limiting high-danger opportunities more so than generating their own. The line combined for four shots on goal -- two from Ben Kindel, one from each of his wingers -- and each had a high-danger attempt of their own at five-on-five.
Soderblom and Mantha each tied for second on the team in hits, with three.
Dan Muse thought it was a step forward for the line as a whole.
"I thought Mo did a great job just getting in on the forecheck on that goal, he makes a play into the slot, that's a big moment in the game," Muse said. "I thought you saw some really solid contributions, there were other moments too. A couple other forechecks where they're just getting in there. I thought they were able to generate a little bit more speed of getting in on the puck, because of that, got some some good offensive zone time. It was a good game for them. I thought they took a step there from the previous game."
Soderblom, too, felt his line was "solid."
"I feel like when we get down low, it's hard for them to control," he said. "We've just got to keep being heavy down low and get the puck in the O zone."
When the Penguins are at their best, they're rolling all four lines, and can count on contributions from each of them. That had been missing through the first four games of this series. If the third line can have more games like this one, it'd go a long way toward coming back in this series.
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