The Penguins have a chance at a collective natural hat trick of sorts tonight in Game 6 of their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Flyers here at Xfinity Mobile Arena, provided they can fend off elimination for a third consecutive game.
Here are six ways, from this press box perspective, that they can:
► SHOOT THEIR (BEST) SHOT
It's crazy, but Egor Chinakhov, owner of hockey's hardest blade-to-the-ice shot, has registered six whole shots on goal through five games of this first round, inarguably the greatest gift anyone could've given to Philadelphia goaltender Dan Vladar. What's more -- or less -- on the three golden chances he's had, he's whiffed wide.
That's not to excessively criticize Chinakhov. He's got sound possession metrics, his effort's been consistent, and he was at his most visible in Game 5 back home. But he's the one who led the Penguins in goals from Jan. 1, the day arrived from Columbus, onward, and he's the one who raised his own bar.
Take it from this random regional manager of some paper company in Scranton:
NBC
► ENTER BEAST MODE
Sidney Crosby's ascending to Sid standards. Kris Letang's been at his absolute season peak the past couple games.
The other member of the Core?
Look, I'll keep this positive: Evgeni Malkin was flying in Game 4, flat in Game 5 back home. The latter's got to end. He's not a complimentary piece now anymore than he's ever been one, regardless of the spotlight on Sid. He's been a star in his own right for two decades, he was still a point-a-game producer through this regular season, and he can't be some sloppy, hot-headed passenger tonight.
Find that old, familiar fuel one reserves just for this opponent:
It was Brooks Orpik who long ago applied the term 'Beast Mode' to when Geno performs that way. And it tended to coincide with scenarios like these.
► THE TRACK-BACK'S BACK
With each passing game of this series, the strategic foundation for the Dan Muse system -- forwards aggressively tracking back to cover opposing forwards attempting to gain the Pittsburgh blue line -- has strengthened.
But it's not all the way back:
Seriously.
That's a six-on-five in the Flyers' favor after Rick Tocchet pulled Vladar in the final minute, but that doesn't excuse the home team handing Porter Martone a partial break and a free blast. If Arturs Silovs doesn't boot that out, it's all we'd have been talking about.
Watch again, and count that one, two, three Penguins are trapped deep in the attacking zone ... while allegedly protecting a one-goal lead.
No team trait's been a better barometer, even early in a game, for this team will fare over the full evening. Bet that tonight won't be an exception, either.
► THE POWER-PLAY FIX
For God sake, get a body inside the box.
The power play hasn't been all that awful of late, 3 for 17 on the series but with all three goals in the past three games. But that doesn't make it any less maddening to see the first unit, in particular, poke the puck around the perimeter for a minute and a half while the Flyers park right there alongside them.
The vertical middle's open, at least below center point. So use it. Use it similarly to the way Sid and Erik Karlsson worked this wonderful set play in Game 4:
See how Luke Glendening charged out at Karlsson off the draw?
That's what the Flyers do. They've been doing it forever, no matter who's coaching. They attack the edges, try to turn their opponents around, try to force mistakes. And in this series, there's been relentless attention paid to Karlsson in this regard.
So, put the puck where they're not. It can't be a bumper type because the Penguins, to be blunt, don't have one of those since Michael Bunting's departure. But it can be ... anyone. Move people in and out. Move pucks in and out. Move the Flyers off their box, off their plan.
► MAKE THE SAVE, DAMMIT
I'll shut up about goaltending, other than to point back up to that Silovs kick-save on Martone.
Fair enough?
All right, one more ...
► KEEP ENJOYING ALL THIS
The Penguins weren't supposed to be here. And for that matter, neither were the Flyers.
Guess which one's having more fun, and which one's been focused on the players needing to be "more loose," as Tocchet was saying here yesterday.
Awesome. Let it fly. Bounce all over the rink. Chase everything orange. Make it so every forward line's indistinguishable from the next. Find whatever fire that was at around the 15-minute mark of the third period the other night that moved the palpably nerve-wracked crowd at PPG Paints Arena to suddenly stand up and start screaming. Push and push and push and push and push until something breaks. That's been this team at its best throughout the 2025-26 season, and there's no reason for it to end now.
THE ASYLUM
DK: Six rays of hope heading into Game 6 tonight
The Penguins have a chance at a collective natural hat trick of sorts tonight in Game 6 of their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Flyers here at Xfinity Mobile Arena, provided they can fend off elimination for a third consecutive game.
Here are six ways, from this press box perspective, that they can:
► SHOOT THEIR (BEST) SHOT
It's crazy, but Egor Chinakhov, owner of hockey's hardest blade-to-the-ice shot, has registered six whole shots on goal through five games of this first round, inarguably the greatest gift anyone could've given to Philadelphia goaltender Dan Vladar. What's more -- or less -- on the three golden chances he's had, he's whiffed wide.
That's not to excessively criticize Chinakhov. He's got sound possession metrics, his effort's been consistent, and he was at his most visible in Game 5 back home. But he's the one who led the Penguins in goals from Jan. 1, the day arrived from Columbus, onward, and he's the one who raised his own bar.
Take it from this random regional manager of some paper company in Scranton:
NBC
► ENTER BEAST MODE
Sidney Crosby's ascending to Sid standards. Kris Letang's been at his absolute season peak the past couple games.
The other member of the Core?
Look, I'll keep this positive: Evgeni Malkin was flying in Game 4, flat in Game 5 back home. The latter's got to end. He's not a complimentary piece now anymore than he's ever been one, regardless of the spotlight on Sid. He's been a star in his own right for two decades, he was still a point-a-game producer through this regular season, and he can't be some sloppy, hot-headed passenger tonight.
Find that old, familiar fuel one reserves just for this opponent:
It was Brooks Orpik who long ago applied the term 'Beast Mode' to when Geno performs that way. And it tended to coincide with scenarios like these.
► THE TRACK-BACK'S BACK
With each passing game of this series, the strategic foundation for the Dan Muse system -- forwards aggressively tracking back to cover opposing forwards attempting to gain the Pittsburgh blue line -- has strengthened.
But it's not all the way back:
Seriously.
That's a six-on-five in the Flyers' favor after Rick Tocchet pulled Vladar in the final minute, but that doesn't excuse the home team handing Porter Martone a partial break and a free blast. If Arturs Silovs doesn't boot that out, it's all we'd have been talking about.
Watch again, and count that one, two, three Penguins are trapped deep in the attacking zone ... while allegedly protecting a one-goal lead.
No team trait's been a better barometer, even early in a game, for this team will fare over the full evening. Bet that tonight won't be an exception, either.
► THE POWER-PLAY FIX
For God sake, get a body inside the box.
The power play hasn't been all that awful of late, 3 for 17 on the series but with all three goals in the past three games. But that doesn't make it any less maddening to see the first unit, in particular, poke the puck around the perimeter for a minute and a half while the Flyers park right there alongside them.
The vertical middle's open, at least below center point. So use it. Use it similarly to the way Sid and Erik Karlsson worked this wonderful set play in Game 4:
See how Luke Glendening charged out at Karlsson off the draw?
That's what the Flyers do. They've been doing it forever, no matter who's coaching. They attack the edges, try to turn their opponents around, try to force mistakes. And in this series, there's been relentless attention paid to Karlsson in this regard.
So, put the puck where they're not. It can't be a bumper type because the Penguins, to be blunt, don't have one of those since Michael Bunting's departure. But it can be ... anyone. Move people in and out. Move pucks in and out. Move the Flyers off their box, off their plan.
► MAKE THE SAVE, DAMMIT
I'll shut up about goaltending, other than to point back up to that Silovs kick-save on Martone.
Fair enough?
All right, one more ...
► KEEP ENJOYING ALL THIS
The Penguins weren't supposed to be here. And for that matter, neither were the Flyers.
Guess which one's having more fun, and which one's been focused on the players needing to be "more loose," as Tocchet was saying here yesterday.
Awesome. Let it fly. Bounce all over the rink. Chase everything orange. Make it so every forward line's indistinguishable from the next. Find whatever fire that was at around the 15-minute mark of the third period the other night that moved the palpably nerve-wracked crowd at PPG Paints Arena to suddenly stand up and start screaming. Push and push and push and push and push until something breaks. That's been this team at its best throughout the 2025-26 season, and there's no reason for it to end now.
No reason for ANY of it to end now.
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