Sean Couturier has been in this situation before. It was ages ago, but it was as close to the same set of circumstances as one can find. After manhandling the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1, Game 2, and Game 3 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarter Final series against Sidney Crosby and company, the Flyers were mauled 10-3 at home by the Penguins in Game 4. The Flyers then headed back to Pittsburgh for Game 5, were down 3-2 at the end of the second and never tied the score, losing their second in a row. In that game Claude Giroux played a ton (26:24), only behind defensemen Braydon Coburn (29:11) and Matt Carle (29:40). There was tension in the air, the Flyers were gripping their sticks tighter, and were on the verge of blowing a three-game lead. A Game 7 was all but guaranteed, right?
Well, no. Not even close. As has been well documented and seen countless times, the Flyers opened Game 6 with Giroux putting Crosby on his backside before play was stopped. On the ensuing faceoff, after being hemmed in briefly, the Flyers Jaromir Jagr fed the puck to Giroux, who skated in and whistled a shot by Marc-Andre Fleury to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead. Despite only having 18 shots, they put before behind the Pittsburgh goalie along with an empty-netter, ending the series with a 5-1 win. Whatever momentum the experts or the Penguins believed they had was gone with a strong opening shift and a fine 60-minute effort. The four-game comeback, like almost 99 per cent of them in NHL history, died in vain.
While the age, experience and rosters were vastly different from 2011-12 compared to this 2025-26 version, the storyline is the same. The Flyers had four chances to put Pittsburgh away. They squandered the first two chances, the second of which was on the road. However, with the Penguins having a bit more life than they did two games ago, many believe it’s almost certain the series will go seven games. And going so far as to suggest the Flyers becoming the fifth team in National Hockey League history to blow a three-game advantage (joining the 1942 Detroit Red Wings, the 1975 Penguins, the 2010 Bruins, and the 2014 Sharks).
There are a few reasons to still believe there’s quite a silver lining here in this supposedly dark cloud looming above. And we’ll take a look at a few reasons to feel that the glass is still quite half full and not half empty.
Four fluke goals in four straight games? Nah
While being the backbone of the team’s success all season, Dan Vladar probably hasn’t seen two stranger goals in consecutive games since he started putting his pads on as a youngster. The Game 4 miscue from his poor puck handling and decision-making was a freebie for the Penguins. It wasn’t the game-winner but it’s a goal you just can’t allow to happen. Oh well, that was out of his system.
That’s not to say he was 100 percent at fault for the Penguins’ third goal in Game 5, but the bounce off his pad and then in — particularly after the Flyers overcame a 2-0 deficit — was a backbreaker. To have one oddity transpire in a playoff series is good fortune for Pittsburgh. For it to happen in back-to-back games is just weird. It’s incredibly doubtful that Vladar is the victim of similar bounces the rest of the series. So while that might seem like a small thing for Flyers fans to hang their hat on, it is something of note. It’s unlikely such comically bad breaks will happen moving forward.
Home ice advantage
Philadelphia had a bit of a swagger after three games, with some signing pucks after games that might have rubbed some people the wrong way. However, that strut is probably gone, with the team looking scared and gripping their sticks far tighter than before. What they still have — and what they worked damn hard for in the first two games — is home ice advantage. Two months ago, the idea the Flyers would be in a position to sweep the Penguins seemed insane. Hell they weren’t making the playoffs. Just lose some more to get in the draft lottery! Yet tomorrow night they have a third chance to put away the dreaded Penguins, and essentially put the elder statesmen out to pasture. And it’s an opportunity they certainly hope to make the most of.
An early lead is an anathema to the Flyers this season. It would be a huge confidence boost to have a one-goal or two-goal lead heading into the first intermission. That would calm the nerves of those on the ice and those in the seats. But more importantly, they need to seize the moment that’s staring them in the face. The Flyers don’t have a great home record historically in game 6 (9-10) but are 22=20 overall (including the pandemic playoffs where they were deemed either the home or road team in an empty venue). A vocal, boisterous crowd from start to finish might be enough to keep the Flyers afloat, or give them a second or third wind if needed.
The Flyers lost to Pittsburgh on home ice in Game 6 in 2018, shaking hands at home and calling it a season. It’s time to turn the tables.
Fountains of youth
The Flyers average age is almost comically young, with a bevy of players either not allowed to drink in most U.S. states or counting down the days until they can. Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, and (we hope) Matvei Michkov still have time to make impacts and differences on Wednesday night. The idea of having all four in the lineup might mean a change to the fourth line, which would give some energy and offensive oomph to a line that seems to be sagging a bit. As well, while they are basically pups in terms of the NHL playoffs, that doesn’t mean they should have a bit more gas in the tank than the primarily 30-something Penguins.
Bump, Barkey, and Martone have all found the back of the net so far, and could still help out the rest of the way provided they just play the game and not overthink. A lot of Flyers looked far too hesitant in Game 5, feeding right into the Penguins’ hands. A burst of youthful exuberance, whether through a nice pass, a good check, or a goal to get things going Wednesday would do everyone associated with the Flyers a world of good.
The Flyers need a Jamie Drysdale-like speech similar to the one he delivered on the road earlier in the season against the heavily favored Avalanche. The gist of it was to enjoy and embrace the pressure, to get excited about playing such an elite club. The wry grin on Rick Tocchet’s face after a 7-3 smackdown of Colorado was one of the season’s highlights. A similar approach to Game 6 would definitely lead to a victory.
