The Pittsburgh Penguins wasted no time turning opening night into a rout, burying the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0 on Wednesday night behind a shutout from Arturs Silovs and a second-period burst that blew the game open.
Silovs turned aside 19 shots for his third career shutout in his 57th start, while the Penguins piled up offense from all over the lineup. Nick Robertson scored twice, Evgeni Malkin, Hendrix Lapierre and Filip Hallander each scored in the second period, and Ville Koivunen and Egor Chinakhov also found the net. Sidney Crosby chipped in with an assist.
For Philadelphia, the night unraveled fast. The Flyers had knocked Pittsburgh out of the playoffs on the same ice in April, winning that first-round series in six games, but this time the crowd’s mood shifted from anticipation to frustration as the goals kept coming. The boos grew louder after the second period, putting a harsh end to a night meant to celebrate the start of a new season.
Pittsburgh’s veterans were right in the middle of it. The Penguins are trying to stretch one more run out of Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang, and Malkin, who signed a one-year deal to stay with the club, gave them a statement moment early in the second period.
The 40-year-old hammered a one-timer from the slot for a 3-0 lead and reached 100 career points against the Flyers, becoming the sixth player to hit that mark against Philadelphia. Crosby’s assist on Robertson’s opening goal pushed his total to 140 career points against the Flyers, the most any player has recorded against them.
The scoring came in a hurry and kept getting worse for Philadelphia. Pittsburgh scored five times on its first 18 shots against Dan Vladar, who had not played a full period in the preseason while dealing with an unspecified injury.
With the Flyers already in the first game of a back-to-back, Vladar stayed in long enough to absorb the damage. One of the roughest moments came when Robertson’s second goal of the night was knocked into the net by Vladar with the back of his skate, making it 6-0.
The Penguins head home for their opener Saturday against Montreal. The Flyers are back on the ice Thursday at New Jersey.
In Other News...
Flyers Were In The Mix For A Winger Who Couldve Changed Everything
The Flyers were at least in the conversation when Toronto and Columbus swung the winger deal involving Kirill Marchenko and Matthew Knies, a reminder that Philadelphia had some interest in trying to alter its forward group in a meaningful way. Marchenko had enough appeal that the Flyers checked in on the price, but they stopped short of putting together a formal offer that could match what ultimately got the Maple Leafs involved.
What makes the missed opportunity notable is how much of the framework was already taking shape behind the scenes. Discussions reportedly included assets Philadelphia was willing to part with, but the club never pushed the button on a package that would have been significant enough to move the needle, leaving the Flyers on the outside of a deal that changed the winger market and kept them searching for answers on the wing. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Enter A Bigger Season With More To Prove
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Now the test is whether Philadelphia can turn that progress into something sturdier. The organization has been willing to make bold roster moves, and the tone around the club suggests nobody is interested in treating last year as the finish line. The Flyers enter the season with motivation intact and expectations higher, but the real question is how far this group can push once the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Still Have One Huge Roster Question After Missing On Carlsson
The Flyers push to solve their center problem took a public hit when Anaheim matched Philadelphias record offer sheet for Leo Carlsson, keeping the young pivot in Orange County and leaving the Flyers still searching for a true No. 1 down the middle. It was the kind of swing that signaled how aggressively the front office views the need, and it also underscored just how thin the market remains for a team trying to climb back into contention.
So the work continues, with Philadelphia still exploring ways to add a top-line center and no trade or signing yet in place. Talks and negotiations are ongoing around the league, and the Flyers remain tied to the broader market as they weigh options, but the big question they set out to answer is still there waiting. [Read more 🡒]