Sidney Crosby Owns Philly-Again. Penguins Power Past Flyers 5-1
PHILADELPHIA - If you’re a Flyers fan, Sidney Crosby’s name probably haunts your dreams. And Monday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, he added another chapter to his long-running domination of Philadelphia.
No, the mayor won’t be giving him a key to the city anytime soon-but Crosby doesn’t need one. He’s had the place under lock and key for years.
In his 92nd career game against the Flyers, Crosby once again reminded everyone why he’s been their most persistent nightmare. The Penguins captain scored twice, both times off setups from Bryan Rust, as Pittsburgh rolled to a 5-1 win in a game that was more lopsided than the score suggests.
Let’s break it down.
Crosby, as Usual, Sets the Tone
This was vintage Crosby-clinical, opportunistic, and always in the right spot. With the Penguins killing off a slashing penalty to Blake Lizotte early in the first, they flipped the momentum almost immediately.
Dan Vladar stopped Rust’s initial shot, but Crosby was there to pounce on the rebound and bury it at 9:18 of the first period. That marked his 58th career goal against Philadelphia.
And he wasn’t done.
In the second period, with the game tied 1-1 and the Penguins on the power play, Rust flew down the left wing and slid a picture-perfect pass into the slot. Crosby didn’t hesitate-he rifled it into a mostly open net at 8:08, reclaiming the NHL lead in goals with his 18th of the season. He’s now on pace for a jaw-dropping 59 goals, and if he keeps this up, that number might not be far-fetched.
Rust Gets His Due
Rust wasn’t just Crosby’s setup man. He got in on the scoring himself later in the second period, again on the power play.
Spinning off the left wall, Rust found a seam and skated into open ice before ripping a wrister top shelf at 15:52. That made it 3-1 and all but broke the Flyers’ resolve.
The Penguins' power play was surgical, going 3-for-4 on the night. When they had the man advantage, they didn’t waste time-they went to work and got results.
Special Teams Swing the Game
The Penguins’ penalty kill had its hands full in the second period, facing down nearly four minutes of power play time, including two separate 5-on-3s. They gave up one goal-a Tyson Foerster wrister that tied the game 1-1 during a delayed high-sticking call-but otherwise held firm.
That stretch could’ve flipped the game in Philly’s favor, but instead, it showcased the Penguins’ grit. Killing off that much time shorthanded, especially with the Flyers throwing everything they had, was a statement.
Jarry Stands Tall
Tristan Jarry was locked in from the opening puck drop. He stopped all eight shots he faced in the first period, including a couple of high-danger chances off odd-man rushes and a slick back-post save on Trevor Zegras. He finished with 27 saves on 28 shots, and the lone goal he allowed came through traffic with little chance to react.
It wasn’t just the quantity of saves-it was the quality. Jarry made the kind of stops that keep momentum from shifting, especially during that second-period penalty parade.
Flyers Falter, Foerster Injured
Tyson Foerster gave the Flyers a brief spark with his game-tying goal, but that momentum didn’t last. Minutes later, he left the game with a right arm injury sustained while shooting. Losing him took some wind out of Philadelphia’s sails, and they never really recovered.
Defensively, the Flyers struggled to contain Pittsburgh’s attack, especially at even strength. The Penguins dictated the pace for most of the second period and never looked back.
Penguins Finish Strong
Pittsburgh kept their foot on the gas in the third. After Matvei Michkov took a slashing penalty, the Penguins’ second power-play unit cashed in. Tommy Novak found space in the slot and snapped home a wrister at 13:52 to make it 4-1.
Just under two minutes later, Parker Wotherspoon sprung Kevin Hayes on a breakaway. Hayes finished with a smooth forehand chip past Vladar to seal the 5-1 win.
McGroarty Makes His Debut
Rookie winger Rutger McGroarty made his NHL season debut, skating on an all-rookie line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen. He didn’t find the scoresheet, but he made his presence felt with two shots, two misses, and three hits. After recovering from injury and lighting it up in the AHL, McGroarty looks ready to contribute at the NHL level.
Malkin Denied Again
Evgeni Malkin thought he had another goal in Philadelphia-his second in as many games-but for the second straight time, it was taken off the board. This time, officials ruled goalie interference, even though Malkin’s skates were outside the crease and it appeared Vladar initiated the contact. Tough break, but it didn’t matter in the end.
Final Numbers
- Power Play: Penguins 3-for-4
- Penalty Kill: 5-for-6
- Shots: Flyers 28, Penguins 27
- Goalies: Jarry (27 saves), Vladar (22 saves on 27 shots)
Penguins Lines
- Top Line: Kevin Hayes - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
- Second Line: Tommy Novak - Evgeni Malkin - Anthony Mantha
- Third Line: Rutger McGroarty - Ben Kindel - Ville Koivunen
- Defense: Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Ryan Graves, Connor Clifton, Matt Dumba
- Goalie: Tristan Jarry
This was a statement win for Pittsburgh. The stars showed up, the special teams delivered, and the goaltending was rock solid.
And as for Crosby? He just keeps doing what he’s always done in Philly-dominate.