If you hear someone say that the Penguins were fortunate to draw the Philadelphia Flyers, that Philly was the best possible first-round opponent for the Pens, do not be swayed by their opinion. The Flyers are a test; a test that the Penguins will pass, but a test nonetheless.
Anyone who really wanted to see Philly either enjoys the idea of the Penguins personally escorting the Flyers to the first tee box or doesn’t appreciate the fact that Columbus’ Sergei Bobrovsky turns into a lit stick of dynamite whenever he sees an opponent wearing black and gold in the playoffs.
This series won’t be like 2012’s fiasco that, if you weren’t a fan of either team, was both wildly entertaining and completely out of character for the league. There are only three Penguins remaining from that squad — Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang — and the Flyers are an older, more skill-based group under Dave Hakstol.
There will be intensity, but the chances that things go completely off the rails are minimal.
That said, if goals are your thing, these are the teams for you. The Penguins scored five goals each time they played the Flyers this season, and they won every time, though two of those contests went to overtime. That was a reflection of both the Penguins’ prodigious skill level and Philadelphia’s general disdain for safe play.
The Flyers’ defensive corps, led by Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov, loves to jump in and join the rush, and the two have combined for 30 goals, so it’s clearly working. Thing is, if there is a turnover or a big rebound and a quick play by the opposition, things can swiftly go in the other direction.
Perhaps if Philly had prime Dominik Hasek in goal, this would be a prudent strategy. They don’t. As usual, goalie has been a problem for the Flyers. Brian Elliott will be the man in this series, but he shouldn’t strike fear in anyone’s heart.
Elliott has twice led the league in save percentage, but both of those seasons saw him toiling under the watchful eye of Ken Hitchcock, a man who coaches every game like he’s gunning for a 1-0 shootout win. He has a 2.60 goals against average in 41 playoff games, but in the two seasons he wasn't in St. Louis — including last season — he combined to average 4.02 goals against in the playoffs. Outside of that overly defensive cocoon in St. Louis, Elliott is an average backstop at best.
To recap, the Flyers don’t particularly care for defense and don’t have a goalie who can cover their deficiencies. Sounds like a cakewalk, right? Well, maybe not.
The one thing Philadelphia does have is offensive talent, and plenty of it. Claude Giroux, frequently the butt of Penguins fans’ jokes, had a monster season, finishing with 102 points. Sean Couturier (31 goals, 76 points) has blossomed into a top-line force at center. Jakub Voracek tallied 85 points and was a force on the power play, where he accumulated 35 points (tied for eighth most in the league). Travis Konecny and Wayne Simmonds (24 goals each) provide plenty more scoring depth.
Philadelphia is equipped to turn this series into a track meet, though not one with the madcap insanity that 2012’s meeting had. Realistically, getting the Penguins into an up-and-down game is Philadelphia’s only chance. They have to take risks, and they have to hope that the bounces go their way, and that the Penguins get sloppy. Trying to beat Pittsburgh straight up, without frequent pinching from the defense, simply won’t work.
That makes the Penguins’ task simple: keep their wits about them, make the smart play, trust that Matt Murray is going to turn into “Playoff Matt Murray” again, and make the Flyers pay every time they go for broke.
I’d have preferred Columbus, strictly for ease of victory, but this is a much sexier, and probably more fun matchup. It’s also one that Mike Sullivan’s charges will be more than ready for. Penguins in five.