Kris Letang’s fluky go-ahead goal late in the second period proved to be the difference as the Pittsburgh Penguins posted a 3-2 home victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
Sidney Crosby had two assists for Pittsburgh despite missing some action after taking a shot off his leg in the second period. Arturs Silovs turned aside 18 shots for the Penguins, including a quality pad save on Porter Martone in the final minute, to help the hosts stay alive in the best-of-seven series.
Dan Vladar made 18 saves for the Flyers, who will get a third chance to win the series Wednesday when the teams reconvene in Philadelphia for Game 6. Alex Bump scored for the visitors in his first career playoff game, while Travis Sanheim also tallied for the Flyers.
Elmer Soderblom’s goal was the only tally of the first period. Just under three minutes into the contest, Anthony Mantha won a battle behind the net and sent the puck into the slot for Soderblom, who launched a one-timer past Vladar.
Early in the second, Connor Dewar beat Vladar with a wrister to make it 2-0 Pittsburgh, although Bump scored 12 seconds later to bring Philadelphia back within a goal.
The score remained 2-1 until the Flyers tied it with 4:54 left in the second period. Sanheim took a seemingly innocent shot from near the boards that skimmed off the stick of Pittsburgh defenseman Erik Karlsson and past a helpless Silovs.
Letang gave Pittsburgh the lead just over two minutes later, following another apparently harmless shot that found its way into the net.
The veteran defenseman lofted the puck from the right point, and the floater went past Vladar’s glove. The puck then bounced off the end boards, caromed back in front, got lost in Vladar’s skates and slid into the goal.
Vladar kept the game close with a sprawling pad save on Rust in the opening minute of the third period.
Philadelphia pressured throughout the final session and had a couple of chances down the stretch with Vladar pulled for an extra skater, but Silovs and the Penguins held firm.
