3 Things to Watch: Penguins at Flyers, Game 6 of Eastern Conference 1st Round

(2M) Penguins at (3M) Flyers

Eastern Conference First Round, Game 6

Philadelphia leads best-of-7 series 3-2

7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, SN-PIT, truTV, TNT, NBCSP, SN360, TVAS

PHILADELPHIA -- The Pittsburgh Penguins can even the Eastern Conference First Round with the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday.

The Penguins won the past two games after the Flyers won the first three. Another Penguins victory would force a deciding Game 7 in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

"We've given ourselves a chance, and it feels like the same thing applies for tonight," Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson said. "If we can find a little bit of a higher consistent level, we're feeling pretty confident about our chances. Still, a lot of things that can happen and the game has to be played, but we're happy to be here, that's for sure."

Pittsburgh is trying to become the fifth team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-7 series, and just the second to do it after starting the series at home, following the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, who rallied to defeat the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final. They'd be 11th team to get to a Game 7 after losing the first three games.

The Penguins are trying to maintain a narrow focus, though.

"We've just had the mindset to try to win a game, and it's served us pretty well," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "I don't think we've thought ahead to what that means. I think it's a matter of just focusing on the game and putting all your energy towards that, and that's basically how we've took it."

Philadelphia will have its third attempt to close out the series and advance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since defeating the Montreal Canadiens in six games in the 2020 Eastern Conference First Round. The Flyers haven't lost three straight games since a four-game slide from Jan. 26-31.

They learned in Games 4 and 5, though, that they need to raise their level to match the desperation of the Penguins.

"We're confident still," Flyers defenseman Cam York said. "We've got a 3-2 series lead against these guys. We knew it was going to be hard. They've played a really good last couple games. They've amped up their level of play. Now, it's time that we do the same."

Here are three things to watch in Game 6:

1. Top players

Some of the Penguins best players have helped them climb back in the series after having slow starts. After getting just one point (an assist in Game 3) in the first three games, Sidney Crosby has four (one goal, three assists) in the past two games. Kris Letang scored the winning goal in each of the past two games after having no points in the first three. Rickard Rakell has two points (one goal, one assist) in the past two games.

The Flyers need theirs to respond now. Trevor Zegras has one assist in the past two games after he had three points (one goal, two assists) in the first three. Rookie Porter Martone had three points (two goals, one assist) in the first three games, including scoring the winning goal in each of the first two, and has no points in past two games. Owen Tippett also has no points in the past two games after he had two (one goal, one assist) in the first three.

"They know they've got to play better in the sense of I don't want to say the word desperation, but I think there is a little bit more there to be an impact player, getting inside or making a play up top," Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. "Little things like converting on a 2-on-1, things like that. They know it, and they've done it for all year for us."

2. Playing from ahead

After the Flyers scored first and did not trail in winning the first two games, the Penguins scored first in three straight games and did not trail in winning the past two. The Flyers' 4-2 victory in Game 3 was the only game that included a lead change, so the first goal will probably be important again.

"It is very hard to chase in the playoffs," Penguins forward Anthony Mantha said. "It happens, there is some lead changes, but when you are chasing by one or by two, you're opening up and it gives the other team maybe more opportunities. So, it's very important, obviously, the start in this building. The fans are going to be crazy tonight and they're always supporting their team, and we need to start strong, and we need to keep it going for the whole night."

Philadelphia was 23-5-4 when scoring first during the regular season, but 20-22-8 when giving up the first goal. Pittsburgh was 31-7-9 when scoring first and 10-18-7 when giving up the first goal.

3. Michkov's potential return

It appears Matvei Michkov will be back in the lineup for the Flyers after the forward was a healthy scratch for Game 5, in place of Garnet Hathaway, who would be a healthy scratch. Michkov was held without a point and had only four shots on goal in the first four games, but the 21-year-old led Philadelphia with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 26 games after the Olympic break playing mostly on a line with Noah Cates and Denver Barkey.

Cates said the key to their success was "just holding onto pucks in the offensive zone."

"I think that's where we did a pretty good job in that second half of the season, being dangerous from holding pucks and being strong down low. He's obviously such a strong player down there, and he makes his plays. But it starts with getting that possession, staying close, and then you can spread out and be creative and make your plays from there."

Penguins projected lineup

Rickard Rakell -- Sidney Crosby -- Bryan Rust 

Egor Chinakhov -- Tommy Novak -- Evgeni Malkin 

Elmer Soderblom -- Ben Kindel -- Anthony Mantha

Connor Dewar -- Blake Lizotte -- Noel Acciari

Parker Wotherspoon -- Erik Karlsson

Samuel Girard -- Kris Letang

Ryan Shea -- Ilya Solovyov

Arturs Silovs

Stuart Skinner

Scratched: Justin Brazeau, Connor Clifton, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany

Injured: Filip Hallander (blood clot)

Flyers projected lineup

Denver Barkey -- Trevor Zegras -- Owen Tippett

Travis Konecny -- Christian Dvorak -- Porter Martone

Alex Bump -- Noah Cates -- Matvei Michkov

Luke Glendening -- Sean Couturier -- Tyson Foerster

Travis Sanheim -- Rasmus Ristolainen

Cam York -- Jamie Drysdale

Nick Seeler -- Noah Juulsen

Dan Vladar

Samuel Ersson

Scratched: Garrett Wilson, Emil Andrae, Garnett Hathaway, Carl Grundstrom, Oliver Bonk, David Jiricek, Carson Bjarnason, Helge Grans, Hunter McDonald, Oscar Eklind, Jacob Gaucher

Injured: Rodrigo Abols (lower body), Nikita Grebenkin (upper body)

Status report

The Penguins are expected to use the same lineup they used in a 3-2 win in Game 5 on Monday. ... The Flyers held an optional morning skate. ... Michkov is expected to play after being scratched for Game 5. ... Hathaway, a forward who stayed on with the extra skaters, likely will come out of the lineup. ... Foerster could shift to right wing on the fourth line in Hathaway's spot after playing with Bump and Cates on the third line in Game 5.