Zegras, Flyers push Penguins to brink with Game 3 win in Eastern 1st Round

PHILADELPHIA -- Trevor Zegras and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist for the Philadelphia Flyers, who took a 3-0 series lead against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-2 win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday.

Rasmus Ristolainen and Nick Seeler scored for Philadelphia, the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division. Sean Couturier, Jamie Drysdale and Noah Juulsen each had two assists, and Dan Vladar made 28 saves in Philadelphia's first home playoff game in exactly eight years.

"Our game was patient," Seeler said. "We knew we were going to get some looks 5-on-5 and that's what we did. We just stuck to the game plan and thankfully we got a few."

Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson scored for Pittsburgh, the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan. Stuart Skinner made 24 saves.

"There's not much room for error when you're in this position," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who had an assist on Malkin's goal. "That's reality. The fact is, we've just got to win a game. That's going to be our focus."

The Flyers will have a chance to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020 when they play Game 4 here Saturday (8 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, SN-PIT, truTV, TBS, NBCSP, SN, TVAS).

"We've got a long way to go," Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said. "The hardest one is to win the next one."

Malkin gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 4:18 of the first period, scoring off a seam pass through the crease by Bryan Rust. It gave Pittsburgh its first lead of the series.

"I liked our first period," Penguins coach Dan Muse said. "There was flow to the game. I liked the first period. Thought there was things we were doing better there."

Philadelphia then scored three goals in a 6:00 span in the second period to take a 3-1 lead.

Zegras tied it 1-1 on the power play at 5:18. His one-timer from the right face-off circle went past Skinner's glove.

The Flyers, who had the League's worst power play during the regular season (15.7 percent), were 0-for-8 with the man-advantage to that point of the series.

"Kind of struggled a little bit the first couple of games," Zegras said. "Thought we had some good looks, but obviously just didn't capitalize. So nice seeing one go in on the power play."

Philadelphia was on the power play after all 10 skaters on the ice were sent to the penalty box following a scrum that began with Rust and Flyers forward Travis Konecny falling to the ice behind the Pittsburgh net. The Flyers got a power play when Rust was assessed a double-minor for roughing.

"It took forever to get back playing hockey," Skinner said. "Everyone was just sitting around for what felt like forever. I don't remember waiting that long for a puck drop maybe ever. Obviously, circumstances had it that the refs had to take some time. It just took a while. And then it was able to benefit them. ... And then momentum shifts. They score a goal."

Ristolainen put the Flyers ahead 2-1 at 9:06 with a shot from the right face-off circle between Skinner's pads.

Seeler then made it 3-1 at 11:18 when he scored from the point off a D-to-D pass from Juulsen.

"'Juuls' made a great play over to me," Seeler said. "We had a great screen in front and I'm thankful it went in."

Karlsson scored a power-play goal to make it 3-2 at 9:39 of the third period, one-timing a pass from Rickard Rakell that found space between Vladar's right arm and body.

"Now we're going to see what we're really made of," Karlsson said. "Now it's do-or-die. The toughest game to win is that fourth one, so hopefully we can start by winning one."

Cates put the Flyers ahead 4-2 when he scored a power-play goal at the net front at 12:30.

"We knew we needed to get one there, one or two, on the power play," Cates said. "They got one, so you just got to respond and get pucks to the net. We've obviously seen them the past couple of games, and they've been close. Just to execute and to get one, then get that confidence, get another, it's huge for us. And you know, it's going to be a huge part of this series and our game moving forward."

Owen Tippett scored an empty-net goal at 18:48 for the 5-2 final.

NOTES: Flyers 19-year-old rookie forward Porter Martone, who had an assist on Zegras' goal, is the fourth teenager in the past 25 years with at least a point in each of his first three career playoff games, joining Kirby Dach (three straight, 2020), Patrik Laine (three straight, 2018) and Crosby (three straight, 2007). ... Zegras, Ristolainen, Seeler and Cates all scored their first career playoff goals. ... Malkin's goal was his 15th in the playoffs against the Flyers, matching Crosby and Wayne Gretzky for the most against the franchise. ... Crosby now has 202 playoff points, passing Jaromir Jagr for fifth all-time. ... It was the 50th time Crosby and Malkin have factored on a playoff goal together.