The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Philadelphia Flyers for Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena on April 18. The puck is scheduled to drop at 8:00 PM Eastern Time, with doors opening to fans at 6:30 PM.
This matchup marks a significant moment for both teams as they begin their postseason campaigns. All attendees will receive a rally towel, courtesy of UPMC and PPG. The game can be viewed on SportsNet Pittsburgh and ESPN, while radio coverage is available on 105.9 The X and through the Penguins app.
During the regular season, Pittsburgh recorded a 41-25-16 record compared to Philadelphia’s 43-27-12. In head-to-head matchups this season, the Penguins went undefeated in regulation against the Flyers with two wins and two shootout losses. Historically, Pittsburgh has advanced past the first round eight times during playoff runs featuring Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, reaching at least the Conference Final five times in that span.
Several milestones are within reach for key players. Captain Sidney Crosby enters these playoffs just two victories away from becoming only the fourth active player to reach 100 postseason wins. Evgeni Malkin needs two points to tie Bryan Trottier for thirteenth place on the NHL’s all-time playoff points list and is one power-play goal away from matching Mario Lemieux’s franchise record. Defenseman Kris Letang stands one assist shy of tying Ron Francis for fifth place in team playoff assists.
Six Penguins players—Egor Chinakhov, Ben Kindel, Elmer Soderblom, Ryan Shea, Ilya Solovyov and Jack St. Ivany—are set to make their NHL playoff debuts this series.
The game takes place at PPG Paints Arena in downtown Pittsburgh according to the official website. The venue serves as home ice for a team recognized for Hall of Fame players, coaches and executives who have contributed significantly over time according to its official website. Fenway Sports Group owns and manages business operations for the franchise according to information provided by the team.
The Penguins have consistently competed in numerous playoff appearances and earned division titles as reported by their official site, playing an important role in local sports culture with strong fan traditions according to team sources.
