Game 5 Recap: Penguins Top Philly in a Thriller, 3-2
Take that, Gritty!
In as thrilling and intense a hockey game as you’ll ever hope to witness, the Penguins beat back the persistent Flyers, 3-2, in Game 5 of their first-round clash before a rockin’ throng at PPG Paints Arena last night. In the process, taking another step in their quest for an improbable comeback.
The Flyers came out buzzin’ like bees around Mike Lange’s hive, forcing Pens goalie Arturs Šilovs to make several stops right out of the chute. Then black-and-gold lightning struck at 2:45, on our first shot on goal to boot. Anthony Mantha raced in and bounced Rasmus Ristolainen off the puck behind the net, then flipped a backhand pass to the slot intended for Ben Kindel. As if it had eyes, the rubber hopped over the rookie’s stick and directly to Elmer Söderblom coming late on the play. The big guy stepped his massive 6’8″ frame into the biscuit and ripped it past Dan Vladar high glove side.
The Pens struck again in the second period, with the unlikely duo of Sidney Crosby and Connor Dewar joining forces.