Flyers Stun Penguins with Game 2 Shutout, Lead Series

Philadelphia takes commanding 2-0 lead after shutout in Pittsburgh

Flyers shut out Penguins 3-0 to lead series 2-0. Vladar posts first playoff shutout, Martone makes history, Hathaway scores shorthanded.

Porter Martone, 19, scores in second straight playoff game as Flyers shut out Penguins. Vladar earns shutout in first Philly shutout all year...

The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 Monday to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Teams that win the first two playoff games on the road win the series 80% of the time, going 90-22 historically. The Flyers are 18-0 all-time when leading 2-0 in a best-of-seven series.

Philly hadn’t posted a shutout all season until Monday, when goalie Dan Vladar earned his first career playoff shutout with 27 saves. He led all players with an 8.8 rating.

Ristolainen took a swing at Sid after the whistle 😳🥊 pic.twitter.com/WEaHtQlNDq

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 20, 2026

Vladar is only the second Flyers goalie to shut out the Penguins in the playoffs. Martin Biron was the first in 2009.

 

The series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 and Game 4.

Penalty-Filled Opening Stretch

Tyson Foerster took the game’s first penalty for Philadelphia. Forty-seven seconds into Pittsburgh’s power play, Erik Karlsson was called for a minor tripping penalty, creating 4-on-4 play.

With 11 seconds left in the 4-on-4, Rasmus Ristolainen was called for roughing after swinging at Sidney Crosby’s head, putting the Flyers back shorthanded.

 

Philadelphia killed that penalty, but Nick Seeler took a roughing penalty immediately after, sending the Flyers to another penalty kill.

Pittsburgh managed just two shots in the first period despite three power plays. The Penguins then recorded 25 shots across the next two periods combined.

The Flyers didn’t break through until 6:21 remained in the second, scoring the game’s first goal after nearly eight minutes without a shot on net.

  

Game 1 hero Porter Martone, 19, put Philadelphia ahead 1-0 with his second goal of the series.

He’s the first teenager in Flyers history to score in each of his first two playoff games and just the 12th in NHL history.

  

On their fourth penalty kill of the night, the Flyers didn’t bend - they scored shorthanded instead.

Garnet Hathaway netted his fourth career playoff goal to make it 2-0, finishing a slick feed from Owen Tippett.

It was only Hathaway’s second goal of the year. His lone regular-season goal came in January against Tampa Bay.

His shorthanded goal was Philadelphia’s first since Valtteri Filppula’s in Game 5 of the first round, also against Pittsburgh, exactly eight years ago to the day.

 

In the regular season, Pittsburgh allowed the second-most shorthanded goals in the league with 12. Only Colorado gave up more with 13.

  

TIPPETT TO HATHAWAY ON THE PENALTY KILL!

The @NHLFlyers take a 2-0 lead! #StanleyCup

📺: @espn, @Sportsnet, & @TVASports 2 pic.twitter.com/tbrBDYJg7U

— NHL (@NHL) April 21, 2026

Despite trailing, Pittsburgh controlled the forecheck better in the second and matched Philadelphia with 12 shots. Still, the Penguins entered the third period 0-for-6 on the power play.

  

That dropped to 0-for-7 after they failed to convert their fifth power play of Game 2.

  

Luke Glendening sealed it at 3-0, moving the Flyers two wins from advancing.

After a slow start, Pittsburgh outshot Philadelphia 27-22. The Flyers led in hits 48-31 and dominated in blocked shots, 23-8.

Game 3 is Wednesday, April 22, at 7:00 p.m. ET.