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Penguins Grades: Brilliant Performances and Great Third Line
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- Penguins Grades: Brilliant Performances and Great Third Line
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
PHILADELPHIA —Later in the second period, the Pittsburgh Penguins ' third line of Ville Koivunen , Hendrix Lapierre , and Filip Hallander tortured the Philadelphia Flyers with a dominant shift that drew irritation from the Philadelphia crowd and frustration from the Flyers.
The Penguins were leading 5-0 at that point, with all three members of the third line already having scored.
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"It felt like we could have scored five goals on that shift," said Lapierre.
Nick Robertson scored the first goal of the game early in the first period, his first as a Penguin. Robertson also scored the final goal of the game, which was shorthanded. Evgeni Malkin became just the sixth player all-time to score 100 career points against the Flyers when he tallied a power-play snipe in the second. And by the end, the Penguins had thoroughly embarrassed the Flyers 7-0 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday.
The game was full of storylines, from Hallander's cathartic goal that capped an 11-month-long comeback. Koivunen's breakaway goal was part of one of his best games in the NHL, a welcome sight for the Penguins organization, which gambled an eight-year contract on him just before the season. "O
"It was good. It was good. Not just the goal, just being out there playing again in a regular-season game was probably the nicest thing," said Hallander.
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Five Penguins had multiple points, including defenseman Sam Girard . The team had two power-play goals and one shorthanded tally, too.
Also Read: BOOM! Penguins Absolutely Beatdown Flyers
Penguins Xs and Os
Lesson learned. The Penguins were dumped by the Flyers in Round One of their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff matchup because they tried to force their preferred game on the Flyers. Just like last May, the Flyers again had a clear game plan to deal with the Penguins' rush and puck-possession game.
However, the Penguins and captain Sidney Crosby set the tone over the first few minutes. The Penguins didn't try to force the play and skate into the teeth of the defense. Instead, they chipped it deep and punished the Flyers defensemen. Crosby walloped Flyers D-man Travis Sanheim on the first shift, and the seemingly unphysical Penguins were playing with the edge of a bully.
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Even Lapierre had four hits.
As a side note, Crosby became the longest-tenured captain in NHL history Wednesday, beginning his 20th season and surpassing boyhood hero Steve Yzerman, who led the Detroit Red Wings for 19 seasons.
The Penguins' 7-0 win was the same kind of commanding, season-propelling win they engineered last season when they beat the New York Rangers 3-0 on opening night at Madison Square Garden, but this time, the goals kept coming.
The Penguins played a simple, smart, and fast game. In the end, they outclassed the Flyers.
In addition to controlling the puck, the Penguins' skill was evident. In fact, their depth of skill was impressive. After all, one could argue that none of Koivunen, Lapierre, or Hallander were expected to be in the lineup when training camp began, yet they shone quite brightly.
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According to NaturalStatTrick.com, the line outshot their opponents 8-2. They outchanced their opponents 8-0 and had a 6-0 high-danger chance advantage. That's domination.
The team-wide puck possession also kept the pressure off the Penguins defensemen who were free to settle. Erik Karlsson certainly needed a few moments in the game to find his rhythm, but Sam Girard needed no time to acclimate.
Girard might have been the Penguins' best D-man as he skated the puck and distributed it in the offensive zone.
Penguins Report Card
Team: A+
Every line, every pairing, fulfilled every duty and every role. It was as thorough a win as could be expected at any point in the season. Make no mistake, the Flyers were not flat, nor did the Flyers play poorly. Instead, the Penguins' patience was important, almost as important as shredding Flyers goalie Dan Vladar .
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"I thought (we had) contributions from throughout the lineup. I think (we were working) at both ends of the ice, not just one side of it," said coach Dan Muse. "Goaltending, Arty (Silovs) was outstanding. Special teams contributions. And so it's a good start."
Koivunen-Lapierre-Hallander: A+
The Penguins put up a seven-spot, but the third line drove the play. What they did so well was control the puck in the offensive zone. They not only hung on to pucks but also won puck battles and pressured the net. They did not play on the perimeter or keep it to the wall. They played fast on the rush when it opened and went to the net.
Lapierre showed good game speed. He blew past the defensemen, creating a two-on-one that turned into a breakaway and a goal.
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"(Hallander) made a great play to get it to me. Ville was wide open, and I was going to give it to him, but I figured I'd take my chances and keep it for myself," Lapierre said with a grin. "I saw a hole there (on Vladar), and it just went in."
Hallander had three points and earned them. He was tough. And Koivunen finally began to open up his game. Our favorite quote regarding Koivunen came from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins coach Kirk MacDonald last season, when he said Koivunen is "at his best when he's a prick."
Not only did Koivunen score a beauty of a breakaway goal in the first period, but he also agitated Flyers defensemen at the net and irritated Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim. For the first time, Koivunen was indeed a jerk.
Muse also had plenty of praise for that line.
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"I thought they played really well. I mean, at both end zones, off the rush. You know, they were reading off each other really well," Muse said. "It was a little bit in the first period, too. Like, they probably didn't get as much of a rhythm, but they were still able to stay in it and find ways to make big contributions in the game. And then I just thought they kept getting better as it went on."
Sam Girard: A
He continued his strong preseason by being a strong driver of the play. He had two assists and was the blue line standout.
Nick Robertson : A
The Penguins winger looked remarkably like Bryan Rust while playing alongside Sidney Crosby. Robertson was pesky; he was quick to pucks and was dangerous in the offensive zone.
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Puck possession is one thing, but doing something with it is more important. Robertson applied pressure to Philadelphia with a good forecheck and by getting between the dots.
Arturs Silovs : A+
In fairness, the team defended well. He faced just 12 shots in 40 minutes and 19 overall, and he made a couple of tough saves look easy. Silovs is 2-0 in season openers during his Penguins career, with two shutouts.
Grading on the curve, a few Penguins looked like they are still getting their timing. Erik Karlsson was a little sketchy in the first period before settling down. Kaedan Korczak was OK, but he didn't aggressively close gaps—defensemen can take a few moments to get comfortable.
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