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Dan’s Daily: Long Island Shocker; Flyers Take Spot; Penguins 1 Win Away
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- Dan’s Daily: Long Island Shocker; Flyers Take Spot; Penguins 1 Win Away
Mark Alberti-Imagn Images Mark Alberti-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins need just one more win in their next four games to qualify for the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They completed a five-games in seven-days gauntlet with four wins, and Sidney Crosby is a mere two points away from returning to the postseason. We've got full coverage of the second win over the Florida Panthers from PPG Paints Arena.
Elsewhere in the Daily, the New York Islanders pulled a Robby Ftorek sized shocker and canned coach Patrick Roy with just four games remaining. Like the Vegas Golden Knights , they also replaced him with a veteran–several times over–coach. The Philadelphia Flyers have risen from the hockey dead, swiped third place with a dramatic win behind rookie Porter Martone. The Detroit Red Wings are being dragged down by their fans?! And the Ottawa Senators claimed the second wild card spot.
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Oh, the fun is just beginning this week.
I hope you had a good holiday weekend, Passover and Easter. It felt weird as people wished me a Happy Easter … because it was game day. I had two slices of pizza and press box nachos to go with my three cups of coffee during that second period. There should be some jelly beans 50% off today, right?
Bryan Rust appropriately called the NHL schedule insane. Cmon, five games in seven days, after 18 games in March. I cannot figure out why the NHL does not start the darned season a week earlier or more and try to get it on a regular schedule where fans know when to expect games. And the league should absolutely do more of these weekend series, but make it against division opponents so fans really get into it.
And I've been honored by your generosity to keep PHN on the road for the playoff run. I think we've almost covered Round One unless we have to spend four days in Philly or on Long Island. You can buy me a coffee here .
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I'll put some of the travel stories on that page for the donors.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: A little bit of drama before the game. Coach Dan Muse did not name a starting goalie, then we learned that Stuart Skinner was injured Saturday on the bench by an errant puck. Taylor Gauthier was the "hurry up and get here" recall from Wheeling. We've updated the story both with info on the Sergei Murashov recall possibility, Gauthier's heartwarming rush to Pittsburgh, and the Penguins status .
Now then, to the game. A 5-2 win. Here's the Penguins recap .
Here's the flip side coverage from our guys in Florida. A rough weekend for the Florida Panthers .
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Of course, the Florida Panthers would not make it easy on the Penguins. They would not roll over two days in a row. So, they made some tactical adjustments, and so did the Penguins. And the Penguins won the goalie battle with Arturs Silovs in net. Here's what went down and the player grades as the Penguins inched two points from a playoff spot. The Penguins' Report Card .
NHL Rumors, Playoff Chase, & National Hockey Now
Philly Hockey Now: They're going bonkers in Philly. The surge has reached third place. Porter Martone had two points—he set up the first goal, then scored the second, an OT game winner. Will James has the exuberant breakdown and consequences of the Philadelphia Flyers win.
NHL.com: WOW. Four games to go. Not since the 2001 New Jersey Devils have we seen this. With sinking playoff hopes, the New York Islanders poop-canned Patrick Roy and hired Pete DeBoer with a multi-year deal .
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Detroit Hockey Now: This will make you laugh out loud. I did. The dark humor of Bob Duff, much like Pittsburgh's Dave Molinari, shines through here as the Detroit Red Wings blew another chance to claim a wild card spot, and this time players are talking about the negativity … of the fans. Ouch. It's getting heavy in the Red Wings room .
TSN Video: The Ottawa Senators are back in a playoff spot. It's been a fight to get back into it, but they're all the way back. Craig Button breaks down how they beat the Carolina Hurricanes and why it matters .
Ottawa could beat Carolina in a seven-game series.
TVA Sports: Stick tap to Spector's Hockey for finding this one. Teams are upset with Toronto Maple Leafs/MLSE president Scott Pelley for mentioning their prospects as trade targets. Nor should they be. But…can anyone pry Michael Hage from Montreal ?
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The Penguins are one win away. Silovs played quite well. Penguins fans will still get their Murashov call up. And Sidney Crosby will get back to the playoffs. I'd say it was a good weekend for Pittsburgh.
The post Dan's Daily: Long Island Shocker; Flyers Take Spot; Penguins 1 Win Away appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now .
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