Flyers look to avoid elimination again in Game 6
The Philadelphia Flyers avoided elimination by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5. They are hoping to do the same again in Game 6 Sunday at home.
While the Penguins practiced before flying to Philadelphia, the Flyers traveled home after their 4-2 win and on Saturday held a team meeting with no formal practice.
Philadelphia got a boost from a returning player Friday. Top-line center Sean Couturier, who missed Game 4 because of an injury sustained in practice, returned and scored a goal.
"We're still down, but we've battled all year," Couturier said. "We've got to keep battling next game and play the same type of game."
The Flyers also got a strong game from their penalty killers, who snuffed all five Pittsburgh power plays and added a short-handed goal from Valtteri Filppula, and from Michal Neuvirth, one of three goalies Philadelphia has used in this series. In Neuvirth's first start in the series, he made 30 saves and would seem the likely starter Sunday.
"I like playing in the playoffs," Neuvirth said. "I like facing the pressure."
Flyers captain Claude Giroux boldly and correctly predicted his team would win Game 5, and he opened the scoring in that game with his first goal of the series. That eased mounting pressure he was putting on himself.
"You start overthinking it, trying to do much," Giroux said.
Both of the Flyers' wins in the series have come in Pittsburgh. They are 0-2 at home.
"We got two big wins on the road," Giroux said. "Now we've just got to figure out how to play at home. ... We're going to talk about it. We're excited to be back home. It's an advantage for us. It's got to be our best game."
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