Penguins’ season ends in heartbreak as they dominate OT, but lose

This article originally appeared on PGHHockeyNOW.com.

Overtime. The Pittsburgh Penguins season hung by a thread, as they tried to become just the 11th team in NHL history to reach Game 7 after trailing a series 3-0, as they had to the Philadelphia Flyers. And the teams needed overtime to decide Game 6 on Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs made no less than a half-dozen game-saving stops. He made all 26 shots aimed at him in regulation. Flyers goalie Dan Vladar made a bevy of stops, especially in the third period, too. The Penguins pushed hard in the third period, but Vladar made a few toe saves.

Late in the first overtime period, Cam York scored from the blue line. The Flyers won 1-0 and the Penguins’ season is over.

Silovs stopped 31 of 32 shots. Vladar stopped all 42.

The Penguins had the better chances in overtime. They had nine of the first 11 shots in OT, including a couple of great chances, including Anthony Mantha on his backhand in front of the net and a nifty deflection by Noel Acciari, which hit Vladar.

The tension created far more emotion than results. The teams swapped zone possession and high danger chances in the first period as each tried to adhere to their structures until the overwhelming pressures of playoff hockey demanded more.