Strengths and Weaknesses: How the Flyers can Win and Lose the Series vs. the Penguins

It will likely be Skinner’s net, whose individual stats since the break are a .884 SV% and a 3.21 GAA. Vladar will be the Flyers’ workhorse. Since the break, he has a 2.26 GAA and a .907 SV%.

A key to the Flyers’ success will be Sam Ersson. Vladar will likely get the first three games, but beyond that, I don’t know if he’d get more than that consecutively. Sam Ersson should get at least a game, if not more. If the Flyers get post-break Ersson, that is a big key for them.

On the flip side, if the Penguins’ goaltending does not improve in the playoffs, the Flyers may be able to take advantage. Heading into the series, goaltending is a Flyers strength.

Weakness: Sidney Crosby

Even in his 21st season in the league, Sidney Crosby is still a dominant force. At age 38, Crosby has 29 goals and 45 assists for 74 points in 68 games.

He always brings his best against the Flyers. In 93 games against Philadelphia, he has 60 goals and 79 assists for 139 total points. In his 23 playoff games against the Flyers, he has 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 total points.

Crosby played in just 3 of the Penguins’ games, and still had 4 goals and an assist for 5 points. He simply is not slowing down.

Going into the series, Crosby, still playing for the Penguins, is a big weakness for the Flyers.

Strength: Playing from behind

One of the Flyers’ biggest weaknesses is also one of their biggest strengths.

The Flyers don’t typically get off to strong starts. Oftentimes, they find themselves giving up the first goal. That is one of the team’s biggest weaknesses. However, it also leads them to their biggest strength.

The Flyers are a resilient group. Going down 1-0 can often faze teams, but not Philly. This season, the Flyers have 20 wins after giving up the first goal. That is the second-best in the league, behind the Anaheim Ducks, who have 21 wins.

Playing from behind is not an ideal way to start a game. Especially in the playoffs, it puts you at an immediate disadvantage. The Flyers’ ability not to let that affect them has been a strength all season. Going into the postseason, that is a key to success for the Flyers.

Weakness: Special Teams

Special teams are not the Flyers’ strong suit. Their power play ranked at the bottom of the league during the regular season at 15.5%. Not good. The penalty kill ranked 22nd at 77.6%.

Since the Olympic Break, the Flyers have a PK% of 74% and a PP% of 14.9%. Special teams have actually gotten worse since then.

Pittsburgh could have a below league-average power play and penalty kill, and still have a pretty big advantage over the Flyers in this category. The Penguins’ power play is 7th in the league over the regular season at 24.1%, and the 6th best penalty kill at 81.4%.

Since the Olympic break, their power play has slowed down a bit, going 21.1%. Their penalty kill is 75.7%, which has also slowed down since the break.

Still, advantage Pittsburgh.

If the Flyers want to have a chance, keeping the series at 5-on-5 is critical. With weapons like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, and Kris Letang on the power play, you have to be careful. But if they can keep it at even strength, the Flyers have a chance.

Flyers vs. Penguins series prediction

It’s prediction time!

The first thing to say about this series is that neither team runs away with it. No matter what, it’s going to be close. I’ll take it a step further and say that I think both teams win their first home game of the series.

If the Flyers can stay out of trouble, I think the odds of the series shift dramatically in their favor. Between the goaltending and 5-on-5 play, I think the Flyers have a good advantage.

Another thing that goes into Philly’s favor is momentum. It’s a tale as old as time. Teams that head into a playoff series riding some momentum tend to carry it into the postseason. The Flyers ended their season with a number of thrilling wins, a clinching victory with a game to spare, and a win in the finale with their B-team against a contender with something to play for. Their record is 11-4-0 over the final 15 games.

The Penguins, on the other hand, have gone 7-7-1 over the last 15 games, including three straight losses. It’s worth mentioning that the Penguins were resting guys for their final 3 games, but momentum is momentum.

With all of that said, I think the series goes to 6 games, and the Flyers take the series on home ice.

Final prediction: Flyers win the series 4-2

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