Flyers win Game 6 in OT, eliminate Penguins in Eastern 1st Round

PHILADELPHIA -- Cam York scored with 2:28 left in overtime, and the Philadelphia Flyers eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 1-0 win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday.

York scored on a shot from the blue line that went through a screen in front by teammate Noah Cates, off the right post and in for his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal.

"Great play by 'Michy' (Matvei Michkov) on the blue line there," York said. "As soon as I got it looked up and 'Catesy' was net front. Just the way that the game was going, we knew that it was going to be a greasy one and just wanted to get it to the net and it found a hole."

The Flyers, who are the No. 3 seed from the Metropolitan Division, will face the Carolina Hurricanes, the top seed in the East, in the second round.

Dan Vladar made 42 saves for the Flyers, who advanced in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since defeating the Montreal Canadiens in six games in the 2020 Eastern Conference First Round. It was their first series win in front of fans since eliminating the Penguins at home in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

"I was just trying to give the guys in front of me a chance," Vladar said. "I had the belief that they are going to capitalize. So obviously, glad that they did and even better than it was 'Yorkie' who scored."

Arturs Silovs made 31 saves for the Penguins, the No. 2 seed from the Metropolitan who were trying to become the fifth team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-7 series.

"Guys battled, we had looks, we had chances, we had saves," Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse said. "I thought guys did what they needed to do, but this happens sometimes."

The Penguins carried play through the third period and overtime, outshooting the Flyers by a combined 23-11, including 10-6 in overtime. But Vladar's strong play kept them in the game.

Vladar had two games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience before the series, one relief appearance each with the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames. But against the Penguins he had a .937 save percentage and two shutouts, allowing 10 goals in six games.

"It just felt like nothing was going to get past 'Vladdy,'" York said. "I think we all felt that, and we knew that we just needed one good, decent look and we were able to capitalize. He was unbelievable for us tonight, just so many Grade-A chances that they had that he just stood tall for us. I can't say enough about him."

Silovs was just as good in his third start of the series. He replaced Stuart Skinner after Pittsburgh lost the first three games of the series and had a .939 save percentage.

"He gave us a chance to win every time he was in," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "'Skins' did as well but it's not easy for a goalie to come in down 3-0 and having the game that he had for a few games. Just give him a ton of credit for coming in and playing like he did."

Both teams had ample opportunities to score during regulation, but each went 0-for-2 on the power play.

The Flyers' best scoring chance came during a Penguins power play during the second period, when Christian Dvorak nearly finished a give-and-go with Sean Couturier on the right post at 6:12, but Silovs made a sliding pad save.

Pittsburgh answered with a strong chance for Egor Chinakhov but his shot from the left face-off circle hit the post at 6:49.

The Flyers began the third period with a power play after Kris Letang was called for roughing at the end of the second, but they managed one shot on goal. Philadelphia went 2-for-17 on the man-advantage in the series, with both goals coming in Game 3.

Michkov, back in the lineup after being scratched for a 3-2 loss in Game 5 on Monday, had a chance on a breakaway but Silovs got a piece of the shot with his glove at 15:26.

"He was awesome," Muse said of Silovs. "Just massive saves. ... For him to come in this series the way he did, it says a lot about how much of a competitor he is."

Michkov then helped set up York's game-winner, the sixth goal by a Flyers defenseman during the series.

"I think everyone's got to contribute, and we kind of have been," Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale said. "Yorkie was due. He's a stud. He's been playing unreal all series. His time to shine and boy, did he ever shine.

NOTES: It was the 14th time in the NHL Expansion Era (since 1967), and second time in 18 years, that an elimination playoff game ended 1-0 in overtime. The most recent time was the Vegas Golden Knights' win against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round last season. ... Vladar's 42 saves are the most by a Flyers goalie in a series-clinching victory, surpassing the previous mark of 41 by Phil Myre in Game 3 of the 1980 Preliminary Round. ... York is the third defenseman in the NHL modern era (since 1943-44) to score his first Stanley Cup Playoff goal in overtime of a series-clinching game, joining Chris Tanev in Game 4 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers and Brooks Orpik in Game 6 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.