(Kate Frese/SB Nation)
By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
It all starts tonight — Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Flyers are getting a tough draw in the defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champions in the first round, but the Battle of Pennsylvania is always entertaining and should make for a great series. Game 1 opens in Pittsburgh, as the Penguins quest for a three-peat begins.
The puck drops on Game 1 at 7 p.m.
Team Leaders (Regular Season Totals)
| Philadelphia Flyers | GP | G | A | P | Pittsburgh Penguins | GP | G | A | P |
| Claude Giroux | 82 | 34 | 68 | 102 | Evgeni Malkin | 78 | 42 | 56 | 98 |
| Jake Voracek | 82 | 20 | 65 | 85 | Phil Kessel | 82 | 34 | 58 | 92 |
| Sean Couturier | 82 | 31 | 45 | 76 | Sidney Crosby | 82 | 29 | 60 | 89 |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 78 | 13 | 52 | 65 | Kris Letang | 79 | 9 | 42 | 50 |
| Travis Konecny | 81 | 24 | 23 | 47 | Patric Hornqvist | 70 | 29 | 20 | 49 |
| Player to Watch | |
| 28 Claude Giroux | 87 Sidney Crosby |
| Last 5 Games: 8 G, 2 A, 10 P, +11 | Last 5 Games: 2 G, 3 A, 5 P, E |
| Goalie Matchup (Regular Season Totals) | |
| 37 Brian Elliott | 30 Matt Murray |
| 23-11-7, 2.66 GAA, .909 SV% | 27-16-3, 2.92 GAA, .907 SV% |
It will be Brian Elliott in goal for Game 1 for the Flyers. Elliott was projected to be the team's No. 1 goalie all along, but spent seven weeks on the shelf with an injury and recovering from core muscle surgery. Elliott returned for the final two games of the regular season and picked up wins in both, including a 17-save shutout in the regular-season finale on Saturday.
Matt Murray has been at the center of the Penguins two Stanley Cup runs in the last two years, but this is the first time he is starting Game 1 of the opening series. Murray had a solid season with 27 win and a 2.92 GAA, but has been known to allow goals against the Flyers. In eight career starts against the Flyers, Murray has a 3.00 GAA.
Flyers Projected Lineup
Injuries: Michal Neuvirth
Scratches: Dale Weise, Jordan Weal, Taylor Leier, Robert Hagg, Johnny Oduya
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| 28 Claude Giroux | 14 Sean Couturier | 12 Michael Raffl |
| 54 Oskar Lindblom | 19 Nolan Patrick | 93 Jake Voracek |
| 11 Travis Konecny | 51 Valtteri Filppula | 17 Wayne Simmonds |
| 21 Scott Laughton | 15 Jori Lehtera | 24 Matt Read |
| Defense | ||
| 9 Ivan Provorov | 53 Shayne Gostisbehere | |
| 6 Travis Sanheim | 47 Andrew MacDonald | |
| 23 Brandon Manning | 3 Radko Gudas | |
| Goalie | ||
| 37 Brian Elliott |
Lineup Notes
The Flyers make no changes to the lineup from Saturday's playoff-clinching win to Game 1 on Wednesday.
Penguins Projected Lineup
Scratches: Josh Jooris, Carter Rowney, Dominik Simon, Chad Ruhwedel
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| 59 Jake Guentzel | 87 Sidney Crosby | 17 Bryan Rust |
| 62 Carl Hagelin | 71 Evgeni Malkin | 72 Patric Hornqvist |
| 43 Conor Sheary | 19 Derick Brassard | 81 Phil Kessel |
| 34 Tom Kuhnhackl | 15 Riley Sheahan | 46 Zach Aston-Reese |
| Defense | ||
| 8 Brian Dumoulin | 58 Kris Letang | |
| 3 Olli Maatta | 4 Justin Schultz | |
| 22 Matt Hunwick | 6 Jamie Oleksiak | |
| Goalie | ||
| 30 Matt Murray |
Game Notes***
- Power Play: Flyers (15th, 4th on road), Penguins (1st, T-1st at home)
- Penalty Kill: Flyers (29th, 24th on road), Penguins (17th, 21st at home)
- Recent History vs. Penguins
- Nov. 27, 2017 – Penguins 5, Flyers 4 (OT) (at PIT)
- Jan. 2, 2018 – Penguins 5, Flyers 1 (at PHI)
- March 7, 2018 – Penguins 5, Flyers 2 (at PHI)
- March 25, 2018 – Penguins 5, Flyers 4 (OT) (at PIT)
- Flyers Leaders vs. Penguins
- Claude Giroux – 44 GP, 14 G, 31 A, 45 P
- Jake Voracek – 36 GP, 18 G, 17 A, 35 P
- Wayne Simmonds – 32 GP, 13 G, 11 A, 24 P
- Brian Elliott – 13 GP, 7-3-2, 2.88 GAA, .918 SV%
- Penguins Leaders vs. Flyers
- Sidney Crosby – 63 GP, 38 G, 55 A, 93 P
- Evgeni Malkin – 53 GP, 26 G, 42 A, 68 P
- Phil Kessel – 43 GP, 9 G, 19 A, 28 P
- Matt Murray – 8 GP, 3-2-0, 3.00 GAA, .912 SV%
Where to Watch
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia/NBCSN
Radio: 93.3 WMMR
