Guentzel, Penguins Win to End Flyers Season in Game 6

(Kate Frese/SB Nation)

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

Shortly past the midpoint of the second period, the Flyers had a 4-2 lead in Game 6 and the possibility of a Game 7 drew closer. Just over a minute later, the Penguins reminded them what happens when you commit turnovers against a two-time defending champion.

The Penguins got the game tied by the end of the second period, as Jake Guentzel scored the tying goal with 54 seconds left. In the third, Guentzel scored three more goals, giving the Penguins a 8-5 win over the Flyers in Game 6 and bringing the Flyers season to an end.

The Flyers came out firing, and that helped them produce a quick goal to get Wells Fargo Center rocking.

Wayne Simmonds got the puck alone in front and took a shot that got behind Matt Murray. Sean Couturier crashed the net and was able to knock it in to give the Flyers the lead 2:15 into the game.

The Flyers opened up a 7-1 lead in shots, but the Penguins stormed back. Off a face-off, Kris Letang fired a shot that Michal Neuvirth stopped with the pad, but the rebound went right to Sidney Crosby, and he didn't miss, tying the game with his sixth goal of the series at 6:30.

Just 47 seconds later, the Flyers had another defensive breakdown, leaving Carl Hagelin alone in front. Phil Kessel was able to get him the puck and he let go a quick one-timer that beat Neuvirth to give the Penguins the lead.

At that point, the building had lost a lot of the life that was there at the start, but the Flyers were able to get it back with another quality shift by the Couturier line.

Ivan Provorov got the puck at the top of the left circle and passed across to Andrew MacDonald, who unleashed a slap shot that beat Murray to tie the game with 4:12 remaining in the first period.

The Penguins nearly scored on an extended stretch of 6-on-5 play, as the Flyers could not touch up on a delayed penalty call. Neuvirth made two stellar saves — one on a deflection and another from Conor Sheary that clipped his pad and hit the post.

The Flyers were able to kill off the 1:25 of power play time for Pittsburgh that remained in the first period, taking a 2-2 tie to the locker room after 20 minutes. Shots were 11-10 Pittsburgh.

The Flyers killed off the remainder of the penalty to start the second and Matt Read got Couturier the puck ahead of the field on a breakaway. Couturier made a nice move on Murray, tucking the puck in the net to give the Flyers the lead back just 40 seconds into the period.

The one-goal lead held for the next 11 minutes, as the Flyers finally got a power play with Kessel going to the box trying to get Claude Giroux to drop the gloves. The Flyers failed to score on the man-advantage, but struck again moments later.

Couturier lifted a pass for Scott Laughton who was streaking down the ice. Laughton moved in and fired a wrist shot that beat Murray to the blocker side, giving the Flyers a 4-2 lead with 7:46 left in the second period.

Pittsburgh would not go quietly, scoring a goal just 1:21 later. Off a defensive-zone turnover, Crosby started a quick passing play, getting the puck to Jake Guentzel who went in front to Patric Hornqvist for the finish.

With the second period reaching the final minute, another defensive-zone turnover by Radko Gudas cost the Flyers again. Olli Maatta's point shot made its way through traffic and got behind Neuvirth. Guentzel was there to put it home, tying the game at four with 54 seconds left in the period.

After two periods, shots were 21-19 Pittsburgh.

Just 30 seconds into the third period, the Penguins struck again off a turnover. Ivan Provorov mishandled the puck and Kessel was able to steal it away. That created a 2-on-0 and Kessel fed Guentzel for the slam dunk into an empty net, giving the Penguins a 5-4 lead with his second of the game.

The Flyers got a golden opportunity to tie the game with a power play with 13:45 left as Brian Dumoulin took a delay of game penalty. The Flyers power play lacked urgency and they never got a shot during the man-advantage.

As the period hit the halfway point, shots were 2-0 Penguins.

The Flyers got another power play later in the period. After both Guentzel and Jake Voracek were taken off with penalties to make it 4-on-4, Kris Letang took a cross-checking penalty to make it 4-on-3 for 1:29. The Flyers failed to score on the power play again, and moments later, the Penguins made them pay.

Couturier was tripped along the boards by Letang and the puck was centered to Guentzel who fired a one-timer home to make it 6-4 and complete the hat trick with a backbreaking goal with 7:12 remaining in the third.

If that wasn't enough, Guentzel scored his fourth goal of the game on a two-on-one just 10 seconds later, officially icing the game.

Couturier did score with 2:53 left in the third to finish off a hat trick of his own, but it came too little, too late.

Bryan Rust added a goal into an empty net with 30 seconds left to ice the game.

Murray made 21 saves in the win. Neuvirth made 20 saves in the loss.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• PHI Sean Couturier (3) (Unassisted) 2:15
• PIT Sidney Crosby (6) (Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin) 6:30
• PIT Carl Hagelin (2) (Phil Kessel, Riley Sheahan) 7:17
• PHI Andrew MacDonald (2) (Ivan Provorov, Couturier) 15:38

2nd Period

• PHI Couturier (4) (Matt Read) 0:40
• PHI Scott Laughton (1) (Couturier) 12:14
• PIT Patric Hornqvist (2) (Jake Guentzel, Crosby) 13:35
• PIT Guentzel (3) (Olli Maatta, Hornqvist) 19:06

3rd Period

• PIT Guentzel (4) (Kessel) 0:30
• PIT Guentzel (5) (Crosby, Letang) 12:48
• PIT Guentzel (6) (Hornqvist, Letang) 12:58
• PHI Couturier (5) (Claude Giroux) 17:07
• PIT Bryan Rust (3) (Unassisted) 19:29

Game Statistics