The Philadelphia Flyers took a 3-0 series lead against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-2 win in Wednesday's Game 3.
Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin opened the scoring in the first period, but the Flyers surged back in the second. Trevor Zegras, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Nick Seeler each scored in a six-minute span to take a lead Philadelphia would never surrender.
Eleven minor penalties were handed out as a result of a second-period melee. Zegras scored on the ensuing Philadelphia power play.
THE BATTLE OF PENNSYLVANIA IS ALIVE AND WELL pic.twitter.com/W3azOpQPru
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 23, 2026
"It kind of turned into a bit of a circus there," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said postgame, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo. "I'm not sure why they decided to put five guys in the box on each side. I felt like that kind of changed a lot of the momentum. It took a long time. Obviously, we didn't get the kill. Felt like they fed off that."
Erik Karlsson got one back for the Penguins in the third before Noah Cates restored Philadelphia's two-goal advantage. Owen Tippett sealed the contest with an empty-netter.
Noah's Spark. 💥#PITvsPHI | #IgniteTheOrange pic.twitter.com/AaM4e2Cv7H
— x - Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 23, 2026
Dan Vladar made 29 saves, while Stuart Skinner stopped 24 of 28.
Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway clipped Crosby with a high stick before a faceoff in the first period. Hathaway was penalized, but Crosby was also assessed a minor penalty for embellishment.
Garnet Hathaway catches Sidney Crosby with a slight high stick and both players head to the penalty box. pic.twitter.com/FrqnXjXZR4
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 22, 2026
"We don't have a single embellishment all year," Penguins head coach Dan Muse said, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "Sidney Crosby doesn't have an embellishment in 21 seasons. Stick in his face, they take both of them. I disagree on that strongly. We didn't come into this series to start (embellishing) now. Sid doesn't embellish."
Flyers captain Sean Couturier is glad his team is finding success this postseason after missing the playoffs each of the last five seasons.
"We're happy, but I think we're also happy for the city, for the fans," Couturier said, according to The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor. "They've supported us through the ups and the downs of the last couple years."
The Flyers last swept a series in the 1995 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when they eliminated the New York Rangers in four games during the second round. Philadelphia has never swept the Penguins.
Pittsburgh was most recently swept by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2019 postseason.
Game 4 is Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in Philadelphia.
