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The Pittsburgh Penguins stay alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers despite losing 3-0 to begin the first-round series.
Game 6 takes place in Philadelphia on Wednesday night, and there’s no need to explain how important it is to both teams. Regardless, Wayne Gretzky, “The Great One,” loved everything about this series.
“Boy, it’s really good hockey. It’s fast, it’s physical, there’s a lot of skill. It’s fun to watch. It’s great for hockey,” Gretzky said on the “Game Notes” podcast.
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Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby waits for a faceoff during the third period of Game 5 of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 27, 2026. (Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)
But many didn’t believe we would see a sixth game in this series after the way the Flyers dominated the Penguins in the first three matchups. However, Gretzky cautions anyone who still believes the Flyers will eventually end this thing to never doubt a Penguins team led by Sidney Crosby.
“You never count Crosby out, do you? Even at 3-0, if there’s a team that has the ability to come back, my God, [the Penguins] I have so much firepower with him and [Evgeni] Malkin. They made a goalie change, and that seems to have cheered the team up. »
The first three games saw Stuart Skinner in net for Pittsburgh, but head coach Dan Muse decided to give the nod to Arturs Silovs on a win-or-go-home Game 4, among other line changes.
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The Latvian goaltender has been a highlight for the Penguins, while the offense has found its way to the team’s backs against the wall.
That’s not to say Gretzky doesn’t like what he saw on the other bench.
The Flyers, one of the youngest teams in the NHL, faced a race to make the playoffs. They caught fire at just the right time, and that momentum resulted in a dominant start to the series.
“Philly plays with a lot of grit and energy,” Gretzky said. “I spoke to one of the [NHL’s] coaches in the final 10 games of the season, and they played in Philly. He said it was one of the toughest teams they had to play against. They just play the right way. They complete the tests, they play with energy. I really like their goalkeeper. I think he’s a solid goalie. In the playoffs, you gotta have a goalie, man, otherwise you don’t have a chance.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby celebrates a goal by teammate Connor Dewar during the second period of Game 5 of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 27, 2026. (Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)
“So, my God, this is such an important game for a young team like Philly. It’s going to be exciting to watch.”
What seemed like a quick end to the first round turned into a thrilling Game 6, with Crosby’s Penguins looking to do everything they can to bring the game back to Pittsburgh for a deciding Game 7.
Gretzky knows Crosby is telling his teammates what he needs to get them in the right frame of mind facing a raucous Philly crowd Wednesday night.
“It’s really tough, especially if you’re down 3-0 and Game 4 is away. It’s tough,” Gretzky said. “It takes leadership and experience to understand, to listen, you have to win four games. These are just clichés, and I know everyone is saying the right thing. But at the end of the day, you have to have that confidence to win a game.
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins collides with Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period of Game 2 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in Pittsburgh on April 20, 2026. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)
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“So you win Game 4 and you say on the plane home, ‘Look, we’re back in this situation. We’re going home. Our building. Let’s win Game 5.’ Then all the momentum shifts to us and all the pressure kind of goes to the Flyers. By all accounts, Sid was one of the greatest captains of all time in Pittsburgh. »
Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion during his future Hall of Fame career in Pittsburgh, had a point in each of the last three games against the Flyers. He had two assists in the 3-2 victory in Game 5, while scoring his first Stanley Cup Playoff goal since 2022 in Game 4.
