Feb 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) moves the puck against Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates (27) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Evgeni Malkin scored the tying goal early in the third period and then the game-winner 1:03 into overtime to cap his four-point night as the Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a three-goal deficit to beat the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on Thursday.
Down 4-3, Malkin sent a twisted wrister over the shoulder of Philadelphia goaltender Samuel Ersson, who finished with 20 saves. and into the net to tie it 2:30 into the third. Then, via a two-on-one with Kris Letang, Malkin beat Ersson on the short side and snapped the Penguins’ four-game skid.
Erik Karlsson also had two goals and Philip Tomasino scored in his second straight game for the Penguins, who trailed 3-0 near the halfway mark of the second but rallied for the win after losing 6-1 at Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Pittsburgh’s Joel Blomqvist stopped 21 shots in relief of Alex Nedeljkovic, who was pulled for allowing three goals on 15 shots.
Star rookie Matvei Michkov had two goals and an assist for Philadelphia, which had won three straight.
The Flyers jumped in front 1-0 just two minutes into Thursday’s showdown, as Bobby Brink dropped the puck into the slot for Noah Cates to unload a lengthy wrister past Nedeljkovic.
In the second, the Flyers extended their lead 1:44 in when, off the face-off, Owen Tippett’s shot glanced off Penguin Ryan Shea and into the net.
Moments after Philadelphia had a goal waved off for high-sticking, the visitors made it 3-0 as Michkov got behind the out-of-position Nedeljkovic and lid the puck over the line 7:24 into the period, chasing the starting netminder.
Nedeljkovic threw his stick in frustration, then appeared to shout toward Penguins coach Mike Sullivan once on the bench.
But, off a strong forecheck, Malkin got the puck to an open Tomasino, who went forehand-backhand to beat Ersson with 10:55 remaining in the middle frame. Just 30 seconds later, Karlsson’s blast from the point made it 3-2.
Philadelphia halted Pittsburgh’s momentum with 8:55 left in the second after the Penguins’ Boko Imama laid a questionable hit that knocked the Flyers’ Garnet Hathaway out of the game. On the ensuing power play, Michkov converted a touch pass from Andrei Kuzmenko to double the Flyers’ lead.
But Karlsson scored from the mid-circle with 1:43 to go in the wild second period.
–Field Level Media
