19-Year-Old Porter Martone Just Ended Pittsburgh's Playoff Party, and the Flyers Are Coming Home Up 1-0
The Philadelphia Flyers walked into PPG Paints Arena as massive underdogs and left with exactly what nobody in Pittsburgh expected: a Game 1 victory. Porter Martone, the Flyers' 19-year-old rookie, buried the eventual winner with 2:37 left on the clock as Philadelphia stunned the Penguins 3-2 in the Eastern Conference quarterfinal opener.
From Long Shots to Playoff Reality
Here's the wildest part: The Flyers showed up to their morning skate wearing T-shirts that said "3.8 percent" on them. That was their shot at the postseason just a couple months ago. They hadn't tasted playoff hockey since 2020. Then they caught fire down the stretch and actually made it, and now they're heading home with a win against a team that had no business being this vulnerable.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiTravis Sanheim gave Philadelphia the go-ahead goal midway through the third period, splitting a pair of Penguins at the top of the zone before firing one past Stuart Skinner. Jamie Drysdale also lit the lamp for the Flyers, who never looked rattled by the electric crowd at PPG Paints Arena, even though Pittsburgh's making its first playoff push since 2022 under new coach Dan Muse.
Pittsburgh's Scoring Prowess Couldn't Save Them
The Penguins were the NHL's third-highest scoring team during the regular season, but they couldn't find their rhythm when it mattered. Evgeni Malkin notched his 68th career playoff goal for Pittsburgh, and Bryan Rust pounded home a rebound with 1:01 left to make it close. Vladar, though, shut the door on Anthony Mantha in the final seconds. The Flyers' goalie stopped 14 shots and picked up the first postseason win of his six-year career.
Game 2 is coming, and the Penguins need to find answers fast. The Flyers proved they belong in this series. Now Philadelphia heads home up one game, and that "3.8 percent" is looking pretty good right now.
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