The Philadelphia Flyers suffered a disappointing 5-1 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 4, 2024, largely due to a struggling penalty kill that conceded three power-play goals. This performance came as a surprise, given that the Flyers’ penalty kill had been among the league’s top five throughout the season. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Philadelphia and highlighted the challenges they face against their cross-state rivals.
One of the most significant setbacks for the Flyers was the departure of their top scorer, Tyson Foerster, who left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return. His absence was felt as the Flyers struggled to maintain offensive pressure against a formidable Penguins team.
The Penguins opened the scoring with a power-play goal from Sidney Crosby, who continues to be a thorn in the Flyers’ side. At 38 years old, Crosby scored his 58th and 59th goals against Philadelphia, extending his all-time record against them to an impressive 137 points in his career. His early goal came at 9:18 of the first period, capitalizing on a rebound after a shot from teammate Bryan Rust.
Despite having opportunities to score, the Flyers could not find the back of the net against Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. They did manage a five-on-three power-play goal from Foerster early in the second period, but their momentum was short-lived. Crosby quickly countered with another power-play goal at 8:08, followed by Rust scoring again at 15:52, pushing the Penguins to a commanding 3-1 lead.
Flyers’ head coach Rick Tocchet acknowledged the team’s struggles on the penalty kill, stating, “It [the penalty kill] has been good all year but it struggled tonight. They get a lot of shots in the middle, and that’s what we’re trying to get our guys to do. It’s one of those things; we have to clean up the PK. We have to clean up the structure part of it.”
Players echoed Tocchet’s sentiments regarding the penalty kill performance. Sean Couturier noted, “All year the PK has been great for us. Tonight we didn’t have it. They picked us apart. Sometimes we don’t have it. Give them credit; they made plays. You look at the goals; they’re all different kinds of goals.”
Adding to the Flyers’ woes, Thomas Novak scored on the power play at 13:52 in the third period, extending the Penguins’ lead to 4-1. Kevin Hayes managed to score a consolation goal for Philadelphia at 15:33, but it was not enough to change the outcome of the game.
Tocchet recently achieved a personal milestone, recording his 300th NHL win just two days prior, and his team had been boasting a winning percentage of .646 leading into this match. If this percentage remains consistent, it would mark the second-highest of his coaching career.
The Flyers will look to rebound as they continue their six-game homestand with a matchup against the Buffalo Sabres on March 6, 2024. In roster updates, defenseman Adam Ginning has cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Despite the loss, the Flyers remain focused on returning to the strong penalty-killing form that had defined their season thus far. As the team prepares for their next game, the challenge will be to learn from this performance and regain their competitive edge.
