Vladar Blanks Penguins, Flyers Win Game 2

Throughout the entire 82-game regular season, the one thing Dan Vladar didn't do was pick up a shutout win. What a time for your first of the season.

The Philadelphia Flyers scored twice in the second period and put the game away in the third on the way to a 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead.

How It Happened

There was no scoring in the opening period, despite three penalties being called on the Flyers that put the Penguins on the power play. Through 20 minutes, shots were 5-2 Flyers.

It took until 13:39 of the second period, but the Flyers finally broke the ice and got on the board first. It was Porter Martone scoring once again on a backhand for his second goal of the playoffs to make it 1-0.

With 2:17 to play in the period, the Flyers added some insurance with a shorthanded goal. Owen Tippett made a nice move and centered for Garnet Hathaway with an open net for the goal to make it 2-0 Flyers.

The lone goal of the third came into an empty net, as Luke Glendening finished off the win with his first goal of the playoffs.

Box Score

1st Period

No Scoring

2nd Period

PHI Porter Martone (2) (Travis Konecny, Christian Dvorak) 13:39
PHI Garnet Hathaway (1) SH (Owen Tippett) 17:43

3rd Period

PHI Luke Glendening (1) EN (Sean Couturier, Hathaway) 17:55

By the Numbers

Shots: Flyers: 23, Penguins: 27
Power Play: Flyers: 0-for-4, Penguins: 0-for-5
Faceoffs: Flyers: 55.1%, Penguins: 44.9%
Goalies: PHI Dan Vladar: 27 saves on 27 shots, PIT Stuart Skinner: 20 saves on 22 shots

Key Performers

⭐ Dan Vladar — Once again, solid from start to finish, but especially early in the second and throughout the third. After seeing just two shots on goal in the first, Vladar stopped all 12 shots in the second and all 13 shots in the third to secure his first shutout win of the season.

⭐⭐ Garnet Hathaway — The fourth-line mainstay came up with a huge goal while shorthanded to put the Flyers ahead by two. Hathaway also added an assist for a two-point game.

⭐⭐⭐ Porter Martone — It's becoming a nightly thing for this kid to deliver. Martone scored again, already his sixth goal in 11 NHL games between the regular season and playoffs, and looks every bit like a veteran in the first weeks of his career.

The Takeaway

The run just keeps moving along. The Flyers did exactly what they did in Game 1 and kept the Penguins away from the net for most of the night. When they started to bend early in the second and again throughout the third, they didn't break thanks to their netminder. And now, as the series heads back for the first playoff home game in Philadelphia in eight years, the Flyers have a hold on the series with a 2-0 series lead. The home barn is going to be electric on Wednesday night.