Penguins and Flyers to Renew Playoff Rivalry in 2026 First Round

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia set to meet in postseason for first time since 2018

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:38pm

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers will face off in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking the eighth time the intrastate rivals have met in the postseason. Despite neither team being strongly considered a playoff contender before the season, the Penguins secured home-ice advantage by finishing second in the Metropolitan Division, while the Flyers made a 22-point improvement under new head coach Rick Tocchet to earn the third seed.

Why it matters

The Penguins-Flyers playoff matchup is one of the most storied rivalries in the NHL, with the teams having met seven times previously in the postseason. Pittsburgh holds a 4-3 edge in those series, though the Flyers have won three of the last four. This latest installment of the Battle of Pennsylvania will feature veteran superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin leading the Penguins against a young Flyers roster that made a surprising run to the playoffs.

The details

The Penguins received strong offensive seasons from Crosby (74 points), Malkin (61 points in 56 games), and defenseman Erik Karlsson (66 points), while Anthony Mantha, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell all scored 20+ goals. The Flyers, led by Jack Adams Award winner Rick Tocchet in his first season as head coach, saw breakout years from Trevor Zegras (26 goals), Matvei Michkov (20 goals), and Porter Martone (10 points in first 9 NHL games). Goaltending could be a key factor, with the Flyers' Dan Vladar holding an edge over the Penguins' Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner.

  • The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series between the Penguins and Flyers begins on Saturday.
  • The teams met four times during the 2025-26 regular season, with Pittsburgh winning two of those matchups convincingly.

The players

Sidney Crosby

The 38-year-old Penguins captain has recorded 60 goals and 139 points in 93 career regular-season games against the Flyers, along with 36 points in 23 playoff contests.

Evgeni Malkin

The veteran Penguins center collected 61 points in 56 games this season, helping Pittsburgh secure home-ice advantage in the first-round series.

Rick Tocchet

The Flyers' first-year head coach won the Jack Adams Award in 2023-24 while with the Vancouver Canucks and has strong ties to both the Penguins and Flyers as a former player and coach.

Dan Vladar

The Flyers' starting goaltender entered the final two days of the regular season ranked third in the NHL with a 2.42 goals-against average.

Anthony Mantha

The Penguins forward set a career high with 33 goals this season, providing additional offensive support alongside Crosby and Malkin.

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What they’re saying

“It's been eight years since the Battle of Pennsylvania took place in the postseason and just as long since the Pittsburgh Penguins won a playoff series. That victory came against the Philadelphia Flyers, and the intrastate rivals will face off for the eighth time in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin Saturday.”

— Scott Erskine, SportsLine NHL Analyst

“The Tocchet factor is a big one for Philadelphia. The 62-year-old coach, who was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round of the 1983 NHL Draft, began and ended his on-ice career with the organization while winning one Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh as a player (1992) and two as an assistant coach (2016 and 2017).”

— Scott Erskine, SportsLine NHL Analyst

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This latest installment of the Penguins-Flyers playoff rivalry will feature veteran star power against a young, up-and-coming Flyers roster that exceeded expectations under new head coach Rick Tocchet. The Penguins' postseason experience could give them the edge, but the Flyers' improved play and goaltending could make this a closely contested series.