Penguins Host Flyers in NHL Playoffs Opener

The two Metropolitan Division rivals meet in Game 1 of the first-round series.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 8:10am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a hockey game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a cubist style.The storied rivalry between the Penguins and Flyers continues in the NHL playoffs, with the two teams' intense matchup deconstructed into a cubist masterpiece.Today in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday night. The teams split their four regular-season meetings, with the Flyers winning the most recent matchup in a shootout on March 7.

Why it matters

This is the 16th all-time playoff meeting between the Penguins and Flyers, making it one of the most storied rivalries in the NHL postseason. The winner of this series will advance to the second round and move one step closer to the Stanley Cup.

The details

The Penguins finished the regular season with a 41-25-16 record and ranked third in the Metropolitan Division. They have a potent offense led by veteran center Sidney Crosby, who had 29 goals and 45 assists. The Flyers, meanwhile, were 43-27-12 overall and finished fourth in the division. Rookie forward Matvei Michkov has been a key contributor for Philadelphia down the stretch, with four goals and eight assists in his last 10 games.

  • The game is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 8 p.m. EDT.
  • The Penguins and Flyers split their four regular-season meetings, with the Flyers winning the most recent matchup in a shootout on March 7.

The players

Sidney Crosby

The veteran Penguins center led the team with 29 goals and 45 assists during the regular season.

Matvei Michkov

The rookie forward has been a key contributor for the Flyers down the stretch, recording four goals and eight assists in his last 10 games.

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What they’re saying

“This is going to be a hard-fought series between two teams that know each other very well. The rivalry between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia is always intense, and I expect this playoff matchup to be no different.”

— Mike Sullivan, Penguins Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of this best-of-seven series will advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs.

The takeaway

This first-round playoff matchup between the Penguins and Flyers is a clash of two Metropolitan Division rivals with a long history of intense postseason battles. The outcome could come down to which team's stars, like Crosby and Michkov, are able to make the biggest impact.