Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Quick read:

The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins will face off in the Eastern Conference First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking the first time the 'Battle of Pennsylvania' rivalry has met in the postseason since 2018. This matchup will be the eighth time the teams have played in the playoffs and the fifth since Penguins captain Sidney Crosby entered the NHL in 2005-06.

Crosby holds a significant advantage, having scored 60 goals against the Flyers, including at least one goal in every building since joining the league: 13 in 16 games at Mellon Arena, 17 in 29 games at PPG Paints Arena, and 28 in 44 games at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Additionally, Crosby scored against the Flyers at Heinz Field during the 2017 Stadium Series and Lincoln Financial Field during the 2019 Stadium Series.

The Penguins, returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, are led by Crosby, who recorded 74 points (29 goals, 45 assists) in 68 games. The team also featured seven skaters with at least 40 points and five who scored at least 19 goals, with Anthony Mantha leading the group with...