Flyers beat Penguins in overtime, advance in the playoffs; Phillies players booed; glitch impacts NBC Sports Philly

The biggest Flyers home game in 16 years was the best of that mostly dull and empty stretch of time, 77 minutes and 32 seconds of total tension, loads of scoring chances, a near-equal number of stellar saves by the two goaltenders, all of the action and apprehension inside the Xfinity Mobile Arena building and building and building … until Cam York flicked a little wrist shot from the right point that sailed on an enchanted journey to the back of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ net. Until the place felt like a gigantic joy-filled balloon that just popped.

Flyers 1, Penguins 0 in overtime. Welcome back to springtime, Flyers fans.

No sense in minimizing what Wednesday night meant. The last time the Flyers had a playoff game in this arena that mattered so much was during their run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. Sure, they had been in the postseason thereafter, but none of those series carried the weight of this one. Those minidramas had played out during a different era for the franchise, when playoff berths were expected and perhaps taken for granted.

It’s been a tough series for Matvei Michkov, who has yet to get on the scoresheet and was a well-documented healthy scratch in Game 5.

But could Michkov be turning a corner?

After a poor start to Game 6, the 21-year-old just had his best shift by a mile in the series, as he showed good wheels on a breakaway after a good chip out by Owen Tippett.

The first period was scoreless, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t any action.

Aside from the usual scrums, the new lines coach Rick Tocchet deployed had some pep to their step, with the Flyers putting 11 shots on goal and the Penguins 12. Each team also had a power play.

Owen Tippett had the best chance for the Flyers when, on a broken play in the neutral zone, he got it, picked up speed, went around Ilya Solovyov, and cut across the crease before being stopped by the left toe of Pittsburgh goalie Artūrs Šilovs.

Game 6 may be scoreless through 17 minutes but it has been far from boring, as the in-state rivals have traded good chances, with Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster having the best opportunities for the home team.

As expected, there also have been several scrums, namely one early in the first around Penguins goalie Artūrs Šilovs.

After Šilovs froze the puck for a whistle, Porter Martone pushed Blake Lizotte over the Latvian netminder. Lizotte was not happy and immediately responded by pushing Martone to the ice.

After winning the first three games of the series before dropping the last two, the Flyers return home Wednesday for Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at what’s sure to be a raucous but tense Xfinity Mobile Arena.

While some fans may be starting to get nervous — more like panic — the Flyers do have history on their side. Only 26 teams in 216 tries have forced a Game 6 after losing the first three games of a best-of-seven playoff series in NHL history, and only four have completed the reverse sweep, including Philly in 2010.

But the Flyers have been in this exact scenario before … and against Pittsburgh to boot.

After much consternation, it does appear that Matvei Michkov will return to the lineup on Wednesday for Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Russian winger was off the ice early at the team’s optional morning skate at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Winger Garnet Hathaway stayed on the ice late with players who normally are healthy scratches, like Garrett Wilson, Carl Grundström, and Oliver Bonk.

Where he slots in is the biggest question, as the right winger is not a fourth-line player. Could Tyson Foerster or Alex Bump — who played well together with center Noah Cates in Game 5 — or Denver Barkey move down?

Despite leading the team in points with 22 in the final 26 games of the regular season, helping the team clinch the third seed in the Metropolitan Division, Michkov posted zero points in the first four games of the postseason. The 21-year-old was a healthy scratch for Game 5 and appeared to revert to his early-season struggles with the uptick in pace and intensity.

Rick Tocchet has long talked about the lessons that his young Flyers team needs to learn. He has often mentioned teachable moments in both losses and in wins.

They have now lost two straight games after breaking out to a three to nothing lead in their best-of-seven game series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Flyers are still at the head of the class, as they hold the 3-2 advantage and have two more chances to advance. But it feels like the teacher is starting to implement a curve that could pull their grade down as the Penguins push and claw their way back into the series.

Alex Bump didn’t know whether he would play in this playoff series.

After Porter Martone signed with the Flyers out of college and Tyson Foerster returned from injury, there wasn’t an obvious place for him. As the playoffs started, Bump found himself the odd man out, watching from the press box, “itching” to get in.

On Monday, Bump’s number finally was called, and he delivered in the Flyers’ 3-2 loss in Game 5 to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Flyers-Penguins series jumps back to TNT Wednesday night for Game 6, with Kenny Albert and NBC Sports Philadelphia's Brian Boucher on the call. Chris Mason will handle reporting duties at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

TNT Sports is averaging 1.1 million viewers for its NHL playoff broadcasts across TNT, TBS, and truTV, up 67% compared to last season and the network's best start since landing hockey rights in 2021.

The game will also air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, with Scott Hartnell once again taking Boucher's place alongside Jim Jackson.