Sidney Crosby Power Play Goal Headlines Penguins 6–3 Win Over Flyers

Pittsburgh — Sidney Crosby scored on the power play and added an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 6–3 on Thursday night, extending their recent dominance in the rivalry and snapping a three game skid.

Crosby’s night carried historical significance. With the assist, he became the eighth player in NHL history to record at least 19 seasons with 50 or more points, reaching the mark for the sixth consecutive year. He has now produced points in 29 of his last 34 games against Philadelphia, reinforcing his long standing impact in the matchup.

Pittsburgh generated three power play goals, continuing a stretch of strong special teams play. Justin Brazeau and Bryan Rust also converted with the man advantage as the Penguins finished with nine power play goals over their last 12 games. Blake Lizotte and Connor Dewar added even strength goals, while Evgeni Malkin contributed two assists to support the attack.

The win moved Pittsburgh to victories in eight of its last 12 games, a stretch that has stabilized the club as it remains in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Penguins have also earned points in 12 of their last 14 games against the Flyers and have not lost a home game to Philadelphia since March 6, 2021.

Tristan Jarry made 30 saves for Pittsburgh, delivering a steady performance after the Flyers applied pressure at five on five. The Penguins limited second chance opportunities and capitalized on special teams to control the game’s momentum.

Philadelphia received goals from Rodrigo Abols, Nick Seeler, and rookie Matvei Michkov, but the loss extended a difficult stretch. The Flyers have dropped five straight games and have allowed at least four goals in eight of their last nine defeats, raising concerns about defensive structure and goaltending consistency.

Samuel Ersson allowed three goals on 14 shots before being replaced by Aleksei Kolosov, who made 13 saves in relief. Philadelphia continues to evaluate its net rotation as the season progresses, particularly with the club conceding goals at a high rate during its recent slide.

The decisive moment came early in the third period when Crosby scored his power play goal at 3:10, pushing Pittsburgh’s lead to 5–1 and effectively shifting the outlook of the game. From there, the Penguins managed the pace and closed out the win.

Next steps see the Flyers return home to host the New York Rangers on Saturday as they look to halt their losing streak.

The Penguins will remain at home to face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, aiming to build on their latest result and maintain momentum in a tightly contested Eastern Conference standings race.