Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
Saturday night in Pittsburgh the Flyers will face the Penguins in the Stanly Cup Playoffs for the eighth time in their shared history. For the seasoned Flyers Fan the very mention of the other Pennsylvania ice hockey team draws groans or in most cases far worse. The long standing rivalry is tattooed on our collective hearts.
So when you get a talented group of young players assembled to represent the city you hope they feel it too. But they didn’t grow up here. They weren’t even born when half the events you want revenge for took place. You hope they are getting a crash course in what a Flyers Penguins playoff series means to this fanbase.
Stick with me here, these dates weren’t picked at random. This is all headed somewhere.
Notable Dates
There is in fact a long history between these two teams which may or may not still hold relevance so lets condense it. Both teams joined the NHL as part of the great expansion of 1967.
The Flyers were the stronger of the two teams leading into the 1970’s. In 1974 the Flyers were the 1st team from the 1967 expansion to win the Stanley Cup. They repeated that achievement the following year. “It was a beautiful thing”.
Pens Losing Streak
The Penguins endured a losing streak in Philadelphia that lasted from Feb. 7th 1974 until Feb 2nd 1989. Pittsburgh went 42 games in Philly over the span of 15 years without a single win. 0-39-3. This may help explain why Pittsburgh historically doesn’t like us very much either.
Mario Lemieux changed the direction of the franchise from 1984 until 2006. The addition of Jaromir Jagr from 1990 to 2001 kept the Penguins moving onward and upward. They traded dominance with the Flyers during this era. The Pens won back to back cups in 1991 and 1992. Just for the record they also went on to win three more in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
2000 Playoff Series
The Flyers won this conference semi-final against the Penguins 4 games to 2. The most memorable match of the series was game 4 in Pittsburgh. This became the longest NHL game of the modern era. It started at 7:40 PM on May 4th and ended at 2:35 AM on May 5th 2000. Keith Primeau’s goal 12:01 into the 5th overtime gave the Flyers the 2-1 victory.
2012 Playoff Series
This was one of the most memorable series between the Flyers and Penguins. It was the conference quarter finals. The Flyers beat the Penguins in 6 games. This was a high scoring, hard hitting, and very eventful series. This was probaby the hot point of the cross-state rivalry.
This series was boiling over before it even started. Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette was fined $10,000 for an incident that took place during their final match-up of the regular season.
It was the final minutes of the game and the Flyers were up 6-3. Laviolette accused the Penguins coaching staff of putting certain players on the ice just to go after key Flyers players in a game that was pretty much decided.
Joe Vitale took a run at a Flyer in the neutral zone and a multi player brawl ensued. Laviolette was standing up on the boards yelling over the glass at the Pittsburgh bench. The Flyers coach said it was a “guttless move”.
In that series Claude Giroux fought Sidney Crosby in game 3. Claude Giroux’s infamous “shift” took place in game 4. The entire thing was contentious, high-scoring, and hard hitting. The Flyers won the series in 6 games.
Penguins
You may be thinking this is all ancient history as far as this current Flyers line-up is concerned. The 2025-26 Philadelphia Flyers are one of the youngest teams in the NHL. The last time the Flyers faced the Penguins in a playoff round was in 2018. To put that in perspective Porter Martone was 12 years old at the time.
The Flyers have just one player who was on the team in 2012. Captain Sean Coururier was a rookie that year. Conversely the Penguins have 4 key players that were already on the roster at the time. and they are big names. Sidney Crosby joined the team in 2005. Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang joined in 2006. Bryan Rust has been a Penguin since 2014.
These guys have their own personal memories of the red hot rivalry days. Sidney Crosby’s introduction to Philadelphia is something a person probably never really forgives and forgets. He was an 18 year old rookie when he made his first trip to the City of Brotherly Love as a Penguin. Flyer Darian Hatcher took “Sid the Kid” into the boards with a questionable hit that knocked two of his teeth out.
Flyer Fans jeered as Crosby was eventually given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for complaining to the officials about a lack of calls for Hatcher’s stick work. Crosby has been a thorn in the Flyers side ever since. He scored the game winning overtime goal in that contest. He has gone on to become the player in the NHL who as scored the most goals against the Flyers in franchise history.
Flyers Here and Now
The Penguins are one of the older teams by average age in the NHL this season. Don’t jump to conclusions. The Colorado Avalanche are the 4th oldest this season and they just won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL team with the best regular season record with 121 points. The Winnipeg Jets came in second with 116 points, they are the oldest team by average in the NHL this season.
It should be said, the Flyers have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL since the Olympic break this season. They’re not in this series by any stroke of luck. It took a lot of hard work, determination, and focus over the course of months. They never gave up on each other. They beat the overwhelming odds and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They’ve earned it.
The Flyers and Penguins both finished with 98 points this season. They split their season series at two games apiece. The Pens had the 7th ranked power-play in the league this season. We are all too familiar with the fact that the power-play is the Flyers biggest weakness going in. They need to stay calm, stay out of the box, and stick to the fundamental hockey style that got them here.
Here’s the point
The Flyers young squad is about to start writing their own playoff history against their cross-state rivals. The Penguins key players already have that fire in their hearts when it comes to Philadelphia and all the history involved. That type of inspiration isn’t just passed down magically. So where might it come from for the Flyers young roster? They are literally surrounded by the characters in these stories every single day.
In the 2000 Game 4 five overtime victory current Flyers President Keith Jones logged 37:50 of ice time for the Orange and Black. Flyers Head Coach Rick Tocchet logged 46:58. Flyers Special Advisor of Hockey Operations John LeClair scored the tying goal with 4:47 remaining in regulation to force the overtime. Flyers Broadcaster Brian Boucher was in the Flyers net for all 151.48 of clock time and stopped 57 of 58 shots.
In 2012 Flyers coach Peter Laviolette blew his stack and was fined ten thousand dollars over a hit put on one of his players. That player was Flyers General Manager Danny Briere. Briere was key to the Flyers playoff successes. He was known for it.
Briere recorded 72 points (37 g – 35 a) over 68 post-season games as a Flyer. The player who jumped in to stand up to the hit put on Briere was current Flyers Hockey Operations Consultant Wayne Simmonds.
Who could forget Simmonds final game as a Flyer? The come from behind overtime Stadium Series victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field in 2019.
Current Flyers Studio Analyst Scott Hartnell was responsible for some of the most memorable visuals in the 2012 Pittsburgh series. Mocking the “Hulk Hogan” guy in the stands. Signing the #19 jersey with “Fartsmell” on the name-plate. Aside from all the extra curricular activity Scott was a huge presence in front of the Pittsburgh net notching 3 goals and 2 assists in that series.
In Game 2 current Flyers captain Sean Couturier and former captain Claude Giroux both recorded hattricks in the 8-5 Philly win.
These are not stories from some dusty old history book. These are the stories that are etched into the hearts and minds of the people who are currently running this organization. Nobody needs to tell them how much this series against the Penguins means to the fanbase. If the Flyers stay calm, stick to their guns, and play smart this series should be a blast.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 1 in Pittsburgh Saturday April 18th 8PM. Let’s go!
About Author
NHL Philadelphia Flyers Hockey. Rink-side reports, press-box coverage, credentialed access.
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