The Pittsburgh Penguins are already facing an uphill battle after dropping Game 2 to the Philadelphia Flyers, falling 3-0 in the game and slipping into a 0-2 hole in their first-round series. Despite the loss, much of the conversation afterward centered on the strong play of goaltender Stuart Skinner, who kept Pittsburgh within striking distance for much of the night.
Stuart Skinner Impresses, but Penguins Fall Behind
Philadelphia struck first midway through the second period when Porter Martone finished a cross-ice pass from Travis Konecny that deflected off Ryan Shea. The Flyers extended their lead later with a short-handed goal from Garnet Hathaway, set up by Owen Tippett after a strong individual effort. Luke Glendening added an empty-net goal late to secure the 3-0 result.
Skinner finished with 20 saves, but the Penguins’ offense struggled to generate meaningful pressure. It marked the second straight game in which he delivered a solid performance, after turning aside 20 shots in Pittsburgh’s 3-2 loss in Game 1.
Despite the scoreline, analysts widely agreed that Skinner was the main reason the game remained close. Several high-danger stops prevented the Flyers from breaking it open earlier, drawing praise across the hockey world.
Locked On Penguins co-host Hunter said he felt bad for Skinner, noting the goaltender had played extremely well in both games while receiving little support. “I know it’s a VERY low bar but this has been some of the best playoff goaltending this team has gotten in a while,” Hunter wrote on social media.
Analyst Shelby Cassesse echoed that sentiment, stating, “Stuart Skinner fighting for his life tonight without much help from his teammates.”
Former NHL defenseman Jason Demers was even more blunt, claiming that the Pittsburgh Penguins are “wasting prime Stuart Skinner.” His reaction suggested that strong goaltending alone won’t matter if the team in front of him cannot capitalize.
Post-Gazette columnist Paul Zeise added, “Stuart Skinner is keeping the Penguins in this game as well,” emphasizing that the scoreline could have been far worse without him. Leafs Morning Take host Nick Alberga wrapped up the overall consensus: “The Penguins find themselves in an 0-2 hole, and it has nothing to do with Stuart Skinner’s play. Go figure.”
Now trailing in the series, the Penguins head to Philadelphia for Game 3 with their season already under pressure. Teams that fall behind 0-2 in a best-of-seven series historically face long odds, meaning Pittsburgh will need a significant offensive response.
Otherwise, even another standout outing from Skinner may not be enough to prevent their early playoff exit.
