The Philadelphia Flyers pulled off an unthinkable feat by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes on April 13 to secure a playoff berth after five long seasons. The Flyers are postseason-bound after a long wait, and to make it even better, they will be facing their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the first round.
Disregarding the Flyers’ recent lethal form, a former defenseman only sees the Penguins taking the win.
Jason Demers Hypes Up Pittsburgh Penguins Ahead of Playoff Battle of Pennsylvania
This postseason means a lot for both the Penguins and the Flyers. Both teams have overcome long droughts to clinch a ticket to the playoffs, but even then, only one will have the last laugh.
The Penguins have had a more consistently good season. At the same time, Philadelphia truly stepped up its game after the Olympic break, going from third-to-last in the Metropolitan Division standings on February 13 to third as of April 13 with 96 points.
The four times that the Penguins and the Flyers have met this season, each team has won twice, with Philadelphia securing the most recent one last month. The two have met in the playoffs seven times, and the Flyers have a historical advantage, having won four of those series.
However, Jason Demers still believes that the Flyers stand no chance against the Penguins, arguing that Sidney Crosby and company are all set to emerge victorious over Philadelphia.
What a win by Dan Vladar and the Flyers !!! Congratulations to Philadelphia … Pens in 6 ❤️
— jason demers (@jasondemers5) April 14, 2026
One factor that could significantly tip the scales in Pittsburgh’s favor is Crosby. Ever since Crosby’s arrival, the Penguins have been 3-1 against the Flyers in the postseason. Crosby has a total of 33 points against the Flyers in his playoff career.
The last time the teams faced each other in the playoffs in 2018, Pittsburgh won 4-2. For Demers, a similar outcome awaits this postseason edition of the Battle of Pennsylvania.
To further strengthen the Penguins’ case against the Flyers, the former will have home-ice advantage. Moreover, Pittsburgh’s resurgence this season has truly been one of the most enviable, so there’s no reason to rule Demers’ prediction out.
However, the Flyers’ post-Olympics comeback should not be taken lightly either. The team is fresh off a victory over the formidable Canes. Rick Tocchet took the Olympic break seriously to inject some new energy into his team, and it goes without saying that it has paid off.
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