The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Apr. 27 that they are returning to PPG Paints Arena for Game 5 of their playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers, trailing in the series 3-1.
The team emphasized the importance of playing in front of their home crowd as they look to stay alive in the postseason. “That was kind of our motto when we were in Philadelphia, just try to get it back to Pittsburgh and use the home crowd to our advantage,” Ryan Shea said. “I know that the crowd is going to be crazy tonight, as it should be. Hopefully, we can put together a better performance than we did in the first two games.” Sidney Crosby added, “The importance of the game and the energy that we can feed off of from them, I think it’s really important. It’s great that we were able to push the series, and we got to do something with the opportunity now.”
Following a travel day Sunday, Head Coach Dan Muse kept his lineup unchanged from Game 4 during Monday’s morning skate. Arturs Silovs will start in goal again after Stuart Skinner played Games 1 through 3. Bryan Rust said about his team’s goaltenders: “Both of those guys work extremely hard. Obviously, they’re guys who have played well for us all year, and they’re guys who can make big saves for us. We’ve got a lot of confidence in our goalies.” Muse reflected on recent improvements: “I think we played more whistle to whistle… When you have that [puck support], it leads you to be in better positions as you navigate through the neutral zone overall… but there’s still room for even more there. We have to continue to take steps and continue to tighten up some things defensively.” Rust commented on special teams: “I think we’ve just got to simplify and take what’s given… I think the minute we try to force things is when things kind of go awry.” Muse concluded: “We’ve got to make sure that we’re bringing the energy as well on the ice, because they’ve been bringing it there in the stands, and it’s been awesome.”
The Penguins are recognized for having Hall of Fame players, coaches and executives within their organization according to their official website. The team has made numerous playoff appearances and won division titles over its history according to their official website.
PPG Paints Arena serves as a multipurpose venue located downtown where fans gather for home games according to their official website. The franchise plays an important role within Pittsburgh’s sports culture by maintaining strong fan traditions and community ties according to their official website.
Fenway Sports Group owns the Penguins franchise and oversees its business operations according to their official website. As Game 5 approaches with high stakes at home, both players and coaches highlighted how critical fan support could be as they aim for another win.
