Schedule and 2017-18 Results
Regular Season Records: Pittsburgh 47-29-6=100pts, Philadelphia 42-26-14=98pts
Game 1 on Wednesday, 11 April: Philadelphia loses at Pittsburgh, 7-goals-nil
Game 2 on Friday, 13 April: Philadelphia wins at Pittsburgh, 5-goals-1
Game 3 on Sunday, 15 April: Pittsburgh wins at Philadelphia, 5-goals-1
Game 4 on Wednesday, 18 April: Pittsburgh wins at Philadelphia, 5-goals-nil
Game 5 on Friday, 20 April: Philadelphia wins at Pittsburgh, 4-goals-2
Game 6 on Sunday, 22 April: Pittsburgh wins at Philadelphia, 8-goals-5

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: The Pittsburgh Penguins visited and topped the Philadelphia Flyers 8-goals-5 to complete a 4-games-2 best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1356 victory. With the series 1356 win, the Pittsburgh Penguins improve their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record to 38-22 with a nine-series winning streak befitting an active two-time defending NHL champion overall and 17-7 in the Preliminary round. With the series 1356 loss, the Philadelphia Flyers see their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record fall to 38-33 with an active four-series losing streak overall and 12-10 in the Preliminary round. The win order for the victorious Pittsburgh Penguins in series 1356 was WLWWLW: Series 1356 thus becomes the tenth NHL Preliminary-round series, the 21st NHL series (all rounds), and the 47th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow that win order to completion. The 28 total goals by the Pittsburgh Penguins in series 1356 are the most by one team in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series lasting six games since series 1158, in which the Philadelphia Flyers notched 30 total goals in their 2012 NHL playoff series victory (against, ironically, the Pittsburgh Penguins). Pittsburgh trailed the Flyers in Philadelphia by two goals as late as 13:34 into the 2nd period, but won series 1356 Game 6. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff series from 1939 through 2017, road teams trailing by two goals as late as 13:34 into the second period had a game record of 31-442 (.066): Series 1356 Game 6 thus ekes out the best in-game comeback of Spring 2018 title from series 1371 Game 3, in which the Indiana Pacers rallied to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in their 2018 NBA Preliminary-round series.

After Game 5: The Philadelphia Flyers visited and topped the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-goals-2 to reduce the Pittsburgh Penguins best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL series 1356 lead to 3-games-2. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 15-7 with an active five-series winning streak and a Game 6 record of 12-10. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 3-16 and a Game 6 record of 8-11. The Philadelphia Flyers trailed the Penguins in Pittsburgh in series 1356 Game 5 by a goal as late as 18:14 into the second period, but won the game. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff games from 1939 through 2017, inclusive, road teams down one goal as late as 18:14 into the second period had a game record of 154-622 (.198).

After Game 4: The Pittsburgh Penguins visited and shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 5-goals-nil to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1356 lead of 3-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 14-3 with an active five-series winning streak and a Game 5 record of 9-8. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 1-16 and a Game 5 record of 9-8.

After Game 3: The Pittsburgh Penguins visited and defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-goals-1 to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1356 lead of 2-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 17-7 with an active six-series winning streak and a Game 4 record of 11-13. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 7-21 with an active seven-series losing streak and a Game 4 record of 14-14.

After Game 2: The Philadelphia Flyers visited and topped the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-goals-1 to tie best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1356 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 15-13 with an active four-series winning streak and a Game 3 record of 17-11, while the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 17-17 and a Game 3 record of 15-19.

After Game 1: The Pittsburgh Penguins hosted and shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 7-goals-nil to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1356 lead of 1-game-nil. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 22-7 with an active eight-series winning streak and a Game 2 record of 19-10 with an active four-Game 2 winning streak. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 15-23 and a Game 2 record of 20-18. Series 1356 Game 1 was the most one-sided NHL Preliminary-round Game 1 shutout since series 799 Game 1, in which the Pittsburgh Penguins visited and shut out the Washington Capitals 7-goals-nil in the 2000 NHL Preliminary round.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2017-18 NHL regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins finished two points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers. From 1939 through the 2017 NHL Finals round, when NHL teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by two regular-season points, they have posted a best-of-7 playoff series record of 19-17 (.528) in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1356 is the 60th best-of-7 NHL playoff series for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the 71st for the Philadelphia Flyers. In best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Pittsburgh Penguins have an all-rounds series record of 37-22 with an active eight-series winning streak befitting a two-time defending NHL champion, a Preliminary-round series record of 16-7, and a Game 1 record of 29-30, while the Philadelphia Flyers have an all-rounds series record of 38-32, a Preliminary-round series record of 12-9, and a Game 1 record of 32-38. Series 1356 is the seventh best-of-7 NHL playoff series meeting between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers. Philadelphia prevailed over Pittsburgh in four of their previous six best-of-7 NHL playoff series battles for Pennsylvania.