Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Penguins and Flyers set to renew their rivalry in Pittsburgh!

Episode Date: January 15, 2026

The Battle of Pennsylvania has another chapter to be written tonight at PPG Paints Arena! Hunter and Patrick preview tonight's matchup by first looking at the Flyers (1:02), who have lost four in a row and are struggling to score and get saves. Then, they look at the Penguins, who are also struggling to score, but are playing well in their own zone and are getting great goaltending. Can they get out of this offensive funk that they're in? (10:00) They discuss how important this game is in the standings since both teams are tied in points. Finally, two of the Penguins' top prospects are heading to the AHL All-Star Classic, and it's very deserved. (20:22) Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!IndeedNow, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/lockedonright now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. So before tip-off, check the FanDuel app and see what’s dropping during NBA Happy Hour — every Friday from 6 to 7:30 PM Eastern. A little basketball, a little action, and a whole lot of Friday energy.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Battle of Pennsylvania takes center stage tonight inside PBG paints arena, and Pat and I are going to get you all set for Penguins Flyers right after this. You're Locked-on Penguins, your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I am one of your hosts, Hunter Hodes. You can follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Joined by my coast, Patrick Damp,

you can follow him on all social media platforms at Sending Verwet. You can also follow the show's Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. And you can follow us on Instagram at Lockdown, underscore Penguins. Of course, thank you all so much for making this your first listen slash watch today. We are free and available on all platforms. Pat, Battle Pennsylvania. It's back tonight in Pittsburgh, the first of two meetings inside. PVG paints arena between the Penguins and the Flyers.

These two teams played in Philadelphia twice earlier this season. The Flyers won the first one in a shootout. The Penguins dominate them in the second meeting by a score of 5 to 1. I think that is arguably the Penguins best overall performance of the season. The Flyers come into this game, not playing super well, just like the Penguins. Well, they're playing worse than the Penguins. The Penguins have lost three in a row, but I don't think I've played really that poorly in those three games. They just really can't score, but I like the way they're defensive.

offending. I like the goaltending is going, the Flyers, man, can't get saves, and they can't score, and they're just simply not playing well at all. They've lost four in a row. They've scored six goals in those four games, and now they're starting goaltender. Dan Vladar is hurt. They had to recall their other goaltender, Kolosov ups. I'm assuming it's going to be Sam Erson tonight for the Flyers, but the backup is probably going to be Kolosov. For the Flyers, it starts with Trevor Zegris. He's been very much a rat this year for this team. He has annoyed the Penguins quite a bit and he's having himself a great season. 18 goals, 42 points and 45 games, always have to be on high alert whenever he is out there. Travis Keneckney, also very much a rat.

He's having a good season, 14 goals, 39 points in 44 games. Christian Dvorak, he's having a decent year. Owen Tippett has 15 goals, which is second on the team. I know Matt Bay-Michrov's production is down, only nine goals in 23 points, only one goal in his last 20 games, but he can still strike at any time. He's just in the midst of a very big sophomore slump. And I think he's eventually going to turn around. He's too talented not to. But Pat, this is a massive game. Both teams are tied in the standings. And this is whoever wins this game in regulation that is those two points clear. And this could be a game we look back at at the end of the season being like, could be a difference maker between which team maybe gets in the playoffs versus which team that doesn't. Huge game tonight at

You said it. They're tied in the standings, 52 points apiece. They're both trying to make their way back into the wild card as well as work their way into the top three of the Metropolitan Division. These teams could not be closer when it comes to where they are in the standings. The Penguins 21, 14 and 10, 587 points percentage. Philadelphia Flyers 22, 15 and 8, 587 points percentage. So this is, even with all the other, things that go on with Penguins Flyers, this is a big one tonight because not only is it in division, not only is it a team that you're tied with. It's a team that you're probably going to be chasing or in the race with for the rest of the year because looking at this Flyers team, now this development of their injuries in net when you look at the fact that Dan Vladar got hurt last game against the Buffalo Sabres, which was last night, the Flyers. The Flyers,

lost five to two to the sabers in what was a weird game because it really did sum up what their problems as of late are. They were unable to get a save from either of their goaltenders. They were unable to find the back of the net until it was too late. They didn't play poorly, all things considered, but you look at the two biggest things, couldn't get a save, couldn't score. They're on the losing end once again. So this is a big one for the penguins. And honestly, I look at this game tonight, and this is exactly what we have wanted, exactly what we have missed from the Penguins Flyers rivalry the last few years.

They're neck and neck in the standings. And lest we forget, there's some bad blood from earlier this season. So this is the kind of theater you want when the Penguins and Flyers get together. Yeah, I mean, the first game you saw that, especially at the end with, you know, Trevor Zegris going after Nolachari and all that. The second meeting, really not too much bad blood there. I guess Trevor Zegers tried to fake out one of the Penguins players and the player just stood there like, dude, really? Like just when you look at Trevor Zegris, not someone that really intimidates you, to say the least. But still, not many fireworks in that one.

And that's really been the case for a lot of the rivalry for honestly, Pat, for most of the last eight-ish years. I mean, I guess it kind of returned in 2018 when these two teams played in the playoffs. The Penguins obviously won that series in six games. Since then, though, just really not a lot. It's nothing close to what we saw in 2012 when these two teams were just beating the crap out of each other. I mean, James Neal was running around the ice just looking to take people's heads off. Like literally every single shift. You have the whole fight with what Tang and teaming in and, you know, Crosby and Jaroo were going at it,

that entire series and all that stuff. But it's been a rivalry that's been real. dormant it felt like for a while in it you know that first matchup finally you know you woke up a sleeping giant in a way second game kind of fell back asleep a little bit let's see if it wakes up a little bit more tonight as the rivalry now shifts to pittsburgh for this meeting and there'll be another one in march again teams have split the season series at one apiece this year penguins eight one in three against the metro so they'll try to match the amount of metro wins they had last year, Pat, in a little over half of the season. It's pretty crazy.

Yeah. And I mean, the biggest thing that I look at right now is the penguin's got to be a little bit cautious of the first five to ten minutes of this game because you know this is going to be a hyped up Flyers team. You know this is going to be a motivated Flyers team because they're in the midst of a four game losing streak. They're kind of falling off from what was a surprising start and really a surprising 20-25 for this group. And you know that they're going to want to get back to that. So even though you are on home ice, which I totally understand is definitely the advantage you want to have, this Flyers team that they're really going to want to get out of this

malaise that they're stuck in. And you know that the first few minutes, the first few shifts, they're going to be running around. You know Zegris is going to try to be a rat the way. he always is. You know that they're going to be a little bit more physical because they're going to try to get their way out of this. So you have to keep an even keel the first few minutes and the first few shifts of this game just because you want to let them wear themselves out. Hold the fort. Let them do let them punch themselves out maybe literally and maybe figuratively and then settle in

because when I compare these two rosters, I like the penguins a whole lot more than I like the Flyers roster. I agree with that. And also with Philly, another big key, second half of a road back to back with travel. Once again, I thought the Penguins were the better team against Tampa Bay overall. The other night,

just couldn't find the back of the net. Andre Vasselowski did his thing. This game now against Philly. They're coming to Pittsburgh. Second half of a back-to-back with travel. The penguins are waiting for them here. Take advantage of that in this game. That's also going to be huge for me.

And I say it all the time when these two teams meet, but I'm looking for another vintage Crosby performance to get the penguins out of this little tiny funk that they're in. Crosby loves torturing the Flyers. He's done it already twice this year and two meanings against them. Always be on a high alert for said. I think he could have another really big game tonight. But obviously that's the standard that we, again, Pat, he just loves torturing them. And I hope that we get another one here tonight. But I think that's going to do it for this first segment. Coming up in the second segment, we're going to discuss more keys to victory for the penguins to take down the flyers tonight.

That's coming up right after this. But before we get to that, we have to tell you all about our first sponsor, which is Fandall. The divisional round of the playoffs is here, and Fandall is officially in playoff mode. Every game day during the NFL playoffs, Fandall is giving customers even more ways to get in on the action. Because right now, every NFL playoff game day,

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I, one of your host, Hunter Hodes, joined by my co-host, Patchardamp. And of course, thank you all so much for making Lockedon Penguins your first listen to the day. If you haven't already, go check out our new everydayer club. You get access to an ad-free audio feed of Lockedon Penguins can battle with Apple podcast, Spotify, and every other major podcast app. Just go to Lockedon Penguins. dot supercast.com for that information.

So, Pat, four keys to victory for tonight. I still want to keep seeing the way they're being so stingy in their own end. Especially these last three games, I have loved the way they have defended, even going back to the last two to three weeks. They're doing a really nice job of taking away the high danger areas has to keep going tonight.

We all know at the beginning of the season, some of the underlying metrics for their team defense were not pretty. They have steadily gotten better as the season has gone on, which has been nice to see. In over the last three games, especially,

they've been really good. I mean, they're hardly giving up goals against. Yeah, the goal tending is a big part of that too. I like the way the goalies have been playing. But I also really like the way they're keeping things simple in their own zone, going from defense to offense quickly,

not getting hemmed in too much either, has to continue tonight. For sure. And you look at the Flyers roster, they only have two players with 30 or more points. So this is a team that isn't, exactly known for its offensive prowess. There are 23rd in the NHL in goals for per game with 2.8.

So very much a Rick Tocket team loves the low event defense first, but when you go for offensive creativity, if you just look at his past history with other teams, he's not known for being, you know, again, high creativity for offense for his teams. That's all I'll say. I agree to an extent. I don't think, and I don't want to get too far off track here,

since we're talking keys of the game, but I just wanted to push back on this. I look at Rick Tocke's style as more of a 200-foot game coach than a defensive coach. He's not doing the 2000s Devils, 90s, Florida Panthers, where he's turning it into a slog and making his guy. You know what? I'll talk about a former Flyers coach. He's not torts. He's not making you sacrifice for defense. But he does make them play a more complete 200-foot game.

which is crazy to say, considering the type of player that Rick Tocke, it was in his heyday. He was a great power forward who could play some good offense as well, but I digress. To my point, though, you've looked at how stingy these penguins have played over the past few games. And granted, it was Calgary in Boston to other teams not quite known for their offensive prowess, but then they go out and do it against Tampa, a team that is really talented. So you carry that over to tonight against a team like the Flyers who is struggling to score and struggling to get saves. You play the kind of game you played against Tampa. You're going to be pretty successful against a team like Philadelphia.

I agree. Another key for me. I want to see the power play get cooking a little bit. It's felt a bit clunky these last few games, just not a lot of momentum. Some of the zone entries haven't been as crisp as I have one of them to, the creativity. hasn't been there as much. I think especially the last game, it was a unit that you could tell,

had not really practiced that much. I mean, Eric Carlson's been on the top power play for basically this entire season, Lettang. I mean, he has obviously a long history of working with Crosby and Malkin on that top power play because he was quarterbacking it for so long until Eric Carlson started being,

until Carlson got here, that is, excuse me. But it just hasn't really worked with a lot of the other players this year, Latang, that is, on the top power play. So I just want to see that unit play a bit better in this one. I also think that's a big key. And also again for Stuart Skinner, he's getting to start tonight,

got my warrior helmet on Wednesday. He's been playing really well over the last couple of weeks. I want to see him carry that momentum into here as well. Right. I think that's a huge key for the power play. I want to see, even if they don't score, I want them to have a little bit better sustained pressure

than they have in previous games. Because I agree that the power play has been a little bit off in recent games. I think some of it is now obviously injuries, but also there have been flashes in every game where 20 to 30 seconds where they're looking like the power play that they had been looking like for the rest of the earlier parts of the season. But then it just kind of falls apart earlier in the season, even when they didn't score, they were in the offensive zone for 60, 70, 80, 90 seconds at a clip.

and they were back in the opposing penalty kill up. They were getting looks. If it didn't go in, it wasn't for a lack of chances. The last few games, it's just been a shade off. Even if you don't score, make it a momentum builder. Make it where you're hemming the flyers in their zone. You're leaving their top defenders out there for a minute, a minute 15, a minute 30. So even when it goes back to five on five, you've got that momentum because again, this is a Flyers team that is really struggling to get any sort of offensive production.

And if you can get them stuck in the mud like that, it's only going to help you get a clean two points that you really need for both the playoff race and the divisional race. Right. And I also think the injury to Tyson Forrester has also been a big killer for them. I think, you know, when healthy, he's one of the. their best goal scores usually. I really like watching and play when he's on. So I think that injury has not helped things. Also, Bobby Brink is now hurt. So he's not to be suiting up in this one. So they are a little bit banged up, but still Trevor Zegaris, he can hurt you at any time. Travis Kineckney, same way. Oh, and Tippett, we already talked about him as well. So I know they don't have a lot of the elite of the elite forwards in the NHL, but these are still good players that can make you pay. So the Penguins still have to be on high alert. This is going to be low key.

bit of a desperate flyers team. They've lost four in a row, including last night. But the penguins in a way, I think also I want to see them be a bit desperate as well. They've lost three in a row. Haven't played particularly poorly. They're just in a bit of a slump.

So with that, I want to see them firing more pucks, man. I try not to be the shoot it person from section 215 inside of PPG paints arena. But less is more, man. When you have an opportunity to fire it to the net,

don't look for that extra pass. Just do it, especially if Sam Erson is starring tonight, people. He has not been good this year. You look at his. record 17 games, 6, 7 and 4, 8, 55, say, percentage, 3.32 goals against average. He's been bad this year.

He has, and it's kind of funny because I know our listeners will laugh and probably flame me for this, but the same logic applies to when you play in Andre Vazelowski. I said it on our show yesterday. You play a goalie like that, you want to put 30 or more shots on net just to increase their workload to wear them down. but you play a goaltender like Samuel Erson, who is struggling, you put everything on the net. And if he suddenly, and I know Penguins fans, we are way too familiar with this, if he decides to go off for a night, you can just say it wasn't for a lack of trying,

because as I like to say, it's the National Hockey League. All of these guys are there for a reason. They are the top 1% of the top 1%. So even the guys who stink are still really good. So sometimes NHL players and NHL goalies go off and have a night. But when they are a struggling goaltender, you want to add to that misery. You want to test them as much as you can because you know with a goaltender who's struggling, whether it's your own team or your opponent, that leaky one is always lurking around the corner.

It's always right there. You're always worried every time a shot goes on the net. If your go, your goaltender's the one struggling that you're going to go, is this the one that goes in? So if you got the chance tonight, shoot the damn puck. I agree. And I've also really liked Igor Chinochov's game recently. I think you could see him potentially get another one tonight.

He's been really good, I think, since coming over from Columbus and the short sample that he's had so far. But I think that's going to do it for this second segment coming up to and the show, two players in Wilkesbury, Scranton, are going to the AHA All-Star game. Pat and I are going to discuss which those two players are coming up right after this. But before we get to that, we have to tell you all about our second sponsor, which is indeed. If you have ever hired someone who looked good on paper but wasn't the right fit, you know how important that is.

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Hiring. do it the right way with indeed. All right, we're back here on this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I am one of your host, Hunter Hodes, joined by my host Patrick Damp and Pat. Congratulations to goaltender, Sergey Murashov and forward Tristan Bros. They are officially going to the H.L. All-Star Classic in Rockford, Illinois next month in February. Murashov almost had another shutout last night.

He was literally less than two minutes away from getting it. the Wilkesbury Scrant Penguins still win 4 to 1 over the Providence Bruins and Pat. Team is now first place in the division and the conference. This team is firing on all cylinders. Speaking of that, Tristan Bros. Get sent back to Wilkesbury that same day, goes up to Providence, makes it there for the game, gets credited for the game winning goal and an empty nickel.

So a two-goal performance, that first goal was awesome. Billy Coivinen comes in the offensive zone, leaves it for Valteri Pustinen, who gives it to pros, and he makes no mistake from the slot. Really nice shot there to be the Providence Bruins goaltender. He has been good this year, 13 goals, 26 points in 34 games, very deserved for the AHA, All-Star Classic. And then As for Sergei Murashov,

I know a couple people were a bit worried after a couple of rough starts a couple of weeks ago. He has bounced back in a big way since then. He's been awesome. Overall for the year, he has played in 18 games. 2.03 goals against average, 927 percentage. doing what we all want him to do in Wilkesbury. And that's dominate the AHL before the next challenge comes to make this team

potentially out of camp and then hopefully be at some point the teams are starting net minder. So very deserved for both of these players. You just have to laugh. It's Sergey Murshov's numbers, man. 2.03 GAA 927 save percentage. Guys, a video game player right now in the HL. And I know I hear all the calls.

I see all the tweets. Give it time, guys. We got to make, again, I promise this isn't a pre-recorded thing that we just dropped in because we've said it a bunch before. But you got to make sure he can handle this workload because as we saw, as Hunter alluded to, had a couple starts where he didn't play all that well. That's part of the process. That's part of the development. How does he bounce back?

And what do you know? That game against Providence, career high, 36 saves. that game. So the kid is really coming along. And as we know with where the contracts and everything are going into next season, the lane will be open for him to maybe take the job next. Next late summer. I almost said summer,

even though, you know, it's kind of like late or late summer, early fall. I talk about hockey in July now, it sounds like. Yeah. And if he shows up to the prospects challenge,

I think that the penguin should probably be sanctioned for putting him in that tournament because he ain't a prospect anymore. He's that good. But same thing with bros. I mean, you want him. I look at this to make a loose comparison. I look at it a lot like Covenin, where Bros is probably mostly NHL ready at this point. But we saw with Covenin, as the season progressed, as he got more games, he was struggling

a little bit to adapt to the NHL speed. And his confidence started to waver a little bit. He was a half step behind. I feel like the same would happen with bros. And rather than have him go through that, let him continue to dominate. Let him almost kind of put that carrot in front of them of like, don't worry, kid, it's coming, it's coming, it's coming. and when it does, he's going to stay and have him continue to go up each level and continue to perform

really well. And then when that call up comes, there won't be very many reassignments to Wilkes Bear. So both of them are incredibly deserving, especially Bros. 13 goals, 26 points. Those 13 goals third most in the Atlantic Division. So they are both dominating. And if they continue, you this, they're going to make themselves undeniable to come to the NHL. Yeah, I agree. You know, Avery Hayes, I think is also somewhere in that category, too, where he could be getting a call up at some point, maybe this season, if not, potentially at the start of next season.

If he makes the team, he came, I think at least very close to making this team out of camp sandwich, Trist and Bros. But I do think the time is coming for both of them where you're going to see them on the roster at some point where they'll get at least a bit of them. of look. I'm not saying, I'm not sure how long it's going to be, but I do think it's coming. And then especially for Marashov as well. So great, congratulations to Brose and Maryshov. I also do want to end the show on this Pat. Penguins prospect builds on and had a hat trick this weekend. His second goal was by far my favor, just an absolute rip on the power play. He has a

really nice release. I also really like his play or on the net front. He can cause havoc. It's an underrated part of his game. Four goals, 11 points in 10 games. He's been very banged up this season, now that he's back healthy for his team in the queue. He's playing really well. And I really want to see how he ends this season. Because when healthy, I do think this is a prospect that more people need to be paying attention to. Yeah. And something I also think that we got to keep in mind with Zonan is this is kind of a risk with the type of player that he is.

He is always going to be involved in the play. He is always going to be going to the dirty areas. And he is fearless as a hockey player. So this is the risk you run with a player like him. Now, as he gets older, as he matures, he's going to learn how to avoid some of these injuries and avoid some of these situations. But don't be shocked if over the next couple of years, we hear some injury reports about Zonan, whether it's in the junior level, at the minor league level, wherever he ends up playing in his development. the kid is fearless. The kid plays a crash and bang style.

He is not afraid to be physical. So injuries are going to be part of the process. The biggest thing to keep an eye on is how badly does he get hurt and how does he rebound when he returns? And scoring a hat trick not long after injury, really, really positive sign for him. Yeah. And hopefully he can stay healthy for the rest of the season. This is his fourth season in the QMJ.HL. So again, this is really it for him in the Q-pack

because next season he's going to be in the system. So that's huge. So I really want to see how he ends this season as well. But I think that's going to do it for this episode of the locked on Penguins podcast. And when I mean the system, by the way, I mean, you know, Wheeling, Wilkesbury and all that good stuff. But again, that'll do it for today's episode

of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. Thank you all so much to take the time to listen to slash watch this one. Pat and I will be back with a fresh episode for you guys on Friday, recapping this game against the flyers, getting you all set for Penguins Jackets, the fourth and final meeting between the pens and jackets this weekend and a new head coach for the jackets as well. Rick Bonas is now the head coach after Dean Evesant was fired earlier this week.

So for Patrick Damp, I'm Hunter Hodes. Thank you all so much for tuning in. We appreciate it. We'll be back on Friday.