Penguins at Flyers and Senators vs. Hurricanes are looking to avoid first-round sweeps

Only four teams in NHL history have fallen behind 0-3 in a best-of-seven playoff series and rallied to win it. Just six more won three in a row to force a Game 7. Stuart Skinner was part of that last near-miss.

He backstopped Edmonton to an-almost comeback in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against Florida before losing in seven . Now he is Pittsburgh's goaltender with the Penguins facing the same deficit in the first round against Philadelphia. "You know it’s possible," Skinner said after a Game 3 loss to the Flyers pushed him and his teammates to the brink.

"Statistics are fun to look at, but it doesn’t mean they’re always right. ” The statistics say the Penguins — and the Ottawa Senators, also down 3-0 to Carolina — have a less than 2% chance of pulling it off. The first step in avoiding a sweep comes Saturday with Game 4s in each series.

“The fact is we’ve got to win a game,” Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said. “That’s got to be our focus. You can’t grab three on Saturday.