Letang’s Crazy Bounce GWG Forces Game 6 vs. Flyers

The Penguins are halfway to one of the great comebacks in NHL history.

Kris Letang banked a wild point shot off the end boards and off Dan Vladar’s pads at 17:12 of the second period, lifting Pittsburgh to a 3-2 win over the Flyers in Game 5 on Monday at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins now trail the best-of-seven series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Wednesday in Philadelphia.

This is the kind of hop a team needs when it’s clawing back from a 3-0 series hole. Letang’s shot from the right point sailed wide, caromed off the back wall, and rolled across the goal line off Vladar’s left and right pads.

“Especially after all the looks I got in the second, I can’t believe that one goes in,” Letang said, per NHL.com. “Obviously, it made a crazy bounce.”

It was Letang’s second straight game-winner. He also delivered the deciding strike in Game 4 on Saturday.

Sidney Crosby set up the play with a feed from the top of the zone. Minutes earlier, the Penguins captain had limped off to the training room after Ryan Shea’s slapshot caught him on top of the left knee.

The 39-year-old returned, picked up his second helper of the night, and kept the comeback alive.

Elmer Soderblom got things rolling at 2:45 of the first with his first goal of the playoffs. Connor Dewar made it 2-0 early in the second off a Crosby pass before Alex Bump and Travis Sanheim answered to even things up.

Arturs Silovs stopped 18 of 20 shots for Pittsburgh and has back-to-back wins to keep the Pens alive.

The Penguins are the sixth team since 2016 to push a series to a Game 6 after trailing 3-0. Only four clubs in NHL history have ever completed the full comeback. Philadelphia did it themselves against Boston back in 2010.

Here’s the full game highlights video:

Game 6 goes Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, 7:30 p.m. EDT on TNT.