The Flyers Are on the Board

When the Pittsburgh Penguins needed a big save on Friday night, Marc-Andre Fleury was there to make it. When they needed a big save in Sunday's 6-3 loss in Philadelphia -- or any save, for that matter -- they didn't get it. Actually, they didn't get much of anything from any player, with the lone exception of Evgeni Malkin, as the Philadelphia Flyers thoroughly dominated game 3, setting the stage for what could be an epic game 4 on Tuesday night.

Flyers 6, Penguins 3: Recap | Box Score | Sunday's Scores
Special Teams Hurt St. Louis

Aside from getting goals from their big guns (Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Simon Gagne) the Flyers also received tallies from rookie's Claude Giroux and Jared Ross. After netting his first career playoff goal in the second period, taking advantage of a juicy rebound in the slot, Giroux also set up a shorthanded goal with a tireless effort behind the net, stealing the puck from Sergei Gonchar and sliding a pass through the crease to Gagne for his first goal of the game.

While that's a rare bad play by Gonchar -- and a fantastic play by Giroux -- Fleury can't allow that pass to go through the crease. The goals came just four minutes after Rob Scuderi scored his first of the playoffs for Pittsburgh, tying the game at two.

The Flyers penalty killing, which ranked sixth in the NHL during the regular season, was sensational on Sunday, holding the Penguins to a dismal 1-for-7 with the man advantage. For the series, Pittsburgh is just 4-for-21 on the power play. Perhaps part of the struggles can be attributed to the month-long disappearance of forward Petr Sykora, who has recorded just three points -- three! -- since the beginning of March ... while getting regular shifts with Malkin, the league's leading scorer. Sykora was second on the team during the season with 13 power play goals, and it might be quite a lift for the Penguins if his quick shot from the slot started finding its way to the back of the net again.

Heading into Tuesday's game, both teams should be approaching it as a must-win. Perhaps that's a bit strong, but there's no way the Flyers want to go back to Pittsburgh for game 5, down 3-1, while the Penguins certainly don't want to let Philadelphia even the series.

As it's been for much of the series, Sunday's game lived up to the hype in terms of physical play, as the two teams combined for 58 penalty minutes and a number of crushing hits.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-19-2009 @ 7:42PM

mastanameless16 said...

Hmmm...both teams were whistled for an even amount of penalties and the Penguins lose.....I'm shocked.

4-19-2009 @ 7:43PM

AdamGretz said...

They were whistled for an even amount of penalties in game 2 as well.

4-19-2009 @ 7:55PM

Actually the Flyers were called for 2 more penalties than the Penguins...and they were in OT....to give a team a 5-3 advantage.....in a playoff game.

I hate the Flyers, but this garbage with Sid the Bitch and the Refs is killing the game for everyone outside Pittsburgh. I'm glad someone got a day off from it.

4-19-2009 @ 8:00PM

Not that it's going to change your opinion, mastanameless16, but on the first penalty in overtime the Flyers were actually on a power play of their own -- thanks to a call that was nearly identical -- and failed to score, while the slashing penalty actually broke Chris Kunitz's stick behind the play ... it's a call that MUST be made in any situation. Totally legit, and totally stupid by the Flyers.

What's frustrating is a growing number of hockey fans -- just take a quick read around the internet, or listen to any random postgame call-in show -- continue to think games are taken from teams, instead of teams actually losing games because they're not as good as another team on a particular night.

I know it's easier to pass the blame onto somebody else, but if there was some mass conspiracy in favor of the Penguins don't you think they would have won a Stanley Cup -- or played in more than one final -- in the past 17 years?

4-19-2009 @ 8:21PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkLMP7_J3m8

You're probably right, but they lost the benefit of the doubt with me last year. Yes, I'm a Ranger fan, and yes....I witnessed this circus last year, so nothing probably will change my mind. I couldn't care less about it happening to the Flyers, but if the Rangers gotta go through it again, I don't think I can take it.

By the way, the Penguins lost to Detroit last year because the Red Wings were just too good for anyone last year, with or without help. I'm also not talking about the last 17 years, just the "Crosby Era". It's no conspiracy to me, the NHL simply doesn't know how to market the game any other way except for making sure their biggest North American star makes it far in the playoffs so he gets some national face time. The only people that don't see it are penguins fans....or anyone that hasn't had to play them in the playoffs yet I guess.

4-19-2009 @ 8:22PM

By the way, I know that clip is not the penalty from overtime, I couldn't find that one.

4-19-2009 @ 8:32PM

Do you have the youtube of Scott Hartnell throwing his stick at Petr Sykora as he attempted to shoot in the first period with no call? I'm not saying the NHL refs are perfect, because they're not -- and I agree that the NHL can't market itself ... at all -- but come on, are you seriously suggesting that the only reason the Penguins advanced to the Stanley Cup Final a year ago is because the NHL wants Sidney Crosby to advance far in the playoffs? If they're going to go that far, why not just put the fix in for real and let him win it! Why didn't they come up with this the first two years of his career when the Penguins weren't winning at all in his rookie year, or when Ottawa systematically dismantled them in the opening round of his second season?

And wouldn't it be better for the NHL, in terms of marketing and TV ratings, if its biggest TV market -- New York ... or how about Toronto? -- or it's other big star, Alex Ovechkin, advanced deep into the postseason?

We've already discussed the power play/penalty kill differential here at FanHouse, and the Penguins differential isn't any more favorable than any other team in the league (link: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/03/29/which-team-do-nhl-officials-favor/ )

4-19-2009 @ 9:34PM

Scott Hartnell is a scumbag like the rest of the Flyers. lol

And look, giving a team all the calls is one thing, but if the other team just kicks the penguins around then theres not much anyone can do. I'm not tryin to say the penguins aren't good, hell they're great. Crosby and Malkin on the same team is amazing, along with all the other talented players they got. But they get too much help.

You know what I really want? The OLD rules back. I want my REAL hockey back. When it comes to playoff time, it should be "No blood. No injury. No penalty." Let the players decide it on the ice. I know the Rangers aren't as good as the Penguins, but there's no doubt in my mind that the Rangers would have pulled the upset last year had the games been called fairly.

And you don't gotta tell me the NHL would be better off with a New York team in the finals. I have Islander fans that admit 1994 was the best year for hockey in recent memory. As for Ovechkin, as good as he is, I don't think the NHL would have as much interest in pushing a Russian along as they would a Canadian. Especially with that Russian Superleague trying to compete with them. At least thaat's my guess. I'm actually surprised they don't do the same with Ovie.

And i remember that differential conversation. I, like others on that topic, wanted to see it broken down further. What were the numbers like around playoff time? WHEN were the penalties called/not called? Thos are important factors. For example, the overtime penalties and the Stall play in the other game. That makes a big difference.

I just want my real hockey back.

molchens said...

Sissy Crosby didn't get the calls today. oh my, look the Pens get their butts kicked. Strange, isn't it. Go Flyers!!!!!

4-19-2009 @ 9:39PM

Keith Yocum said...

The slashing calls that the ref's made today were just horrible on both teams. There is nothing worse than when the ref's B.S. calls change the game.

4-30-2009 @ 1:24PM

John Evans said...

The flyer have gone down the tube since the first day that thy got rid of Scottie Upshall, this was a classic Bob Clark move, he is always one step behind the rest of the league. The flyers will NEVER win a cup as long as clark is part of the Flyers. He refuses to get a half decent goaltender because he thinks he can outwit the rest of the league with an unknown goalie that will be the next Bernie.