Penguins 5 - 4 Flyers

Unfortunately I thought this was the 2:00 game so I missed the entire first period! Flyers led 1-0 after one.

The start of the second period was electrified by a quick wrist shot by Sidney Crosby over Martin Biron's shoulder to tie 1-1. It was all Penguins after that. Around 7 minutes later Evgeni Malkin scored on the PowerPlay after Gonchar took a slapshot from the point which was deflected first by Petr Sykora, then once more by Malkin. This made it 2-1 Pittsburgh. Ruslan Fedotenko scored on a great passing play off the rush to make it 3-1, Crosby and Dupuis on the assists. 3-1 after two.

Third period play was more than frantic, seeing 5 goals scored (reminiscant of last game). It all got started on a shorthanded goal scored by, who else, Mike Richards, his 7th shorthanded goal this season. After this, the Flyers tied it 3-3 on a Slapshot by Braydon Coburn. He was able to score after Hal Gill broke his stick and Matt Cooke had to swap his to Gill, allowing the Flyers to pass it across the ice without any pressure, resulting in a blast that hit Scuderi's stick and hopped over Fleury's shoulder. Quickly back, however, the Penguins' Ruslan Fedotenko scored his second of the game after being set up by Crosby and Dupuis once more, 4-3. Another broken stick, right off of the face-off, allowed the Flyers to score once more, Mike Knuble cashing in on the easy goal as a result. Gonchar's stick failed on him right off the draw, leaving Mike Richards ample time to set up Knuble across the crease with no Penguins able to defend, since Talbot had reached to give Gonchar his stick, both were out of position leaving the middle wide open. Again, another unfortunate event led to a 4-4 tie. A stroke of luck finally hit the Penguins with 2:45 left in the 3rd. Dupuis was sprung on a long lead pass to the blue line, allowing him in on a breakaway. Biron saw the forecoming trouble and raced out of his net to break up the play. He was successful, but was too far out of the net to cover the puck, or else he would have been whistled for a Delay of Game penalty. Knowing this, and after a motion from Dupuis indicating Biron was smothering the puck, Biron tossed the puck behind him out of his glove. The puck got caught in his webbing however and Dupuis was able to grab the loose puck and throw it towards the goal. Only one Flyer was back and able to make a play, but before he could Sidney Crosby snuck a backhand in and deflected it past the defender into the yawning net. 5-4 Pittsburgh. The game would end this way after the Flyers failed to get set up in the zone even after pulling Biron.

My 3 Stars:

1 - Ruslan Fedotenko - 2g-1a - Played great and made the most of his opportunities
2 - Sidney Crosby - 2g-2a, GWG
3 - Mike Richards - 1g-2a, SHG (7)

Great result for the Penguins, another HUGE, HUGE two points!
The coaching staff appears to have re-energized this squad, and Bylsma has been mixing the lines well, sometimes double-shifting Malkin and Crosby. The results are on the scoreboard as it is paying off, offensively, for the Penguins. Great stuff, it's refreshing to see them play so passionately again. Now all they need is a little tightening up on D, and a few less broken sticks and they can make a strong push into the PlayOffs.

Let's go Pens!

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