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PHILADELPHIA — Looking ahead to faceoff …
Game: Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers, Game 4, Stanley Cup playoffs first round
Series: Flyers, 3-0.
Time: 7:38 p.m.
Site: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
TV, radio: Root Sports, NBC Sports (nationally), 105.9 The X
Here is the official live summary.
Updates are on our Penguins page. I’ll be column-izing off this game, and we’ll have the usual Trib team on the scene, led by beat writer Josh Yohe.
Big changes with the lineup
1st: Kunitz – Malkin – Kennedy – Orpik – Letang
2nd: Sullivan – Crosby – Dupuis – Niskanen – Michalek
3rd: Tangradi – Staal – Cooke – Despres – Strait
4th: Park – Vitale – Engelland
Fleury – Johnson
Scratched: Lovejoy – Jeffrey
Suspended: Asham – Adams – Neal
Unreal lineup for a team with over 100 points.
Lose and the proverbial hot seat is on fire for Dan Bylsma
Oh, I should add Martin is out with an ‘injury’…
I fully expect Paul Martin to waive his rights to block any trade after season is over, he’s not happy, team isn’t happy.
We’re watching the last game of the 3-Headed Monster Model… it is dead after tonight, if the Pens lose.
Sullivan called for questionable high-sticking call on Giroux, and for some STUPID reason Bylsma thinks it is a good decision to have Engelland on the PK loses battle, Letang can’t get puck and puck gets to Giroux from Jagr and boom. 1-0 Flyers
Faceoff by Malkin on Couturier, really really bad call by ref to send off Malkin for putting his stick on a flopping Couturier. Back to PP for FLyers
1-1 tie
Malkin out of box with puck, shot by Dupuis, huge rebounded to Malkin and put into net.
How can this be game 3 if the bad guys are up by 3? I will never understand hockey!
First tv timeout, game is tied and all hell hasn’t broken loose yet. What’s wrong with these two teams?
Well, Pens head to PP after tv timeout as Dupuis fired a slapper from high RW circle with Crosby charging to net for rebound. Looked like Flyers are being called for hooking.
by the way, GO PENS!
Yes!
2-1 Pens
Malkin in front of net, Crosby to Sullivan to Crosby, cross-ice to Niskanen and one-timer by the goalie.
Diving by Briere
It’s amazing how differently a hockey game can be officiated day to day. Very little consistency and huge influence on how game is played. They let so much go and now any contact is called! Show consistency and stop ruining the game.
Cannot keep taking penalties and it cost the Penguins their 2-1 lead but at some point, Fleury can’t blame his teammates and Cup winning goalies always steal a game. Tonight was that night, it ain’t happening.
3-2 Flyers, PP goal by Voracek, Fleury didn’t have a chance on this one.
OMG
4-3 Pens… Niskanen with blast and now Staal on rebound… insane series
1st period over, Pens lead 4-3 and will start 2nd period with a PP.
Goal scorers:
Pens: Malkin, Niskanen, Crosby, Staal
Flyers: Giroux, Timonen, and Voracek
Saves
Fleury – 8 of 11
Bryzgalov – 11 of 15
Tangradi had two good shifts, 1 assist, +1, 1 shot
Flyers are lucky to be playing what has become a dysfunctional Pens or they could be down in the series 3-0. Flyers defense is as bad as the Pens.
Bry had no idea.
5-3 Pens
Crosby to Letang with a real nice one-timer
Holy cow, patient play by Kennedy for once, Staal wide open in slot and bang, one-timer by Babrovsky, 6-3 Pens.
Timeout Flyers
As God is my witness, I swear I’m watching the All Star Game.
@Milo – LOL, but true
@ Milo
A friend texted me the same thing at end of first.
wow what a horrible PK by Flyers, Sullivan with a blast 7-3
Flyers took the boards and Sullivan flies up middle of ice, scores 4th PP of game for Pens
Why am I still concerned?
@Poz – I know I am…. until the final horn blows in third period and Pens are celebrating, I’m remaining nervous
This is the difference between scoring on PP in stead of giving up goals.
Fleury makes a save and the Pens charge back with a goal…
great cycle by Malkin pressuring the puck in corners, Dupuis gets puck and rifles one-timer to take 8-3 lead for Pens.
Has there ever been a playoff series with this many goals in 4 games?
This is ridiculously fun.
I’ve watched hockey since 1988 and never saw anything like this.
Staal with hat trick on 2-on-1 shot to make it 9-3 Pens.
Pens got a few saves from Fleury, better D zone coverage and a complete breakdown by Flyers goaltenders
Should have brought up Staal trade rumors earlier in series
I just threw up in my mouth. And for the first time in my life it didn’t taste bad.
The most goals scored by one team in a playoff game is 13 by Edmonton vs. Los Angeles on 4/9/87.
Plus the Sens have leveled it with NYR
Rinaldo better not be on the ice before Asham.
Did I just witness a period in which the Pens didn’t give up a goal? (Oh yea, they scored a few too!)
Bylsma no longer looks like he’s seeing dead people
The outrage by NBC, TSN, and other media scribes better be prepared to go hardcore against the Flyers and Rinaldo. It was clear, Rinaldo was out there to punish and hit beyond the name of the sport.
The cross-check, no biggie but then the punch and tough-guy yelling and staring is clear indication to me, he was sent out by Laviolette to cause problems.
The Flyers are turning to 67 year old Doug Favell to play goal in the 3rd period.
I see Tyler Kennedy play a game like this and I can’t think about getting rid of him. He is one of the few Penguins wingers that can wind his way around the ice with the puck and not turn it over. Several times on both sides of the ice he has slowed and turned one way to deliver an outlet to a Penguin near the middle of the defensive zone for an easy clear. I guess it would depend on who they would replace him with, and his insane penchant in shooting the puck but that skill of his has always impressed me.
Do the Flyers revert back to goonery in the 3rd period.
Strait +3
Despres +2
Strait made a nice clear in the second period but twice in the second period I noticed Despres unable to get two dumps in deep. Though one hit the linesman at the blueline. I guess they are playing fine overall.
@Cosmo – it would be stupid seeing the way the punishment is handed down now, but some of these guys aren’t too bright.
Really bad icing by Orpik
Fleury save, Kunitz shots off goalie, long-range rebound slammed into net by Malkin
Fleury is back.
Fleury with a great save….
With the exception of Joe Vitale, every Penguin player has been on the ice for a Pittsburgh goal.
Fleury a couple of big saves. Is he starting to come back to form? Which goalie is in net for Flyers in game 5.
See, I told you that Neal contract was excessive.
Game 5, easy decision for me. Vitale and Park out, Neal and Adams in.
Cooke gets tossed because he was in the way of a cross check!!!
That Cooke penalty, is that 2 minutes for holding his own stick ?
Why did Cooke get a 10 minute misconduct? He’s the one who took all of the hits.
Despres should be in line up for game 5 Leave Martin out again.
There was not a single arm in the air for the Cooke penalty for holding-the-stick, refs made up a penalty to even out the penalties.
NHL officiating at its finest.
Cooke got a misconduct because his name is Cooke.
@Cosmo – I never want to see Martin in a Pens uniform again.
Eric, is there going to be any takers for him. I can’t see Pens just eating the contract.
I think this series makes me realize that the biggest problem with hockey is the officiating. Too inconsistent and at times making no sense at all. Cooke penalty is a prime example.
Maybe Shanahan will explain the Cooke penalty. Maybe Cooke told him to keep hitting him and got a misconduct for urging the flyers on.
Well folks, if some way they can get the next one at home (starts by staying out of the penalty box and not giving up short handed goals) then the pressure switches to Flyers. Thanks for chat. Take care and good night.
@Cosmo – I think Minnesota will be a good match, maybe Nashville if they lose Ryan Suter and possibly have to unload Shea Weber. Pens can always take back another contract, Wild would probably think about RW Devin Setoguchi ($3mm cap hit). Something has to happen, I can’t see them eating the contract, plus I don’t think they can move him to AHL with No Movement Clause.
Well, that was finally a fun game. And, as long as it didn’t cause them to lose focus, the 3rd period was an easy coaster. Not like many elimination games where you have to hang on for dear life and expend a lot of energy just to stay alive. Should be in good shape come Friday with Neal coming back. Would still switch Neal and Kunitz on the first PP team since Chris worries me with all the dumb penalties he’s been taking in this series.
DK, did the Pens have the DN front page hanging in their locker room today?
Now what? Which Pens team shows up on Friday?