The Flyers came out gunning. They were skating hard, hitting and shooting every chance they got.


Pittsburgh had the first PP opportunity and Richards like he has done so many times this year, read the play and created a great short handed scoring chance. The Pens responded immediately and hit Hossa breaking free. Hossa drove in from the wing and took a well aimed shoot at the low far side corner, only to have Biron make a very nice save.


The Flyers continue to keep the pressure on and it pays off, Lupul put one behind Fleury. Wouldn’t you know it, the shot was deflected by the Pens’ Gill. This has been the same thing that has been helping the Pens all series, deflections off Flyers defensemen going in the net.


The next goal, scored on a Flyers power play by Briere. I wasn’t sure if it should have counted or not and wonder if anyone has either the rule or examples of precedence for allowing the goal. Briere did a great job of working hard and getting to the rebound and putting into the net. My question about the goal is this, on his way to the front of the net, he definitely made contact with Fleury. I don’t know what the rule is about contact with goalies on rebounds. No matter what the rule is, Briere outworked Gill and the Flyers as a whole deserved the lead.


The Flyers still weren’t done and Carter put another puck in the net before the first period was over.


The second period was exciting and the Pens finally seemed to get their skates under them. Neither team was able to score.


The third period looked like the Flyers might allow another team to come from behind in these playoffs. Who led this charge? Was it Crosby or Malkin… No, it was Staal, the Pens young center that has been asked to shutdown the other teams offense all season. He and the third line were able to created several chances in the third period, two of which got behind Biron.


Things got very chippy at the end of the game, mostly initiated by the Flyers. Not sure what the reason was, but it was almost enough to get the Pens back in the game. Some of the plays would probably given the Pens power play opportunities had it not been the third period of a playoff game. Upshall was walking the line all night, which is his job… So, tonight, he did a very good job.


Richards needs to be careful. He is a great player all the way around. However, he almost cost himself and the team a major set back. At the very end of the game, after obviously verbally trying to instigate Crosby, rather than attempt to win the face off, he slashed Crosby on his shin pads. Had Crosby and Richards fought, the officials would probably had to have given Richards an instigator penalty. The penalty for this in the last five minutes of regulation or anytime in overtime include the five minute major, two minute minor and an automatic one game suspension. the suspension is to be reviewed by the director of hockey operations and can be rescinded or lengthened. I’m just not sure what Richards was thinking, he was willing to possibly pay a high price just to get a few shots in on Crosby.


In any event, the team that played better tonight, won the game with officiating that overall was better than it had been in most of the post season games this year.


Congratulations Flyers, they looked a lot more like the team people were expecting to see play this series.