Taking advantage
PITTSBURGH The Flyers' first mistake was blowing a late lead in their final regular season game, a loss that unexpectedly sent them to Pittsburgh for the first two games of their Eastern Conference playoff series replay against the rival Penguins.
The Flyers' second error was making all the same mistakes they committed during the conference finals of last spring, which the Penguins easily won in five games.
The Penguins got a goal and an assist each from stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and shut down the frustrated Flyers' fleet of scorers for a 4-1 victory Wednesday night in the opening game of the first-round playoff series.
This one was just as quick and just as easy as it was a year ago for the Penguins and just as painful for the Flyers, who must regroup in a hurry to prevent themselves from going back to Philadelphia with the 2-0 series deficit they took there in the conference finals last season.
Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, idle for long stretches in the first two periods as his teammates controlled play at the other end, made 26 saves to help the Penguins win their fourth consecutive conference playoff series opener.
"That's been our style since coach (Dan) Bylsma took over, the more you can play in their offensive zone, that's the best defense for us," said Mark Eaton, who scored his first career playoff goal.
The Penguins' best offense, actually, was the Flyers' own undisciplined offense, which put Pittsburgh on the power play seven times and never generated any momentum.
"We didn't play good hockey, good enough hockey to win," captain Mike Richards said. "We were so undisciplined. It seemed like every time we started getting momentum, starting turning the tides, we took a penalty that put us back on our heels."
The Penguins controlled the Flyers much like they did last spring, when they scored at least four goals in each victory and finished off the conference finals with a 6-0 rout in Game 5. Dating to Game 4 of that series, the Penguins had scored 12 consecutive playoff goals against the Flyers until Simon Gagne scored late in the third period with Pittsburgh leading 4-0.
"It was important not because of last year, but because you want to start the series off right. But last year's done. ... I don't think that was in anybody's mind," said Crosby, who scored on a power play less than five minutes into the game. "We certainly want to be tough at home and establish that early."
The Flyers didn't like it, either, ending the game with three players in the penalty box as they tried to send a message through some physical play that Game 2 on Friday night won't be so easy.
"We know that's their style. That's how they play," Fleury said. "But it's nice to see how the guys handled it with no problem and just moved on."
The Penguins put the pressure on early, built a multiple-goal lead while not letting Philadelphia which had an NHL-high six players with 25 or more goals sustain any offense. They also leaned on Fleury to make the big saves when the Flyers did make a push.
"I thought we played our game, everyone's rolling," said Tyler Kennedy, who scored early in the second to make it 2-0. "It's huge winning the first game, but Game 1 ends tonight. The next game is big."
The Penguins also took advantage of some careless penalties, including a hooking call on a tired Arron Asham that led to Crosby's goal.
"That's the worse-case scenario, coming in here to start in their building and taking a penalty they capitalize on," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "I thought it was an undisciplined penalty. You really make it an uphill battle."
Kennedy scored at 1:39 of the second after Braydon Coburn turned the puck over in the neutral zone, allowing Jordan Staal to start an up-ice rush that ended with Kennedy chipping the puck into the top of the net.
"I would have been (mad) if he missed it, that's for sure," Staal said of Kennedy holding onto the puck during a 3-on-1 break. "Obviously, he felt confident he could get that goal."
Malkin and Eaton scored in the third to make it 4-0.
"They had more intensity than us," the Flyers' Mike Knuble said. "We learned a real quick refresher on playoff hockey and how we all need to play in order to have success. You're not going to do it by being in the penalty box."
