Game 1 Recap: Penguins Win, 4-2

At least one thing is clear after game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Penguins and Flyers.

The Penguins aren't the Capitals or Canadiens.

Lighting the lamp on 4 of their 21 shots, including two spectacular goals from center Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins demonstrated on their way to a 4-2 win and 1-0 series lead that they, unlike Washington or Montreal, will capitalize on their scoring chances.

The game started out sloppy for both teams -- likely the result of each being off for nearly a week before this series opened. Penguins winger Petr Sykora scored a pretty goal about 6 minutes in, taking a pass from Malkin on a rush and top shelfing a backhand to open the scoring.

Flyers center Mike Richards got the next two goals, each of which were the result of the Penguins being lackadaisical around their goal. On the first, Richards circled behind the net and managed to throw a wraparound attempt off Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and into the net. On the second, the Flyers crashed the goal and Fleury wasn't able to corral the puck. Richards picked it out of a crowd and tossed it into the empty cage.

Not long after, the Penguins rebounded, with Marian Hossa picking off a clearing attempt around the boards from Philadelphia goaltender Martin Biron and quickly centering it to Sidney Crosby, who redirected it between Biron's legs as he scrambled to get back in the net.

Then, 6 seconds before the end of the 1st, Malkin took a long, cross-ice pass from Penguins defenseman Ryan Whitney and broke down the wall before burying a wrist shot from 25 feet under Biron's blocker and over his leg to send the Penguins off to the 1st intermission with a 3-2 lead.

In the second period, the Penguins settled down. They were sharper in their own zone and in the neutral zone, and didn't give the Flyers much of a chance to generate anything. Then the defining moment of the game occurred.

Malkin broke free towards Biron but was cut off by a Flyer defenseman before he could get a good shot off. As he stopped near the net, Richards came back and laid a hard hit on Malkin, sending him rattling into the boards behind the net. As the play broke the other way, Malkin was slow to get up. When Penguins winger Marian Hossa forced a turnover on the Flyers rush, Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar picked up the loose puck and sent a 100 foot pass to Malkin, who now was standing alone at the Flyer blueline, before being buried on a check by Richards. Malkin broke in clean on a breakaway and unleashed a slap shot from 15 feet, burying it behind Biron on the stick side for a 4-2 lead.

The Penguins simply locked down the Flyers the rest of the way. They didn't give the Flyers any meaningful scoring opportunities and Fleury shut down what did get through.

Since I was at the game, there are other things worth noting.

First, the crowd was insane. This was probably clear on TV but I've been to a lot of playoff games over the years and haven't seen the crowd that raucous since 1992 when the Penguins won their last Stanley Cup. They were insatiable, and chanting before anyone ever took the ice.

Second, I noticed that Penguins coach Michel Therrein double-shifted Crosby and Malkin (particularly Malkin). There were many times that he sent Malkin out there with fourth liners Roberts and Laraque on his wings. I imagine he did this because, with the long layoff between series, he wanted to take advantage of the extra energy his two superstars had. It also keeps #10 and #27 in the game. The result was that Adam Hall didn't get a lot of ice time.

Third, Biron was shaky between the pipes. The national media acted like he was the second coming of Ken Dryden before this series, despite the worst statistics -- by far -- of any of the four goalies left in the tournament. If he keeps playing like he did in game 1, the Penguins might very well sweep Philadelphia.

Fourth, the loss of Kimmo Timonen definitely hurt the Flyers. Their power play was stagnant and their puck possession in their own zone left something to be desired.

Overall, the Penguins demonstrated in game 1 a lot of what I expected them to before the series -- intensity, scoring prowess, and heart. They continue to play on all cylinders against a Flyers team that has it's hands full. The Penguins still haven't lost at home in the playoffs. Unless the Flyers get things together defensively, stop giving up as many good scoring chances to the Penguin star forwards, and start crashing the net around Fleury, it's going to be a short series.

As far as I'm concerned Philadelphia can't go home soon enough.