Penguins Own Flyers To Start Series, Win 4-1

If Penguins' interim coach Dan Bylsma stood in front of his team yesterday with a script of how he wanted his players to open the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, it probably would have went something like this:

Set the physical tone early.

Get an early lead.

Skate aggressively at both ends and control the Flyers in the neutral zone.

Be disciplined.

And so it was at Mellon Arena last night in game 1 of this Eastern Conference Quarterfinal between the Penguins and Flyers -- a game which Pittsburgh pretty much controlled from the drop of the puck in winning 4-1.

Really, it's hard to think the Penguins could have started this series better.

For all the talk in the Philadelphia camp about how this year would be different ... about how this series wouldn't go like last year's Eastern Conference Final, where the Flyers were dispatched easily in 5 games by the Penguins, the game looked exactly like what played out last season.

The series may very well be long; after all, last night's game was only the first.

But if the Penguins continue to play the way they did last night, the Flyers will be on the golf course in less than a week.

Among others, LW Chris Kunitz -- a proud new dad as of yesterday morning -- got the Penguins rolling early with his physical play, hammering Flyers' defenseman Kimmo Timonen on his opening shift, leaving Timonen with a charley horse and, really, a non-factor the rest of the game.

Sidney Crosby gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead on a power play about 5 minutes in, when a goal that went in off his skate was reviewed and upheld by the NHL in Toronto. Malkin tried to stuff the puck in to the left of Flyers' netminder Martin Biron, just as Crosby was crashing the goal. The puck squirted out and went off Sid's foot, but then went off the far post, and then off Biron's right skate before sliding across the goal line.

The Flyers were extremely undisciplined in the first period -- and throughout the whole game really. They took 4 penalties in the opening frame, living up to their reputation as the most penalized team in the league this season.

Tyler Kennedy stoked the Penguins' to a 2-0 lead in the 2nd period when he led a 3-on-1 rush after a giveaway by Flyers' defenseman Brandon Coburn in the neutral zone. Rather than pass it, TK decided to shoot it. He flubbed it a bit, but was able to beat Biron under the arm for the all-important 2nd goal.

Early in the 3rd period, the Flyers made another mistake when RW Mike Knuble, along the far boards about 10 feet from the blueline in his own zone, tried to pass the puck off the back boards behind his net to a teammate to avoid a forechecking Evgeni Malkin.

Problem was, the puck caromed off the backboards and the near side of the goal instead, squirting right out to Malkin, who corraled the biscuit on the backhand, then shielded himself from a lunging Biron before despositing the puck into an empty cage to give the Penguins' a huge 3-0 lead.

After the game, Knuble called his pass there just a "lazy play".

Minutes later, Mark Eaton scored a goal on a shot from the point that was deflected past Biron off a Flyers' defenseman to up the Penguins' lead to 4-0.

Simon Gagne scored a meaningless power play goal for the Flyers with about 5 minutes left, but by then, the Penguins had it in the bag.

True to their classless form, the Flyers started running around at the end of the game, taking cheap shots at Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Bill Guerin and Max Talbot, among others.

No matter to the Penguins. They were the ones with the 4-1 victory and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 26 saves for Pittsburgh, and was sharp when the Penguins needed him to be.

Crosby and Malkin both added helpers in the game.

Game #2 is tomorrow night at 7 PM at Mellon Arena.

Overall, the Penguins had NINE power plays in the game. If the Flyers continue to be that undisciplined, they will have no chance in this series. All the penalty killing takes a lot of energy from guys like Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, who Philadelphia uses on the PK.

Scott Hartnell, in particular, was true to form last night, taking 3 minors and then a 10-minute misconduct at the end of the game. Hartnell himself described the last penalty as a "brain cramp".

The Penguins also were big winners in the face-off circle in this one, winning 38 draws and losing only 21.

If they keep up those numbers, that will do wonders for their puck-possession style.

Craig Adams, who got the nod over Eric Godard on the Penguins' 4th line last night, had a strong game. He had several checks in the game and was good defensively. As I said yesterday, he's the right play in this series -- not Godard. That still holds true despite the rought stuff that happened at the end of the game.

With double-digit scorers like Max Talbot and Pascal Dupuis, the Penguins 4th liners are markedly better than the likes of rookie Jared Ross, Darrell Powe and former Penguin prospect Daniel Carcillo -- the Flyers' 4th liners -- and that may be something Pittsburgh can take advantage of against Philadelphia.

Obviously, the Flyers better get it together if this is going to be a series. They weren't smart with the puck, were undisciplined, and were generally outclassed in game 1. Even their own writers came down hard on them. My favorite quote was from one of them who said:

"this series will be quick and dirty if things don't start to change pretty quickly".

Here are a few other pieces of interest:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inqflyersreport/

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20090416_Phil_Sheridan__Flyers_fail_to_heed_recent_lessons.html

In game 2, the Penguins now need to work harder to be sure that their success in game 1 doesn't go for naught. They have to assume Philadelphia will be better, and the Penguins will have to be sure they match their intensity. With another strong game -- and another bucketfull of goals -- they might start to get in Biron's head.

More tomorrow on gameday.