In what was perhaps their best game of the season, the Flyers shut down the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 yesterday afternoon at the Mellon Arena. Playing a near flawless defensive game, the Orange and Black held Cindy Crosby and Evgeni Malkin shotless and allowed only a power play goal that took a fortunate bounce off and over Marty Biron’s pad. The Flyers played a superb defensive game, backchecked well, forced giveaways, and cut off passing lanes to frustrate the Penguins throughout the afternoon.
As the game wore on, the Penguins showed effects of the Flyers’ tight checking, committing numerous cheap shots (many of which were missed or not called by the refs). We can point to a Malkin high stick on Joffrey Lupul which wasn’t called (we can’t put Malkin in the box), a Sergei Gonchar punch to Lupul’s head after a whistle (also no call), and a Jordan Staal slash on Mike Richards after a clean (and light) check by the Flyers captain. No call on that one, either. Need more? OK, a high stick on Braydon Coburn that was probably accidental but was not called and a clear interference penalty in open ice that was ignored. Most ridiculous was a trip on Dan Carcillo that was called but which also took Carcillo off for diving. The trip was so flagrant that a diving call on that play was clearly to avoid awarding a power play to the Flyers.
Despite the refs best efforts to hand the game to the Pens, the Flyers maintained their game plan and executed it flawlessly, holding Pittsburgh to only seven shots in the third period. The Penguins, meanwhile, displayed their immaturity before a national television audience, becoming chippier as the game wore on. This game gives some hope for the playoffs as the Flyers stepped up with a playoff-type effort. Marty Biron continued his exceptional play in goal; looks like he’s getting hot at the right time. Let’s hope the Flyers can maintain this sort of effort tonight as they face the surging Devils.
Orange and Black Attack 