Staal's hat trick sparks Penguins
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Staal's hat trick sparks Penguins
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Four power-play goals sparked Pittsburgh to an 9-3 lead over the Flyers Wednesday after the first two periods.
Jordan Staal had a hat trick heading into the final period.
Barring a total collapse, Pittsburgh will cut the Flyers' lead to three games to one. Game 5 would be in Pittsburgh on Friday.
The Pens got second-period PP goals from Kris Letang, Jordan Staal and Steve Sullivan, quieting the sellout crowd at the Wells Fargo Center.
Letang's goal with 16:53 left in the second period chased Ilya Bryzgalov (five goals on 18 shots). Sergei Bobrovsky replaced Bryzgalov, who has not looked the same since suffering a chip fracture in his right foot late in the season.
Pascal Dupuis increased the lead to 8-3 with 5:01 left in the second, and Staal completed his hat trick a little over a minute later.
Defenseman Matt Niskanen scored a power-play goal _ a one-timer from the left circle _ to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead with 11:55 left in the first period Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Claude Giroux (1:16) and the Penguins' Evgeni Malkin had traded goals in the first 3:27 as the teams were in an early 1-1 tie.
It was Giroux's fifth goal of the series, and Malkin's first. Malkin charged out of the penalty box and scored on a juicy rebound allowed by Bryzgalov.
Giroux, Kimmo Timonen and Jake Voracek each had first-period power-play goals for the Flyers. ASfter the opening period, the Flyers were a ridiculous 9 for 15 on the PP in this series.
With a loss, the Penguins would have become the second team in the NHL's 94-year history to be swept in the first round after collecting 50-plus wins in the regular season.
The Flyers' lineup:
Harnell-Giroux-Jagr.
Schenn-Briere-Simmonds.
Talbot-Couturier-Wellwood.
Rinaldo-Read-Voracek.
DEFENSE
Coburn-Grossmann; Carle-Timonen; Kubina-Lilja.
Bryzgalov.
The Pens' lines:
Kunitz-Malkin-Kennedy; Sullivan-Crosby-Dupuis; Tangradi-Staal-Cooke; Jeffrey-Vitale-Park.
Go Flyers.— LuckyDog- This is a freakin' disgrace. I don't see how this series doesn't go 7. This is crazy, but I think the flyers are in trouble. The flyers d is atrocious...and Lavy's system doesn't work...hope I'm emotionally compromised.
- So glad we went out and got the best goalie available.— schnitzelboy
- you guys woke up a sleeping dog by posting that front page about the best player in the NHL. Go Pens!!
P.S. WE HATE U MORE!!!!— blmr10 - blmr - where were you the past three games?? shut your mouth— xlGmanlx
- Bryz has been terrible this series. Lucky Fleury and our offense bailed us out because the series would be 3-1 pens otherwise. Even if we had no penalties vs us tonight we'd still would be losing based on how bad our goal play is. I hope this serves as a wake up call. Just embarrassing goalie and team performance.— Jay25
- Great Cover!— F5
- Yes, a disgraceful game by ALL of the Flyers. BUT, it is only one game, to an extremely talented club with too much firepower to go down meekly. The Flyers are in trouble, but if anyone told you you would be up 3 to 1 going into game 4, l am sure you would be ecstatic, so shake this one off quickly and reload for Friday!!!— nacejf
- relax people, these flyers have too much of inner strength, choking is not an option. And don't forget, they still have a road game advantage - 2 out of next 3 games in pittsburgh. We will be fine.— Gideon68
- Flyers must have thought the Pens would'nt show up tonight. They sleep walked through this one.— ziller0604
- Lavy on a third period hit in a game that didn't require the Flyers second scoring line to be on the ice:“Those guys hadn’t been out there in 12 minutes,” Laviolette said, referring to Vitale and linemates Craig Adams and Arron Asham. “It’s a gutless move by their coach. It’s gutless.” Bylsma on Ronaldo two handing Michalek after not being on the ice for 12:38: Nothing. Who's the whiner now Lavy?— theeutmost
- FLYERS FANS - remember that liberal use of the "report abuse" button has been known to allviate a condition known as TROLLISM (when pathetic fans from other teams feel the need to post on our message boards). — Daddio
@theeutmost: I guess someone was listening to the X morning show today, huh? Bone head...- That was posted at 12:15 last night Bone head. It's common sense. Your coach cries when it happens and at the same time calls the Pens whiners. You send a goon out to send a message by taking out one of our players and we say nothing about it. Philly ignores it because they are classless and can't put 2 and 2 together.— theeutmost
- Comon, you need to send Crosby and the whiner Penguins packing. I can't believe you didn't sweep them.— Pork Fried Ice
