"If you don't have intensity in your game and emotion in your game, you're not going to win games this time of year," the Flyers' general manager said. "Everyone is battling for it, a chance to get in the playoffs or stay in the playoffs.

"I thought [Saturday], our effort was pretty good. To come back today . . . Pittsburgh wasn't really charged up at the start of the game, either. But they obviously steamrolled us pretty good."

It was the Flyers' 16th defeat in their last 21 games. With nine games left, their grip on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference remains precarious. With 80 points, they are just a point ahead of Buffalo.

The loss was the Flyers' worst defeat since an 8-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Oct. 28, 2006.

"It's in our hands right now," center Mike Richards said. "I'm not sure what it is, but we'd better start picking it up here . . . or it's going to slip out of our hands."

Once again, the Flyers seemed to lack energy. Holmgren said the responsibility starts with coach John Stevens and his assistants.

"This time of year, it [falls] on the coaches, and it's got to come down to the players themselves," he said. "They're the ones who are going out there and playing. We're all in this together. We haven't done very well here lately. . . . We're not getting the push we need to put us over the hump right now, for whatever reason."

The Flyers held Pittsburgh to four shots in the opening period, but the Penguins still scored twice on Marty Biron. The Flyers goalie has been unable to win when playing the second of back-to-back games. Biron is 0-5 with a 5.95 goals-against average and .822 save percentage in the second game of back-to-backs.

With those numbers, why was Biron in goal? Because he played well in a 3-2 loss in Boston?

"That and the fact he's played well against Pittsburgh all year," Stevens replied. "He's the guy we've been leaning on lately. If he's going to step up and take charge, he has to be able to play back to back, especially against a team he's had a lot of success against."

Going into the game, Biron was 4-1 with a 2.41 GAA and .907 save percentage against the Penguins this year.

Is Biron still the Flyers' go-to guy?

"Doesn't mean anything right now," Stevens replied. "We just got pounded, 7-1. Give me a couple minutes to think about it. I'll make a decision [today]."

Not that it was entirely Biron's fault. Two of the three goals he gave up before being replaced by Antero Niittymaki were the result of poor plays in front of him by his forwards and defense.

Pittsburgh led, 3-1, in the second period when Evgeni Malkin (two goals) and Marian Hossa scored 31 seconds apart, making it 5-1. Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn tried to ride Malkin off the play on the second goal and ended up bowling over Niittymaki instead.

Petr Sykora also scored twice for the Penguins.

"To me, it looked like we were a little scared to make a play," defenseman Kimmo Timonen said. "We're too hesitant to really play hard on the forecheck. When we don't do that, others teams are able to break us down pretty easy.

"Sami [Kapanen] said in the second - a good point, I think - you never know how many chances you get to make the playoffs. Doesn't matter if you are 20 years old or 34 years old. This could be our chance. It's a matter of time. Go out, have fun, work hard, don't be afraid of making mistakes. You do that and you are a second late all the time."

The seconds are expiring, too.

"It's disappointing," Holmgren said. "You hope this time of year you have the fight in you, and the last little while, we haven't had the fight we need to win games. Miraculously, we're still clinging to our spot in the playoffs. What does that mean? Tuesday's game [against Atlanta] is a big game."