For one, coach John Stevens likely will unleash right winger Steve Downie tonight at Mellon Arena.

"He's a good hockey player. He gives us a boost offensively, gives us a little bit of a physical edge," fellow right winger Joffrey Lupul said.

Many in the NHL have this image of Downie as some sort of five-headed hydra. Lupul says Downie's skills are underestimated.

"He controls the puck down low. He's a good passer, and he can score goals when he's given the chance," Lupul said. "He's not coming in to get into anyone's face. He's going to help us on the forecheck."

The forecheck. It was nonexistent in Game 1 because the Flyers either were trapped in their own zone or they turned the puck over in neutral ice the few times they saw the red line. That means no puck to dump and chase, and no forecheck.

"The forecheck comes out of execution," Downie said. "Our effort was there, but our execution was poor."

Downie played fairly well and under control much of the season when given the chance.

"I'll play my usual, simple, physical game," he said. Downie, who has played in four of the team's 13 postseason games, said he already has learned something about the Penguins.

"Discipline. That seems to be the key to Pittsburgh," he said. "You don't want to give them too many power plays."

Stevens wouldn't confirm Downie would play, but based on the practice, it was obvious Downie was in.

"He wins a lot of puck battles," Stevens said of the 21-year-old rookie. "Our fourth line has done a good job, and I think Steve's been a part of that mix. . . . The bigger the game, the better he plays."

If the Flyers are going to present a sustained challenge to the Penguins, they must get their breakout aligned with players leaving the zone in numbers. Stevens pointed out that the gaps between the team's defense and forwards were too great.

"We didn't have guys coming out together," left winger Scott Hartnell added. "That's been our M.O. the whole year - five guys coming up together. We couldn't get the puck deep, we couldn't get a hit. Or get anything going in their zone."

Puck possession is the only way to stop the Penguins, who much like the Detroit Red Wings have skated in these playoffs as if they owned the rights to the puck. The Flyers didn't own the puck long enough after the first period of Game 1 to cash in. Pittsburgh forced turnovers and got odd-man rushes on goalie Marty Biron.

"We passed into coverage and got caught up in that three-quarter-ice game," Stevens said. "We only got pucks as far as the red line or as far as the far blue line, and that's a game that favors them. We didn't spend near enough time in the offensive zone . . . because of it. And we spent too much time in our own end because of it, and that needs to change."

In the Montreal series, the Flyers used a simple breakout: defenseman-to-defenseman passes behind the net with a chip pass off the half-wall to a forward already in motion.

It sounds pretty simple, but when a team is faced with constant pressure, as the Flyers were with the Pens coming at them in waves, it requires composure.

The Flyers insist they will be more aggressive tonight, too.

"I think we can play more of a physical style of game," right winger Scottie Upshall said.