They know the answers because they covered a lot of groundwork last night, like closing defensive gaps, playing physical and creating chances.

They just have to finish the job and overcome the bad breaks and critical mistakes.

Like losing key defenseman Braydon Coburn in the first period to a severe facial laceration and giving up the winning goal on a critical turnover in the third period after tying the game on Mike Richards' shorthanded steal.

"It's frustrating," said Richards, after the Flyers lost, 4-2, in Mellon Arena last night and fell behind in the best-of-seven series, 2-0, with Game 3 tomorrow night in the Wachovia Center.

"I thought everybody played well. They got a couple of bounces and we have more to give. We have to play better and more consistent throughout the game. We feel we can still play a little bit better. We were right there."

How they play will depend on the availability of Coburn, who required more than 50 stitches to close a circular cut around his left eye. Coburn was struck by a puck shot by Pittsburgh's Sergei Gonchar and tipped by Evgeni Malkin early in the first period.

He was lost for the game and probably tomorrow night, forcing the Flyers to play with five defensemen and readjust their pairings and assignments for the second time in the series.

They are already playing without their No. 1 defenseman, Kimmo Timonen, who was sidelined indefinitely on the eve of the series with a blood clot in his left ankle.

"Well, obviously it's tough," said coach John Stevens. "[Coburn] is an all-situation player for us. He plays big minutes, but I thought the group of five did a heck of a job. I thought they played big minutes. I thought we got big contributions from all of them.

"I thought our [defense] played much better tonight than we did in the game before, which we were looking for. Moved the puck better. But it's tough, tough on the road. You got five [defensemen]. You've got one of your key guys out. I thought the other five guys, I thought they stepped up and played a heck of a game."

Said Coburn: "My left eye is swollen shut right now. I will keep the ice on it and get the swelling down and see what happens [today]."

Even with Coburn out and the Flyers down to five on the back end, they twice rallied from behind before Maxime Talbot, playing for the first time in three games since breaking his right foot against the Rangers, capitalized on a Steve Downie turnover and scored the game-winner 8:51 into the third period.

Marty Biron made 34 saves in the loss.

"It's all about desperation now," Biron said. "We played a Game 7 [in Washington] where it was if you lose, go home. Game 3 isn't like that but it's close."

The Flyers' first period was nothing like they wanted. They took three minor penalties, turned the puck over, had very few chances, lost Coburn and fell behind.

Sidney Crosby gave Pittsburgh the lead at 10 minutes, 48 seconds when he snapped a side-angle shot under Biron's glove from almost against the boards. Crosby almost had a second goal during a four-on-four situation when he was able to get his stick on a puck that had dropped into the crease after a Biron save hit Derian Hatcher and fell down.

The play was reviewed for more than 5 minutes and then disallowed because it could not be determined if the entire puck had crossed the line.

Biron's glove obscured the video replay. It was close.

The Flyers got their game together in the second period, closing the gap between the forwards and defense and limiting the turnovers that have forced them into a game of trading rushes with Pittsburgh.

Then they got back-to-back power plays and scored on the second.

Jeff Carter one-timed a pass from Joffrey Lupul in front of the empty side of Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the game early in the second. But Pittsburgh reclaimed the lead when Hatcher was sent to the box for hooking Malkin. Marian Hossa scored on a rebound and Pittsburgh had a 2-1 lead.

The game was rough from the start and in an exchange of nastiness, Hatcher again drew 2 minutes, this time for crosschecking.

But instead of the Flyers falling further behind, Richards picked off a Malkin pass and skated in on Fleury alone, scoring shorthanded and tying the game, 2-2, late in the second.

"I was just seeing where he was in the net," Richards said. "I know he has a quick glove but I saw an opening and I just tried for it."

It was the first time in the playoffs that Pittsburgh has given up two leads in one game.

Talbot capitalized on a Downie turnover high in the defensive zone and converted a pass from behind the net from Gary Roberts, giving the lead back to Pittsburgh at 8:51 of the third.

Jordan Staal added an empty-net goal at the end to seal the final score and send the Flyers home thinking about what has to happen tomorrow night.

"We've got to play better, that's the bottom line," said forward Jim Dowd. "We played better than the first game but we've still got to play way better. We just have to keep going.

"We have to get the puck in, get two guys going, get the third guy in the right position and bear down. Every guy." *