Flyers pour on the offense in win over Penguins

PITTSBURGH - Since Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin teamed up in Pittsburgh following the NHL lockout in 2004-05, the Flyers and Penguins haven't had much of a rivalry.

Sure, there has been bad blood - and heated games and playoff series - between these teams.

But it has been hard, especially recently, to call the clash between these Keystone State teams a rivalry when one team - the Penguins - has dominated.

Last night, though, it was the Flyers who dominated the defending Stanley Cup champions, 7-4, from the drop of the puck until the final horn sounded in a quiet and cavernous Mellon Arena. Jeff Carter and James van Riemsdyk chipped in two goals apiece to lead the Flyers.

"If you look at the last few times we've played them, it hasn't been much of rivalry," Matt Carle said. "It was nice for us to be able to come in here and get a big win. We knew we were going to have a tough time and we responded."

It was just the Flyers' third win in their last 13 regular-season tries in Pittsburgh.

More importantly, the Flyers staved off a third-period Pittsburgh flurry to validate their current 6-1-1 turnaround - exorcising the demons that plagued them not only against the Penguins but most of the NHL's elite teams.

"It's a big steppingstone for us," said Arron Asham, who assisted on both of van Riemsdyk's goals. "We've been playing some great hockey here over the last couple of weeks. They're definitely one of the top teams in the NHL. We've had our struggles with them this year. Coming in here and stealing two points from them is huge."

Just 3 weeks ago, when the Flyers were trounced by the Penguins in the same building, 6-1, Pittsburgh had built a 2-0 lead in the first 6 minutes - before the Flyers had a chance to break a sweat.

Last night, the Flyers returned the favor.

Carter's turnaround wrister and van Riemsdyk's deft backhand deke cut the Flyers a two-goal edge in the first 7 minutes, 10 seconds.

"Our starts against this team in the last two or three games haven't been the best," Chris Pronger admitted. "Playing from behind on the road is even tougher."

"You have a completely different mind-set when you're leading and you're trying to catch up," Carle said. "It definitely makes it easier when you're team gets off to a good start."

Each time in the first period the Flyers jumped to a two-goal lead, Pittsburgh responded almost instantly. Just 75 seconds after van Riemsdyk's goal, Crosby struck with his 23rd goal in 30 career games against the Flyers to cut it in half.

When Carle's power-play point shot rung off the far post and behind Marc-Andre Fleury later in the period, set up by a nifty fake and pass from Pronger, Matt Cooke was there to respond for the Penguins fewer than 3 minutes later.

But it was Pronger's blast from just inside the blue line 1:42 into the second period that put the Flyers comfortably in front for the rest of the game.

Asham fed van Riemsdyk on a long outlet pass to give the Flyers rookie his 10th goal of the season and the first two-goal game of his career.

Crosby responded again halfway through the game to make it 5-3, with a goal that looked as if it would be Pittsburgh's rallying cry. But the Flyers never let Pittsburgh back in.

Late in the second period, Simon Gagne tried to stuff his own rebound off the glass behind Brent Johnson - who had replaced Fleury after the Flyers' fourth goal - but Johnson pulled it out of the net.

The play was reviewed by the NHL war room in Toronto but was not overturned because of inconclusive evidence.

That goal would have made it 6-3 heading into the final frame. But soon enough it was a three-goal game - thanks to Carter's wicked wrister in the slot midway through the third.

Mike Richards' late empty-netter fanned the flames from Pittsburgh's full-ice pressure in the third period. The Flyers staved off Pittsburgh's desperate chances - even though the Penguins were never really within striking distance.

"You know they're going to be pressing and coming hard," Pronger said. "We were able to get some chances off their pressure. Leights [Michael Leighton] made some big saves to keep the score what it was."

Coach Peter Laviolette has stressed small steps for the Flyers recently. Last night was the first big one.

"It definitely helps with what we're trying to do," Carle said.

Still, Pronger wasn't taking the bait.

"Playing against whoever, we've got to worry about us and how we're playing," Pronger said. "Statement games can come later."

Claude Giroux, who did not accompany the Flyers on their charter to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night because of the flu, met the team in Pittsburgh yesterday afternoon. He skated 15 minutes and finished with one shot and two hits . . . The Flyers were outhit, 36-31, closing the gap from 28-17 in the final period . . . Chris Pronger and Matt Carle were both plus-3 last night . . . The Flyers, who were 2-for-2 on the power play, have scored 17 goals in their last three games.

For more news and analysis, read Frank Seravalli's blog, Frequent Flyers, at http://go.philly.com/frequentflyers.