Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Posted: 9:30 p.m.Updated: 11:21 p.m.
By Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com
BOX SCORE
PITTSBURGHThe Flyers promised things would be different this time against the Penguins.
How they needed to win this game and keep their arch-rival from tying them in the Atlantic division standings.
They even had a snarl at the morning skate.
In arguably their biggest game of the season Tuesday night at CONSOL Energy Center, the Flyers finally showed up by routing the Penguins, 5-2, while dashing Pittsburghs hopes of matching them in the standings.
NHL
Weve done a good job for the most part responding when our backs are against the wall and coming out with good efforts, Sean ODonnell said. I just wish sometimes we didnt wait until our backs are against the wall.
That showed a lot of character in this team. We got down 2-1. Its a big rivalry with these guys. We were able to battle back, get a couple bounces and pull out a nice win.
Ville Leino, who hasnt had a goal since scoring a hat trick early this month against Atlanta, pumped in two.
Its been a couple games I hadnt scored and I get a couple so I guess it goes like that sometimes, Leino said. Sometimes its tough when teams arent that close and youre the No. 1 spot. But now teams are close to us. This was a desperate game and we played good.
Claude Giroux had the game-winner for the third time in the series on the road here and finished with five goals in the six overall games against Pittsburgh.
Now the cautionary news: Kimmo Timonen didnt play in the final period with a hip flexor, according to a team source. He was held out for precautionary reasons, according to general manager Paul Holmgren, who thinks Timonen will play Thursday against Atlanta.
Timonen would not comment, but offered a thumbs up when asked about playing against Atlanta.
The game itself provided exactly what the Flyers needed. Strong goaltending, clutch scoring, good special teams and energy start to finish as the club established a new franchise record with its 25th road victory.
A really competitive road win, coach Peter Laviolette said. Bob (Sergei Bobrovsky) got better as the game went on and played his best in the thirdIt showed a lot to come back on the road being down 1-0, then 2-1, and fight back a couple times to get the lead.
Rookie goalie Bobrovsky had 25 saves, including 14 in the final period which began with the Flyers ahead, 3-2. He had two key saves on Pascal Dupuis and Max Talbot right away.
If the Pens score there, it ignites a final period comeback. Instead, it fueled the Flyers as Leino deflected a Scott Hartnell slapper at 5:30 to give Bobrovsky some insurance.
It went off Villes pants into the net, Hartnell said. The fifth was a little flip, too. Kind of a weird play, too. We havent had those lucky bounces, those fluke goals. We were overdue.
Indeed, Leino, who had gone seven games without a goal, came right back a few minutes later by flipping his own rebound off Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to make it a rout.
This was a fight for first place, Bobrovsky said via a translator. This was especially important.
So was playing physical. Fifteen of 18 skaters registered at least one hit.
We needed to have a big effort; weve kind of been slacking the last little while, Hartnell said. Our third periods havent been that great, but to nail it down like we did, well, guys are having fun joking around. Its nice to put a little space between us and Pittsburgh, as well.
The Flyers have 102 pointsfour more than Pittsburgh. They need six points to clinch the division and seven points to clinch the conference.
Another strong point in this one was the power play, for a change. It was 1 for 4. Unofficially, it was 2 for 4.
After Alex Kovalev had given the Pens a 1-0 lead at 12:22 of the first period, the Flyers scored three minutes later just as their power play expired.
Braydon Coburn ripped a point shot off Jeff Carters stick and then off the left post. The puck caromed out, hit Fleury in the back, then clunked into the net. Carter has goals now goals in two of his last three games and has 35 for the season.
The first one, even though it didnt count as a power-play goal, that was a big boost, Danny Briere said.It was 1-1. We didnt know how the game was going to go. Youre thinking theres not going to be a lot of goals scored. It was huge to get back in the game.
Tyler Kennedy, who seems to burn the Flyers when given the chance, scored the go-ahead goal for the Pens at 9:21 of the second period off a long outlet pass from Brooks Orpik.
That pass enabled Kennedy to make a cut move right past both Timonen and Coburn, then get an unchallenged shot from the right circle that nicked off Bobrovskys right pad and skidded into the net. A bad goal, actually.
Bobrovskys teammates gave him immediate relief with a pair of goals in the final six minutes of the period starting with Hartnell bull rushed to the net as he muscled the puck over Fleury at 13:45 on the power play.
Giroux, who had just one shot in his previous three games, made it a 3-2 affair at 13:45 with his 25th goal, a nasty shot from 25 out, as the Flyers wilted Flower for two goals in 47 seconds.
Odie (Sean ODonnell) made a nice pass right on my tape, Giroux said. I was able to go wide and got a quick shot off.
Fleury had allowed two or fewer goals 33 times in his last 50 appearances before this game.
Its nice to get a lead on this team because theyre very structured, especially with the two key injuries Sidney CrosbyEvgeni Malkin they have, ODonnell said. They really rely on playing solid defense. They dont give you much.
When they get the lead, they play differently. Us getting the lead back was good for us and made them open up a bit. Playing ahead of these guys is better than playing behind.
So is leading Pittsburgh by four points in the standings.
E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net
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