Shamless plug: we took an updated picture of Eric’s beard and put it up for his profile…The idea is going to be to update after every win so you can see his progress. He shaved for the final time yesterday afternoon.

/shameless plug

Congratulations, Penguins fans. You deserved the win and you got it.

I still think it’s going to be a long series, though.

May the best team still win. Round one to you guys, but I’d expect a much different effort from the Flyers in game 2.

the Pens sure looked good in the 1st, which was all I got to see.

sad to have missed the cross-blog fun tonight….

but I’ll take quality over quantity any day in the hits department and we time after time rocked them with good hits… Even Gonchar had a nice hip check tonight.

It was VERY fun to watch this game tonight and I was happy to see us draw Philly… Not because I think they are the worst team in the playoffs, but because it’s hard to beat a Pens/Flyers playoff game…

1. By the time I DVR’d the game to live, it was 5 minutes into the second game of VS’ doubleheader. So, so much for that meeting go too quickly despite the dosage of stupidity and productivity.

2. Domination. That goal by the Flyers is an example of “floccinaucinihilipilification,” I didn’t car, nobody cared, didn’t make a dent, and it only takes the shutout from #29. The Pens were beating the Flyers to death from puck drop to final buzzer. Kunitz was dropping bodies, along with darn near the rest of the team. If you ever want to establish a tempo of dominance without getting a quickie goal, which they did anyway 6 minutes in, just hit everybody, and out physical them.

3. Flyers shot their foots right off. How many stupid penalties were taken? That third man in penalty, I believe, was really weird. One of the Flyers crashed through the net, Matt Cooke didn’t shove him, but a Flyer knocked his own teammate through the net, and then two attacked him. Just assumed they should try scoring in on their own net next, but then again, they were after Cooke for most of the night.

To summarize the game, watch Malkin’s goal. Horrible and idiotic puck control from the Flyers, turnover, and you make the mountain that much taller to climb by handing the Pens a goal. We’ll take it.

Unless the Flyers get inspired to one up the physical performance the Pens layed down, I might want to consider this a sweep. Guess we’ll just have to see.

I have to keep telling myself it’s only one game. But, if they play the next game like that and at least one in Philly like that I’m not going to be able to contain my excitement.

It is only one game, but I can’t imagine how the Pens could have gotten off to a better start. There’s obviously a lot of talent on both sides of the ice, and most of the pre-series hype has gone into breaking down various player-vs-player matchups. But the biggest difference between this year’s Pens and last year’s Pens is between the ears. They came out determined to outhustle and outhit the Flyers, and they played a full 60 minutes that way. If you’re a Pens fan this is exactly how you want them to be playing.

Philly will be back, obviously. But I would say that the reason they lost last night is between the ears also. They don’t lack for good players, and on paper they can play the rugged, fast-paced style you need to win in the playoffs. But they did not look mentally ready for this game: they got outworked, and they lost their cool against an opponent determined to play them physically.

And I did want to say, after taking part in part 2 of the cross-blog action, that it was very cool chatting with all the Flyer fans there: you guys are all right. And we’ll see you Friday.

It seems to me that the whole team is more physical, instead of letting Ruutu, Roberts and Laraque do it all like last year. I think the lack of grit and then adding Kunitz and Guerin showed them all what they needed, that and Detroit getting rough with them last year.

I don’t think anyone is ready for that from the Pens.

I keep saying we’ll make it to the East finals then lose, but dang that looked like a cup team last night.

Of course Philly helped by playing like crap last night, but logic is no match for reckless exuberance!

According to TSN Mad Max’s best friend Daniel Carcillo has a date with the NHL disciplinary Commission for the incident with Max Talbot in last nights game. Even though there was no call on the play. I’m just wondering if sending a message was worth being suspended or fined.

seriously, i can only compare it to winning game 7 of last year against the caps. even though its only game 1, i’m pretty sure i’m in a mild case of severe depression. well back to work, enjoy your 36 hours of happy glory, your team earned it. kunitz and staal played like men possessed, and to think i’m allowed to get into bars and staal isnt. man, makes me wonder why i’m sitting in a library studying and didn’t play hockey my entire life, my dad was a navy seal so i’d assume the genetics were… there sort of. i just got caught up in the pee-wee soccer and baseball clinics. damn! and you don’t even have to be in shape to play baseball, most of the time.