As my series outlook goes, you take care of your home ice and then split the first two on the road and you're in great shape. The Penguins accomplished just that, by winning 3-1 tonight to take a commanding 3 games to 1 series lead. But this recap can not go any further without recognizing the night's greatness that Marc-Andre Fleury provided. 45 saves on 46 shots. The Penguins were out-shot 34-13 after the first period and the only reason they're coming home with the lead. Scoring recap: --The Pens would strike first, immediately after a Flyers power-play ended in the second period, Chris Kunitz collected a pass from Matt Cooke and went down the side. Kunitz threw the puck to the net with Sidney Crosby driving hard to the far post. Puck careems off of his stick, arm and body and both Crosby and the rubber disc ends up in the net. Martin Biron wasn't interfered with, and Crosby never made a kicking motion, so the goal stood even if it was unusual. --The Penguins third line of Cooke, Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy found their mojo again with several good shifts of cycling. It would pay off four minutes after the first goal with Cooke finding TK and then a little dangle by Kennedy to deposit the puck by Biron. The way the Flyers were waiving their sticks at Kennedy reminded me of the way the Pens did at Flyers players in Game 3. 2-0 Pens now. --Then it became the Marc-Andre Fleury show in full effect. MAF was up to everything the Flyers threw at him in the second period, stopping all 15 shots and flashing the glove on several big-time saves. Fleury was seeing the puck well and looked very comfortable. And once he gets in that zone it's really tough to beat him. --Finally, mid-way into the third period after tremendous pressure the puck bounced out to wildman Daniel Carcillo and he roofed it, a situation no goalie could still hold onto. --The Pens would hang on the rest of the way with Maxime Talbot finally putting the dagger in with a little less than a minute left. The game was 3-1 and now the series is too. Various thoughts on the game: In conclusion, the Penguins have Marc-Andre Fleury to thank. Though the team blocked 20 shots (defensemen blocking 12 of those) but MAF definitely bailed them out time and time again. The Penguins didn't play their customary puck possession game, the Flyers did well to keep the action in the Pens zone for much of the game. But Fleury carried the night and now the Penguins have three chances to beat Philly once and move on to the second round of the playoffs.
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