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Penguins vs. Flyers recap: Kessel, Crosby lead Pens to win over Philly

The Pittsburgh Penguins overcome a 2-0 deficit to score 4 straight goals and hold off the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 to win an important divisional matchup.

By Hooks Orpik
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Goals

Typical garbage Flyers, Wayne Simmonds takes out Kris Letang with a sly little trip. Letang falls into the trap. Puck pops out to open man for a goal. Same old song.

The Flyers would make it 2-0 in the second on their second power play and PP goal of the night, and surprisingly Jakub Voracek's first PP goal of the season. Nice move by his part here to give Philly a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Pittsburgh would get their first power play, and the second unit would make it count with Trevor Daley putting a shot by Steve Mason courtesy of a nice Eric Fehr screen to make it 2-1.

Sidney Crosby would do Sidney Crosby things to make it 2-2, scoring at an impossible angle for a LH shot on the left-side, taking advantage of Mason dropping early and expecting maybe a centering pass.

The Pens take the lead at 3-2 on the power play with a beautiful pass by Crosby and Phil Kessel on the finish to an empty cage.

After more solid play in the third period the Pens would strike again with Carl Hagelin and Kessel showing that speed kills. In this instance, it killed the Del Zaster, Michael Del Zotto .

Claude Giroux woke up from a quiet game to pull the Flyers up to a 3-4 score with a power play goal just floating a nice seeing eye shot that juuuust made it through traffic and went over the pad of Marc-Andre Fleury

Some Thoughts

  • Shots were 5-1 Pens to open the game, a great start, only to be nullified by 2 penalties and 2 goals allowed by the PK unit.
  • Likewise, an excellent start to the 2nd period with shots starting 14-4. Down 2-0, the Pens really showed some gumption to get back to work and turn the game around.
  • Another game, another unnecessary penalty taken by Evgeni Malkin in the offensive zone. To make matters worse, it was when the game was 2-2, Pittsburgh had all the momentum and was pushing to take the lead. Luckily, the Pens would kill the game's first penalty on the 5th combined try to keep the score at 2-2.
  • On the other hand, Daley got rang up on one a ticky-tack call, Philly would score and he wasn't happy about it coming out of the box. Luckily he made up for it by scoring Pittsburgh's first goal of the game.
  • No idea what Brian Dumoulin was thinking hopping on the ice to draw a too many men on the ice. The Pens had 6 skaters out there for about 10 seconds, plus a late delay of game penalty. Choppy game for Dumo with a couple turnovers, misplays, but a good learning experience for him I'm sure.
  • Finally what feels like a breakout game for Kessel who went through a long drought but got the proverbial monkey off the back with 2 goals. Nice to see that, hopefully he can build on it.
  • Hagelin's speed looks noticeable. When he and Kessel get sprung together (which happened twice tonight) dangerous chances are going to result.
  • A weird injury for Chris Kunitz with about 10 minutes left he went to put a check on Claude Giroux, Giroux avoided and Kunitz went ass/back into the boards. He'd leave the game and not return. Matt Cullen jumped up to fill the 1LW role with Crosby and Patric Hornqvist.
  • Flyers PP was just 27th in the league coming in tonight but as so often against Pittsburgh was really effective going 3 for 6. The Pens were by far a better team at even.
  • Pittsburgh improves to a league best 17-0-0 when leading after 2 periods.

A much needed divisional win for the Pens, who show some fortitude in coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win and basically keeping the pedal to the metal all night at even strength and come out with a deserved 2 points in the standings. Now a day off before Vancouver comes to town Saturday afternoon and a weather permitting game in DC on Sunday.

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