Penguins Top Flyers 4-1 In Playoff Chase For Rivals
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trevor Daley, Carl Hagelin and Chris Kunitz scored a goal each Saturday, sending the Pittsburgh Penguins past Philadelphia 4-1 and six points ahead of Philadelphia for one of the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots.
The rivals will meet twice more in the final week of the season. The Penguins have won five straight and six of seven — all against Metropolitan Division opponents.
Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 16 saves in earning his 31st victory of the season but was hardly challenged by the Flyers.
After falling behind on a goal by Radko Gudas early in the second period, the Penguins answered quickly. Nick Bonino won a board battle with Flyers rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and fed Daley in left circle to tie it.
Flyers goalie Steve Mason wasn't supposed to start but got the call after Michal Neuvirth appeared injured during warmups. The Flyers said during the game Neuvirth "didn't feel well."
Mason kept the Flyers in the game for a while finishing with 31 saves, but the Penguins finally broke the game open with goals by Hagelin and Kunitz 90 seconds apart at the end of the second period.
Bonino again was the catalyst for the go-ahead goal, feeding Hagelin after Flyers forward Ryan White coughed up the puck along the boards. Hagelin snapped a wrist shot over Mason's glove for his ninth goal of the season.
On the next shift, a turnover by Flyers defenseman Mark Streit led to a rush for Pittsburgh, and Crosby found Kunitz trailing. Kunitz's shot went wide but rebounded off the end boards and hit the back of Mason's left pad and slid into the net.
Kris Letang scored an odd empty-netter to seal the victory in the closing minutes. He appeared to kick the puck into the net and the goal was initially called off after review. Then it was allowed anyway without much explanation.
The Flyers had a chance on the opening shift of the game to set the tone before a raucous home crowd. But Brayden Schenn missed an open net on a 3-on-1 breakaway that could have given the Flyers a lead 20 seconds into the game.
NOTES: Jakub Voracek returned to the lineup for the Flyers after missing nine games with a left foot injury. He replaced Chris VandeVelde. VandeVelde served the first game of his two-game suspension for elbowing Chicago captain Jonathan Toews on Wednesday... The Penguins are 32-0-0 when leading after two periods. ... Crosby's assist on Kunitz's goal extended his point streak to 11 consecutive games, the longest current streak in the NHL. It matches his season-best mark first set in January and February. His second assist on the empty-netter was his 80th point in 54 career games against the Flyers... The five-game win streak for the Penguins is the longest since Mike Sullivan became coach in December.... It was the first win by the Penguins in Philadelphia since October 2013.
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