Penguins Stay Alive, Destroy Flyers 10-3

Chris Kunitz celebrates a goal.

The Penguins had no other choice: win or be sent packing.


They had no plans of heading home so soon.


The Flyers decided to get the scoring started in Game 4, as Claude Giroux was able to squeeze one past Marc-Andre Fleury. 


Just like the first three games, the Penguins had a quick answer. Evgeni Malkin netted his first goal of the NHL playoffs and tied the score at 1-1. Five minutes later, Matt Niskanen scored his first as well to put the Pens up 2-1. 


Again both teams continued to trade goals, and Kimmo Timonen went five hole on Fleury to tie it once again at 2-2.


With three penguins in the box, the Flyers took advantage of a two man advantage, as Jakub Voracek scored on a cross ice feed from Wayne Simmonds, and the Flyers regained the lead at 3-2.


Pittsburgh had enough after that. In a game that meant everything, they decided to distance themselves from the Flyers. And by distance, I mean destroy. And by destroy, I mean obliterate. And by obliterate...you get the point.


Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal scored within 90 seconds of each other, their third of the series. 


The game still looked as though the Flyers could take it, but the Penguins were by no means done their scoring onslaught.


Matt Carle is very good at doing the impossible, and was able to take a penalty at the 20:00 mark of the 1st period. So Pittsburgh had the man advantage to start the 3rd, and Kris Letang made them pay, blowing a slapshot past Bryzgalov.


That would be the end for Ilya. 13 saves on 18 shots, with a save percentage only a mother could love (.722%). 


Not all was Bryz's fault, as the defense left him out to dry on numerous occasions. 


Things would get even uglier with Bobrovsky in net.


With Nicklas Grossmann in the box for tripping, Jordan Staal scored his 4th of the series.


Steve Sullivan's Power Play goal was #MattCarlesFault, as he took a holding penalty. 


Yet even up 7-3, Pittsburgh was not done scoring. It pains me as much to write it as it was to watch it. 


Pascal Dupuis scored his 2nd of the series, and Jordan Staal got a hat trick. 


A measly one goal lead became a six goal lead in only 20 minutes. 


In the 2nd period alone, the Flyers took 34 penalty minutes, 24 from Zac Rinaldo. 


The Flyers looked like the team that had been down 0-3, and had lost all momentum whatsoever in just one period. 


The Penguins had been dumping salt in the wound all night long, but Evgeni Malkin's rebound goal to give the Penguins 10 goals hurt especially bad. 


10 goals. The Eagles can barely score 10 points. The Phillies have not scored 10 runs since the Bush administration. The first Bush. 


Granted, these are all exaggerations, but allowing a team to score 10 goals is deflating. 


Not one player had a positive +/- ratio. 


The Flyers had 64 penalty minutes, compared to the Penguins 36. The Flyers spent most of the series taking advantage of awful Penguins' penalties, but the Pens reversed the roles tonight.


Nicklas Grossmann left Game 4 with an upper body injury and is day-to-day.


 Game 5 is Friday at 7:30 PM. Hopefully the Flyers will have the JAM flowing again.