Pittsburgh Penguins Vs. Philadelphia Flyers, NHL Playoffs 2012: Complete Series Coverage

Scott Hartnell Taunted By Divorce Joke, Gets Last Laugh

Flyers Vs. Penguins, NHL Playoffs 2012 Game 6: Philly Eliminates Pittsburgh With 5-1 Win

It seemed over from Claude Giroux's massive opening shift, when the Philadelphia Flyers stormed out to a 1-0 lead and showed they'd be setting the physical tone in Game 6. From that point on, it almost seemed as though the final 59 minutes of hockey were a formality as the Flyers cruised to victory, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 and advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Pittsburgh entered the third period down 4-1, and when they put the puck behind Ilya Bryzgalov during a power play near the midpoint of the period, it seemed as though there was hope for the Pens. But upon review, the officials decided that Bryzgalov was pushed into his net and the goal was disallowed.

That seemed like the final nail in Pittsburgh's coffin, and from there, the Flyers used solid defense to dispatch their cross-state rivals. It was the complete opposite of much of the series, where the teams combined for more goals than we've ever seen in a Stanley Cup Playoff series. Philadelphia killed off four of five Pittsburgh power play attempts and, in total, the 40 blocked shots and the 30 saves from Bryzgalov were the difference in the game.

The Flyers are the first Eastern Conference team to advance to the semifinals. Their second-round opponent is still to be determined.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, stick with SB Nation's NHL hub. For more on the Flyers, visit Broad Street Hockey and SB Nation Philadelphia. For more on the Penguins, head to Pensburgh and SB Nation Pittsburgh.

NHL Playoffs 2012, Flyers Vs. Penguins Game 6: Game Time, TV Coverage And More

The Flyers had the Penguins dead to rights after three games. Can Pittsburgh continue its unlikely comeback?

NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Flyers, Capitals, Kings Look To Advance

The Flyers, Capitals, and Kings will look to close out series upsets on Sunday.

Flyers Vs. Penguins: Fleury Regains Form, Gives Pittsburgh Hope For Miracle Comeback

After struggling through the first three games against the Flyers, many wondered what was wrong with Marc-Andre Fleury. With his performance in the last five periods, it appears the version of the 2009 Stanley Cup champ has returned.

Penguins Vs. Flyers, NHL Playoffs 2012 Game 5: Marc-Andre Fleury Carries Pittsburgh To 3-2 Win

The Pittsburgh Penguins have forced a Game 6 on Sunday afternoon and they all owe goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury a beer. Fleury was the reason Pittsburgh held off a third-period charge from the Philadelphia Flyers, and it boosted the team to a 3-2 victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

The Flyers controlled possession throughout the third and came on strong for just about 15 straight minutes in the final period, but Fleury was literally in ninja mode. See, look:

Overall, Fleury was phenomenal in the third and throughout the game, and without his phenomenal play, the Penguins wouldn't be moving on. Special teams were again huge as well, as Philadelphia scored both goals on the power play, but Pittsburgh's penalty kill came up strong on a third-period power play that seemed to help Fleury settle in for the barrage that would come after.

Game 6 is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Sunday, and against all odds, Pittsburgh can force a Game 7 with a win.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Flyers vs. Penguins series coverage. For more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey, and for more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh.

NHL Playoffs 2012, Penguins Vs. Flyers Game 5: Game Time, TV Coverage And More

Pittsburgh's offense was sharp in a 10-3 victory in Game 4 - but they'll need three more wins to come back from a 3-0 deficit against their cross-state rivals.

NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Flyers, Predators On Verge Of Series Wins

The Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators can move on to their respective conference semifinals with wins on Friday night.

VIDEO: How Did Penguins, Canucks Stave Off Elimination?

Penguins Vs. Flyers, Game 4: Philly Shows They Are Just As Capable Of Losing Focus

In a circus-type atmosphere before and during Game 4, the Flyers fell into a pattern of taking bad penalties. Pittsburgh made them pay to remain alive in the wild, high-scoring series.

Flyers Vs. Penguins, NHL Playoffs 2012 Game 4: Pittsburgh Stays Alive With 10-3 (!) Win

We're heading back to Pittsburgh. The Penguins scored five goals in the second period of Game 4 and another in the third period en route to a 10-3 victory. Pittsburgh staved off elimination with the win, and the teams will head back to CONSOL Energy Center for Game 5 on Friday night.

Perhaps the reaction of the Philadelphia fans in the front row following Goal No. 9 sums this game and this series up the best:

Nothing you can do but laugh as a Flyers fan. Nothing you can do but laugh as a Penguins fan either, really. The series has gone completely off the rails but, somehow, there's still one constant that's decided all four of these games: Specialty teams. The Flyers won the special teams battle in Games 1, 2 and 3 and came out on top in all three hockey games.

Pittsburgh won the battle in Game 4. They went 4-for-9 on the power play in the contest, and Philadelphia helped the cause by taking nine penalties in the second period alone. That was the difference in the period that swung the game in the Penguins' direction, and that's ultimately why we're headed to a Game 5. Special teams. It's important.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Flyers vs. Penguins series coverage. For more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey, and for more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh.

NHL Playoffs 2012, Flyers Vs. Penguins Game 4: Game Time, TV Coverage And More

There's been a lot of fighting and a lot of goals, and Philadelphia is a game away from advancing over their in-state rivals.

NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Flyers, Kings Aim For Sweeps On Wednesday

The Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings can become the first two teams to make it to conference semifinals with wins on Wednesday.

Philadelphia Daily News Cover To Feature Sidney Crosby As 'The Cowardly Lion'

Arron Asham Suspended 4 Games For Attacking Brayden Schenn

Arron Asham of the Pittsburgh Penguins has been suspended four games for his actions in Game 3 against the Philadelphia Flyers.

James Neal Suspended 1 Game For Hits On Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier

James Neal of the Pittsburgh Penguins has been suspended one game by the NHL's Department of Player Safety.

VIDEO: Can Canucks, Penguins Climb Out Of 0-3 Holes?

Craig Adams Suspended 1 Game For Actions In Penguins Vs. Flyers Game 3; Dan Bylsma Fined $10K

Craig Adams will miss Game 4 between the Flyers and Penguins. He received an automatic one-game suspension and Dan Bylsma has been fined $10,000 for actions on Game 3.

Penguins Damage Reputation During, After Loss To Flyers

The Pittsburgh Penguins were completely out of character both during and after Game 3 against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. They sullied their reputation and embarrassed their Hall of Fame owner in the process.

Penguins-Flyers Brawl Breaks Out (Again) After Pittsburgh Loses Its Cool

Sidney Crosby Makes Appearance At MLS Game In Philadelphia ... Kind Of

NHL Playoffs 2012, Penguins Vs. Flyers Game 2: Game Time, TV Coverage And More

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a virtual must-win situation after dropping Game 1 at home to the Philadelphia Flyers in heartbreaking fashion.

Jaromir Jagr Asks The Important Questions

Flyers Vs. Penguins, Game 1: Resiliency Pays Off Yet Again For Philadelphia

After capping off an improbable 4-3 overtime victory in a game in which they trailed 3-0 -- the third time they had mounted a huge comeback against the Pens in the last three weeks -- the Flyers may be getting into the heads of their arch-rivals from Pittsburgh.

ANIMATED: Peter Laviolette, Flyers Fist Pump Their Way Into Game 2 Vs. Penguins

Penguins Vs. Flyers, NHL Playoffs 2012 Game 1: Philadelphia Rallies From 3-0 Deficit, Beats Pittsburgh In Overtime, 4-3

The Philadelphia Flyers have been a comeback team all season long. That has officially continued into the postseason.

Danny Briere scored two goals, Brayden Schenn tied the game midway through the third period and Jakub Voracek won it in overtime as the Flyers stormed back from a 3-0 Pittsburgh Penguins first-period lead to win, 4-3. Voracek's winner came just 2:23 into the extra session, a move good for the blood pressure of patients all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Penguins dominated the first period, with Sidney Crosby, Tyler Kennedy and Pascal Dupuis all scoring goals, but Philadelphia quickly turned the page in the second. Ilya Bryzgalov settled in and was a quiet key for the Flyers during a long stretch of pressure from Pittsburgh early in the frame.

But the Flyers weathered that storm, and while Briere was actually offside on his second-period goal, the officials failed to notice and it gave the team some much-needed energy. From there, they were able to take over the third period and overtime en route to the victory and a 1-0 series lead.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Penguins vs. Flyers series coverage. For more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh, and for more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey.

Penguins Vs. Flyers, NHL Playoffs 2012 Game 1 Score: Brayden Schenn, Danny Briere Send Game To Overtime

We said after two periods that the next goal could determine the outcome of Game 1 between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers grabbed that goal -- Danny Briere's second of the hockey game -- and soon thereafter, Brayden Schenn scored on a power play as Philly stole the momentum and tied the score at 3-3.

Philadelphia has shown a propensity for coming back late. They've done it time and time again down the stretch of the regular season, and apparently it's not a skill that stops once the playoffs begin. Schenn and Briere are really pacing the Flyers heading into overtime and, even though the Penguins began to step up again after the tying goal, it still feels like Philadelphia holds the momentum at this point.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Penguins vs. Flyers series coverage. For more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh, and for more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey.

Penguins Vs. Flyers, NHL Playoffs 2012 Game 1: Philly Has Life After Fighting Back In Second Period

Danny Briere's goal may have been offside on his second-period goal, but it wasn't called, and the play was huge in making Game 1 between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins a competitive one. Even before the tally, Philadelphia turned up the energy and started making things happen offensively, something they had been unable to do in the first period of play.

Briere's goal made the score 3-1, and that's how things stand at the second intermission. The Flyers did well to kill off a Zac Rinaldo penalty midway through the period at a time where a Pittsburgh goal may have sealed the deal. Philly's defense came up strong in the second after allowing three goals in the first period, and goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov has proven to head coach Peter Laviolette that sticking with him in goal following that first 20 minutes was a wise choice.

Pittsburgh is still in control of the contest, but the first goal of the third period will be huge. If the Flyers can grab it, they may well ride the momentum to victory. If the Penguins can grab it, they'll be well on their way to a 1-0 series lead.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Penguins vs. Flyers series coverage. For more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh, and for more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey.

Penguins Vs. Flyers: Danny Briere Goes Offside, Scores Goal To Cut Pittsburgh Lead To 3-1

Danny Briere was offside. The officials didn't notice, and after the result of the play, it's apparent that only one side of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cares.

Briere received a pass from Brayden Schenn just after stepping over the blue line, skated in on goal on a breakaway and beat Marc-Andre Fleury for his 97th career playoff point in 98 career playoff games. More importantly, it cut the Pittsburgh Penguins' lead over the Philadelphia Flyers down to 3-1 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series.

It appeared as though the officials also missed a would-be icing call on Pascal Dupuis' goal late in the first period, so in a sense, the botched call makes all things equal.

The Flyers have seemed a bit more energized in the second period, and the goal only helps their cause. A 3-1 game makes for much more realistic comeback than a 3-0 game, and if Philadelphia can grab the next goal of the hockey game, we'll have an interesting contest on our hands.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Penguins vs. Flyers series coverage. For more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh, and for more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey.

Penguins Vs. Flyers, NHL Playoffs 2012 Game 1: Pittsburgh Up 3-0 After 1st Period

Nearly every pundit picked the Pittsburgh Penguins to beat the Philadelphia Flyers in this first-round playoff series. After one round, it's looking like they may have been right.

Sidney Crosby opened the scoring less than four minutes into the first period, and later on, Tyler Kennedy and Pascal Dupuis added goals as Pittsburgh jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead over the Flyers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

More: See a GIF of Kennedy's goal.

Dupuis' goal was particularly crushing for the Flyers. It was an odd sequence in which the puck came from below the goal line and pinballed in front of the net a bit before bouncing in behind Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, who had no clue where the puck was.

The Flyers had not played well to that point and looked particularly shaky in their own zone, but just prior to the Dupuis goal, they had controlled several shifts and were beginning to generate scoring chances. After the goal, they had to settle for a first intermission deficit of three goals. There's plenty of hockey left and plenty of time for adjustments to be made, but if they're not made quickly, it could be a long night for the orange and black.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Penguins vs. Flyers series coverage. For more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh, and for more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey.

Penguins Vs. Flyers: Sidney Crosby Opens Scoring, Pittsburgh Leads 1-0

Sidney Crosby hasn't been in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for two years. It didn't take him long to get re-acclimated.

Just 3:43 into the first period of Game 1 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, Crosby beat defenseman Braydon Coburn to a loose puck in front of the net. Coburn's defensive partner, Nicklas Grossmann, lost the puck in his feet and Crosby slid in front of Coburn to poke the loose puck past goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. 1-0 Pens.

The goal was the result of several early shifts dominated by the Penguins. Pittsburgh's fourth line was able to keep Philly hemmed in their own zone for a stretch, and after forcing the Flyers to ice the puck several times, they were able to capitalize on some tired opponents.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Penguins vs. Flyers series coverage. For more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh, and for more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey.

Flyers Vs. Penguins Lineup, Game 1: Danny Briere, Nicklas Grossmann In For Philadelphia

Forward Danny Briere and defenseman Nicklas Grossmann each missed time at the end of the regular season for the Philadelphia Flyers, but they'll both be in the lineup for the team as the 2012 NHL playoffs get underway in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.

Briere, always a strong playoff performer, missed a week at the end of the season with a back injury suffered when he took a hit from Penguins forward Joe Vitale. That hit sparked a mini-brawl at the end of the game between the two rivals on April 1, but it was a clean hit without a doubt.

Grossmann was also injured by Vitale in that contest on a knee-on-knee hit in the first period. The injury looked worse than it was, and the defenseman will wear a knee brace on the injured leg in the playoffs, but he's ready to go and expected to take his full workload.

On the Penguins' side of things, defenseman Matt Niskanen missed the morning skate and will remain out of the lineup. It's possible that Ben Lovejoy makes an early return from a knee injury in Game 1, but still unlikely.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Penguins vs. Flyers series coverage. For more from the Pittsburgh perspective, check in with Pensburgh, and for more from the Philadelphia perspective, check in with Broad Street Hockey.

NHL Playoffs 2012, Penguins Vs. Flyers Game 1: Game Time, TV Coverage And More

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers have demonstrated in recent games that they genuinely do not like each other. These are great circumstances for a playoff series to be played under.

Stanley Cup Playoffs 2012, Flyers Vs. Penguins Preview: Bitter Rivals Set For Another Battle Of Pennsylvania

For the third time in five years, the Penguins and Flyers will meet in the NHL's version of the "Keystone Klash." Philadelphia will attempt to reverse the fortunes of their past two losses in what Hartnell said will be a "bloodbath."

Penguins Flyers Playoff Odds: Crosby, Malkin Gives Pens Big Edge

NHL Playoffs 2012: Philadelphia Flyers Face Tough Road Through Eastern Conference

The Philadelphia Flyers are not the same team they were a year ago, but that hasn't stopped them from contending in the Eastern Conference playoffs yet again.

NHL Playoffs 2012, Pittsburgh Penguins Vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Game Schedule, TV Coverage And More

For the third time in five seasons, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers are set to meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Who will survive in 2012?