The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to rebound from their gut-wrenching overtime loss on Wednesday, after blowing a three-goal lead against the rival Flyers in Game 1. Dan Bylsma's club came out fast and furious in the first period, controlling the action in the Flyers' zone. The Penguins started with a flurry, getting on the board first just 15 seconds into the game when Sidney Crosby ripped a shot past Ilya Bryzgalov to further put the crowd in a lather. It was Crosby's second playoff goal, and the captain sliced into the zone, working with Steve Sullivan on a perfect give-and-go. Video of the Crosby goal below:
The Pens then took a two-goal lead on the power play at the mid-point of the first, with Chris Kunitz slamming it home in front after a great effort by James Neal. Kunitz took a perfect feed from Neal, who snaked through the Philadelphia defense, faked a shot, and then dropped it off in front with the defense and goaltender out of position. Video of the Kunitz goal below:
Philadelphia would answer soon thereafter, however, as former Penguin Maxime Talbot came back to haunt Consol Energy Center with his first playoff goal on a shorthanded breakaway. All-Star and point-machine Claude Giroux snagged a turnover and beat the defense down the ice, and as everyone went tumbling past Marc-Andre Fleury, Talbot was there to clean up the rebound in front:
But the up-and-down period would not end there, as much maligned defenseman Paul Martin would put the Pens back in front by two with less than 20 seconds remaining in the period. The goal was set up by another beautiful play from Crosby, who brought the puck into the zone and dropped it off perfectly for a trailing Martin. With lots of traffic in front, Martin was able to sneak one past Bryzgalov for the third goal of the period. Video below:
Pittsburgh will look to keep up the pace in the second period, continuing the pressure against Bryzgalov and holding the multi-goal lead, which they were unable to do the other night.
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