FLYERS 8, PENGUINS 4: Danny Briere recorded his second two-goal performance of the series and added an assist as host Philadelphia outslugged its Keystone State rival to seize a commanding 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup.

Rookie Matt Read and Max Talbot tallied twice and fellow former Penguin Jaromir Jagr notched three assists. Claude Giroux collected a "Gordie Howe hat trick" - highlighted by his unlikely fight with captain Sidney Crosby in the first period.

That fight was just one of many as the team combined for 72 penalty minutes in the first period and 133 overall.

Philadelphia, which has outscored Pittsburgh by a 20-12 margin, will look to wrap up the series in Game 4 on Wednesday.

After the Flyers scored three times in a five-minute span in the first period, Pittsburgh showed its frustration as Crosby initiated the fight with Giroux in an attempt to change momentum. The fracas led to Kris Letang and Kimmo Timonen also engaging in a brief fight - with both stud defensemen receiving 10-minute game misconduct penalties.

The third period saw more of the same as James Neal initially took a run at rookie Sean Couturier, who remained on the ice for several moments. Neal then belted Giroux with an open-ice hit, prompting Philadelphia's Scott Hartnell and Craig Adams to tangle later in the session.

After Talbot leveled the contest at 6:44 of the first period, Briere gave Philadelphia a 2-1 lead with a power-play tally just 1:35 later. Hartnell's brilliant cross-slot feed found Briere, who beat an out-of-position Marc-Andre Fleury.

Briere then tallied again just 3:26 later after converting a 3-on-2 rush. Wayne Simmonds fed a hard-charging Briere, who got just enough on the shot to direct the puck into the net.

Neal and Read traded goals on two occasions before Simmonds answered Jordan Staal's second goal of the game by scoring on a breakaway with 46 seconds left in the second period.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Evgeni Malkin has failed to score a goal thus far in the series. The Art Ross Trophy winner netted a career-high 50 goals this season. ... Fleury yielded six goals on 28 shots before being pulled in favor of Brent Johnson to start the third period. ... Former Flyer Arron Asham was given a five-minute major and a match penalty after cross-checking rookie Brayden Schenn during the first period.