FLYERS 4, PENGUINS 3 (OT): Jakub Voracek scored 2:23 into overtime as visiting Philadelphia overcame a three-goal deficit to stun its Keystone State rival in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
In overtime, rookie Matt Read wristed a sharp-angle shot from the left-wing boards which trickled off Marc-Andre Fleury. Voracek alertly skated in and beat Fleury to complete the comeback abd stun the faithful at Consol Energy Center.
Danny Briere returned from a three-game absence to tally twice for his NHL-leading 20th and 21st postseason goals since the start of the 2010 playoffs.
Rookie Brayden Schenn collected a goal and two assists to become the second Flyers player with three points in his first postseason game. Rosy Paiement recorded a hat trick in 1968.
Ilya Bryzgalov settled down after yielding three first-period goals to finish with 25 saves for the Flyers, who will visit Pittsburgh for Game 2 on Friday.
Captain Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis collected a goal and an assist apiece and Tyler Kennedy also tallied for the Penguins.
After Dupuis scored with 37 seconds left in the first period to give Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead, Briere and the Flyers began to chip away.
Although clearly offside, Briere answered for the Flyers at 6:22 of the second period after skating in and wristing a shot past Fleury. He then trimmed the deficit to one midway through the third period after his wrist shot from the left-wing boards deflected off Crosby and past Fleury.
Schenn leveled the contest with 7:37 left in the third period after he deflected Scott Hartnell's blast past Fleury.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Crosby netted his 31st career playoff goal for Pittsburgh, which fell to 17-12 at home in Game 1 of a playoff series. ... Briere has 44 career playoff goals and 98 points in 98 games. ... Fleury started his 70th consecutive postseason contest. ... Flyers defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon suffered an upper body injury during the third period. He did not play in overtime.
Philadelphia | Pittsburgh | |
Brayden Schenn 3 | Points | Sidney Crosby 2 |
Daniel Briere 2 | Goals | Sidney Crosby 1 |
Brayden Schenn 2 | Assists | Kris Letang 2 |
Brayden Schenn 1 | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Ilya Bryzgalov .893 | Save Percentage | Marc-Andre Fleury .846 |
Ilya Bryzgalov 25 | Saves | Marc-Andre Fleury 22 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Philadelphia | 26 | 4 | 1-1 | 3-3 | 6 | 33 |
Pittsburgh | 28 | 3 | 0-3 | 0-1 | 2 | 31 |