FLYERS 5, PENGUINS 1: Claude Giroux collected a goal and an assist and Ilya Bryzgalov turned aside 30 shots as Philadelphia eliminated its Keystone State rival with a home victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
Scott Hartnell netted a power-play tally and Danny Briere and rookies Erik Gustafsson and Brayden Schenn also scored for the fifth-seeded Flyers, who bounced the Penguins for the fourth time in six postseason series.
After leveling captain Sidney Crosby with a clean open-ice hit, Giroux scored 32 seconds into the contest to send the Wells Fargo Center into a frenzy. Giroux wristed a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle which sailed just inside the left post.
Hartnell doubled the advantage with 6:59 left in the first period after he alertly dove to tap a loose puck past Marc-Andre Fleury for his second goal of the series.
Gustafsson gave Philadelphia a 3-0 advantage after his wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle handcuffed Fleury.
After Evgeni Malkin trimmed the deficit, Briere regained the three-goal advantage just 34 seconds later with his 47th career postseason tally. Briere's attempt was initially denied by Fleury, but Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik's attempt to clear the puck caromed off the leg of Fleury and into the net.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Flyers opened the scoring in Game 6, marking the first time in the series that the team which scored first actually won the contest. ... The teams combined for 25 first-period goals, tying an NHL record for a series. ... Giroux's tally was Philadelphia's first even-strength goal since the third period of Game 3. His assist gave him a franchise-best 14 points in the series. ... Hartnell's power-play tally was the Flyers' 12th in 21 opportunities in the series.
Pittsburgh | Philadelphia | |
Evgeni Malkin 1 | Points | Claude Giroux 3 |
Evgeni Malkin 1 | Goals | Claude Giroux 1 |
Evgeni Malkin 0 | Assists | Claude Giroux 2 |
Evgeni Malkin 1 | Power Play Goals | Scott Hartnell 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Marc-Andre Fleury .818 | Save Percentage | Ilya Bryzgalov .968 |
Marc-Andre Fleury 18 | Saves | Ilya Bryzgalov 30 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Pittsburgh | 31 | 1 | 1-5 | 2-3 | 6 | 28 |
Philadelphia | 23 | 5 | 1-3 | 4-5 | 10 | 34 |