Penguins vs. Flyers Schedule

NHL Conference Finals - The Schedule

I will have pictures from game 1, 5*, and 7*.

*If Necessary

Game 5 Pens vs. Rags on NBC Scores BIG TV Ratings

Kudos to Kuklas Korner - Steve

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The NHL On NBC drew a 2008 high 1.5/4 for it’s broadcast of Game 5 of the New York Rangers-Pittsburgh Penguins Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series, according to Sports Business Daily (reg. required). It’s the largest audience to watch an indoor hockey game this season on U.S. TV.

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Previewing the Eastern Conference Finals

Kudos to The Hockey News

From: http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/15798-The-Hockey-News-200708-NHL-Playoff-Preview-Round-3.html

Regular Season Record

Pittsburgh – 47-27-8

Philadelphia – 42-29-11

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Season Series

Pittsburgh 3-5-0 (23 GF, 28 GA)

Philadelphia 5-3-0 (28 GF, 23 GA)

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Leading Scorers vs. Opponent

Pittsburgh – Evgeni Malkin, 15 (6G, 9A); Petr Sykora, 8 (3G, 5A); Sergei Gonchar, 8 (3G, 5A)Philadelphia – R.J. Umberger 11 (6G, 5A); Joffrey Lupul, 10 (5G, 5A); Mike Richards, 8 (1G, 7A)

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2008 Playoff MVP

Pittsburgh – Marc-Andre Fleury. The Penguins goaltender has been everything he has failed to be to this point in his career. The Penguins have enough offense that they don’t need superhuman goaltending, but Fleury is providing close to that.

Philadelphia – Martin Biron. Really, really wanted to say R.J. Umberger here, but we have to go with Biron in an incredibly close vote. Biron’s play in the second round made the margin of victory much larger than it should have been.

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Why They’re Here

Pittsburgh – Unlike last season when the Penguins looked like a deer peering into oncoming headlights in the first round, Pittsburgh’s star players are being difference makers and they have enough of them to carry the team a long way.Philadelphia – For years, the Flyers searched for a goaltender who could lead them to victory in the playoffs and they’ve finally found one. Their elite players are coming through, but lesser lights such as Umberger and Joffrey Lupul have been terrific.

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Special Teams

This could prove to be the difference in the series if the Flyers continue to flirt with disaster in this area of the game. The Flyers have been shorthanded more than any other team in the league by far and if they take too many penalties against the Penguins, they’ll be scorched by one of the best power play units in the league.

Edge: Pittsburgh

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Forwards

The Penguins are deeper down the middle than any team in the playoffs and in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin they have two of the best players on the planet. But the Flyers are getting such great production from such unlikely sources that it has given them depth up front the Penguins don’t have.

Edge: Philadelphia

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Defense

You’d think it would be the other way around, with the Penguins having the edge at forward and the Flyers better on defense, but the Penguins much-maligned defense corps has held up quite well so far in the playoffs. They get the edge because they move the puck better than the Flyers do.

Edge: Pittsburgh

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Goaltending

Both teams have received all-world goaltending from their Quebec-born stoppers through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Biron has proved he has what it takes to be a No. 1 goalie in the NHL and Fleury has proved he can deliver in important games.

Edge: Even

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Coaching

Let’s face it, neither of these guys is the second coming of Dave King. Both coaches tend not to micromanage their rosters and give their top players the freedom to do what they do best. Michel Therrien, in particular, has really grown as a coach over the years and has done a good job of tightening the Penguins’ game up.

Edge: Even

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X-Factor

Almost half of Umberger’s 13 goals this season came in his eight games against the Penguins. The Flyers owned the Penguins in their first four matchups of the regular season, but the Penguins took three of the last four.

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Prediction

The Flyers have already gone light years further than anyone thought they would this season and while it certainly wouldn’t be a shock to see them give the Penguins a series, it took the Flyers 12 games to get out of the first two rounds and the Penguins just nine. The Penguins are playing with the authority of a team that will seriously challenge for the Stanley Cup.

Penguins in five.

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Highlights - Stars vs. Sharks 4 OT

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