Eastern Finals Game 2: Flyers at Penguins (0-1)

Martin Biron v. Marc-Andre Fleury

The heavily-favored Penguins took game one by a score of 4-2, and now it's up to the Flyers to respond in game two like the previous two series against Washington and Montreal. This series is not unwinnable. The Penguins didn't prove to clearly be a superior, dominant team Friday night. For the most part, the Flyers can score with them step for step, and they just need to prove it. It starts tonight at 7:30.

Martin Biron has to be better in net tonight. As I said yesterday, the guys in front of him didn't play well, but he needs to step up his game as well.

The turnovers and sloppy play has to be cut down for the Flyers to even the series. Poor passes and decisions cost the Flyers twice, and it's tough to pull off an upset without playing smart hockey. Biron misplayed the puck behind his net which led to Pittsburgh's second goal, and careless passing on the PP led to their 4th goal and Malkin's second of the night. The Penguins will take advantage of every mistake possible. Guys like Malkin and Hossa are great coming back in their own end and then taking off the other way. Pittsburgh gets no easy chances.

Crosby and Malkin are tough enough for most teams, but they seem to raise their level of play against the Flyers. In 20 career games against the Flyers, he has 16 goals and 21 assists, which is almost a ridiculous two points a game. If all 213 of his career games were against the Flyers with these averages, he would have 170 goals (compared to the 99 he really has,) and 223 assists (compared to the 195 he really has) for a total of 393 points, 99 more than his real total. Malkin is more of the same. In 15 career games against the Flyers, he has 10 goals and 14 assists. These are two out of this world players that somehow raise their performance. That is very difficult to stop, especially without Kimmo Timonen.

Bill Meltzer will have his preview up later.