That's what the Penguins should hold on to as they soar into Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series against the Flyers tonight at Consol Energy Center at 7:38 p.m.
The Penguins not only managed to tie a franchise record with 10 goals in Wednesday night's thrashing of the Flyers, but they also showed us the team we all thought we knew heading into these playoffs.
Aside from the early scare, that is.
The Penguins fell behind in Game 4 by scores of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. From there, however, the Flyers lamp was lit up so much the rink manager had to change the bulbs. The Penguins rattled off eight straight goals to close out the Flyers in embarrassing fashion.
The Penguins team that played Wednesday night employed what head coach Dan Bylsma loves to call "Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey."
They were strong on the fore check, they created turnovers, played sound defensively and they used a quick strike transition game to bury the home team.
Young Guns Deliver
#47 Simon Despres and #25 Eric Tangradi both put on impressive displays in their first post-season action of 2012. Despres consistently won puck battles in the corners, sometimes against multiple defenders, and moved the puck with authority. In 60 minutes he proved himself much more valuable than the highly inconsistent, and in my opinion, soft, Paul Martin. Tangradi on the other hand provided much of the same. He was a force on the fore check. He dislodged Flyers from the puck with his physicality, and managed to shuffle a puck out of the Flyers crease to a wide-open Jordan Staal for Staal's first of three tallies on the night.Consistency Imperative
Early in this post-season, Director of Player Safety, Brendan Shanahan, has already been forced to make tough decisions. He's dolled out suspensions for more than half a dozen players and been forced to review several questionable plays already in this young post-season. It's hard not to respect the guy, not only was he fantastic player, but he's done an incredible job in his first year as player safety czar. However, not suspending #36 Zac Rinaldo for his incident with #4 Zybenek Michalek on Wednesday night was a travesty.Not only did Rinaldo admit he wasn't in any way provoked by Michalek. But video replay clearly shows after Rinaldo initially boarded Michalek, driving him face-first into the glass, he also crosschecked him several times before finishing him off with a shot to the face as Michalek began to get up. The puck was long gone. Michalek did nothing to retaliate. Rinaldo's intent was what? Shanahan showed no problem suspending Aaron Asham,4 games, or James Neal, 1 game, for questionable plays in Game 3, so why did he fail to call a spade a spade in the hours following Game 4?Unsung Hero
#2 Matt Niskanen wins the unsung hero award for game 4, hands down. Not only has he shown incredible grit and toughness in coming back from a legitimate shoulder injury, but he's proven that he's an integral piece of the "Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey" machine. He played soundly on the back end, but also provided a spark to our offense (1G,1A) that was lacking in recent games with an accurate point shot. No offense to Kris Letang, but I believe he's at his best when he's joining rushes and creating odd-man chances down low. Not Niskanen. His point shot is a weapon, not only for himself, but his hungry teammates waiting for rebounds down low.Trust In Fleury
Up until game 4, Marc-Andre Fleury looked helpless. Every puck that wandered his way went in, every tic-tac-toe pass the Flyers could create found the back of his net, and every opportunity he had to make a big save he squandered it.That's all changed Wednesday night. Credit the defense, for sure, but make no doubt about it, the Flower found his game again.
After three powerplay goals from the Flyers in Game 4, Marc-Andre Fleury didn't fold. He played 44 minutes of shutout hockey, something unprecedented in this scoring bonanza of a playoff series. Fleury challenged shooters, aggressively coming out from his net to cut down angles and prevent calculated plays. He controlled rebounds and used some of them to his teams advantage, kicking Flyer shots out to his teammates and sparking the quick and deadly transition game of the Penguins.
If the Penguins want to send this series back to Philadelphia, they will need much of the same from the Flower tonight. There is no room for error left for the Penguins in this series - they appear excited for the challenge.
Side note : The last time the Penguins scored 10 goals in a game : April, 25, 1989. Think about it knuckle heads.
- Burgh Boy
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