Eastern Conference Finals preview - Pens vs. Flyers

The Pittsburgh Penguins will begin their series tomorrow night against the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 pm at the Mellon Arena. The series should be a hard fought, physical battle between two teams that share a great deal of animosity.

Regular Season - The Penguins took all 8 games from the Flyers in 2006 - 2007 season leaving the Flyers a bit sore about it. The series proved to be a close on for 2007 - 2008 with the Flyers winning 5 games to 3 with the last game being a loss in the last game of the season when the Penguins sat some of their players for a rest and to keep them safe from injury. While the Pens did give 100% in that game it was in their best interest to not get injured. Many looked on this as the Penguins throwing the game, but it was actually more self preservation. And the loss did lead to a first round series against the weakest Eastern Conference team in the playoffs instead of a match up against these same Flyers.

Playoff History - The Pens and Flyers have met 3 times in their histories in the playoffs with Philadelphia winning all three series'.

2000 Semifinals Flyers 4-2
1997 Quarterfinals Flyers 4-1
1989 Semifinals Flyers 4-3

This will be the first time these teams have met in the Conference Finals.

Keys to the series - The Flyers have a hot goaltender and a stonger offense than they have faced yet in this years playoff run. Of course, the same can be said for the Penguins. Marc Andre Fleury has been best in the East so far in the playoffs and the Penguins offense volatile with the exception of game 4 vs. the Rangers. Philadelphia has not had to shut down two high scoring lines and with the news that Flyers D Kimmo Timonen being out indefinately with a blood clot in his foot. The Pens offense, and how the Flyers are able to control Pittsburghs top tow lines, will be the largest determinate of which team will win this series.

Philly's forward, and Pittsburgh native, R J Umberger was tremendous against Montreal, scoring 8 goals in the series and being an offensive force. Look for the Pens to match up their top defense pair of Gill and Scuderi against Umberger's line. This pair has been able to shut down the top scoring line against the Rangers and Gill was paired with Orpik against the top line of the Senators.

Pens goalie Fleury and Flyers goalie Biron are both hot and at the top of the post-season statistics. Whichever goalie withstands the barrage of shots that will come his way best, will emerge the victor and move on the the Cup Finals.

Head coaches Stevens and Therrien have a good, healthy dislike for each other. They have met twice before in the playoffs, both times with the minor league team of their current organizations. They have both gone out of their way to call each other out on various occasions to send a message to their team as well as the other. That will not be any different for this series.

This should be very entertaining. Pens in 6.