Philadelphia Flyers 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 3 (OT)
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Jacub Voracek scored less than three minutes into overtime to give the Philadelphia Flyers a stunning 4-3 victory over the Penguins in Pittsburgh in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Penguins led 3-0 in the second period, only to fall apart.
One of the most hyped first-round series in recent NHL history saw the Penguins deliver a number of blows early against Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. But the Flyers came roaring back.
Sidney Crosby, naturally, scored the first goal of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Crosby, the Penguins' captain who missed last season's playoffs because of a concussion, needed only two shifts to bring the Pittsburgh crowd to its feet. With the puck sitting between defenseman Nicklas Grossman's skates, Crosby located it and managed to lift a wicked backhand shot past Bryzgalov.
Right wing Tyler Kennedy, who has been playing some of his best hockey in recent weeks, made it 2-0 at the 7:49 mark of the second period. While on a two-on-one with center Jordan Staal, Kennedy received a pass - and even though the puck was bouncing on the choppy ice surface - managed to get quality wood on a wrist shot that beat Bryzgalov.
The Flyers weren't without their chances during the next few minutes, but goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was there to deny every one of them. His biggest save came midway through the second period when former Penguins right wing Jaromir Jagr found himself on a breakaway. Fleury made the save with his left pad.
Late in the opening period, Crosby and left wing Steve Sullivan worked together to set up right wing Pascal Dupuis' goal.
Early in the second period, the Flyers showed signs of life and then scored their first goal when Danny Briere beat Fleury on a breakaway. Replays showed that Briere was offside on the play. The Flyers continued to enjoy the better of the play late into the second period, but Fleury kept the Penguins lead at two goals.
However, Philadelphia came back, pressuring the Penguins and finally earned something of a fluke goal midway through the third period.
Briere skated toward the left circle in Pittsburgh territory and threw a harmless-looking shot toward the goal. Crosby screened Fleury on the play, and the puck went off the post and in.
Then, Philadelphia was presented with its first power play of the game when defenseman Brooks Orpik was given an interference penalty. Center Brayden Schenn scored off a feed from Hartnell late in the power play to even the contest.
Voracek beat Jordan Staal and Kris Letang to a loose puck in front of the net in overtime.
NOTES: Other players to end playoff games in overtime between the Penguins and Flyers include Bill Guerin (Pittsburgh), Phil Bourque (Pittsburgh), Keith Primeau (Philadelphia) and Andy Delmore (Philadelphia). ... The only Penguins' regular to miss Game 1 with an injury was defenseman Matt Niskanen (upper-body injury). ... Injured Flyers Briere (back) and defenseman Nicklas Grossmann (lower-body injury) were able to play.
