FLYERS NEWS

Coming into tonight the Flyers were clinging to the last playoff spot in the East by only a single point(both Boston and Washington had posted wins since the Flyers last game, a dramatic win over the Isles) and although the 9th place Caps were not in play, meaning win or lose the Flyers couldn't lose their spot, it still felt like a must win tonight in Pittsburgh against the Pens. Unfortunately, the kid, Sidney Crosby, stole the show as the Pens clinched the Atlantic division title. Marty Biron got the start in goal and did about well as he could, but really Bernie Parent could have been goal for the Flyers tonight and it wouldn't have mattered. In the first period of play, the Flyers actually got off to a quick start with an early goal by Scott Hartnell for a 1-0 Flyer's lead. Late in the period Sergei Gonchar briefly tied it at 1, before Jeff Carter scored on the power play for a 2-1 Flyer's lead. From here sadly, it was all Pittsburgh. In the second period of play, Sidney Crosby scored an early power play goal to tie it at and then Evgeni Malkin scored another power play goal late in the period for a 3-2 Pens lead. Finally, late in the 3rd period, with Flyers primed to pull Biron for a final push, Crosby struck again for a 4-2 Pens lead and eventual win. So the Flyers drop to 40-29-11 overall, still for now in 8th in the Eastern conference, a point ahead of 9th place Washington.