oldnumberseven

I think I want to write a novel, or at least a really long short story. I dug through my memory box, and found many elements for a good story. Wish me luck.

Flyers stay alive, force Game 5 back in Pittsburgh

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -A fast start by the Philadelphia Flyers gave way to a very nervous ending.

When it was over, they were still alive and happily facing what many figured was an unlikely return trip to Pittsburgh.

Joffrey Lupul scored the first of Philadelphia’s three first-period goals Thursday night and the Flyers extended the Eastern Conference finals for at least one more game with a 4-2 victory over the Penguins.

Penguins move to brink of Cup finals with 4-1 win

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Ryan Whitney’s wide smile told several stories.

He and the Pittsburgh Penguins are one win away from the Stanley Cup finals, and the path was paved by his goal that was three months in the making. Quick strikes by Whitney and Marian Hossa raised the Penguins to heights not reached since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr donned the black and gold.

Whitney and Hossa scored less than 3 minutes apart in the first period, and the Penguins held the Philadelphia Flyers to 18 shots Tuesday night in a 4-1 victory that gave Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

“This might have been our best defensive effort all year,” Whitney said.

Another win against their cross-state rivals, and the Penguins will advance to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since Lemieux and Jagr led Pittsburgh to titles in 1991 and 92.

“We’re five wins away from our goal, but this next game is so important,” said Whitney, who scored for the first time in 30 games. “They’re playing for their season.”

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Talbot’s game-winner pushes Penguins past Flyers 4-2

PITTSBURGH (AP) -Losing on an Evgeni Malkin goal, or Sidney Crosby goal, the Philadelphia Flyers might understand.

Losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins on fourth-line forward Max Talbot’s goal will be very difficult for the Flyers to deal with, especially in a series that is fast slipping away from them.

Talbot, a checking line forward on a team renowned for its stars, scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and the Penguins took a two-game lead in the Eastern Conference finals by beating the Flyers 4-2 Sunday night.

Crosby and Marian Hossa also scored and Jordan Staal added an empty-net goal in the final minute as Pittsburgh came back to win after twice giving away leads.

Pittsburgh won the first two games at home for the third consecutive series, with Game 3 set for Tuesday night in Philadelphia. The Flyers won each of their first two playoff rounds after losing Game 1, but this is the first time they also lost Game 2 on the road.

“We’ve played in a Game 7 where if you lose, you go home,” said goalie Martin Biron, who made 34 saves. “Game 3 isn’t like that, but it’s as close as it’s going to get. I think we played pretty good, but we can play better. … It’s all about desperation and urgency.’

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Malkin’s 2 goals lead flyin’ Penguins past Flyers, 4-2

PITTSBURGH (AP) -Evgeni Malkin scored two dazzling goals 5 minutes apart to give Pittsburgh a two-goal lead, after Sidney Crosby tied it, and the Penguins rode their two big stars to a 4-2 victory over cross-state rival Philadelphia in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Friday night.

Malkin, who is only 21 but is the leading scorer in the playoffs with 17 points following a three-point night, scored with 6.5 seconds left in the first period with a tired Flyers line on the ice to put Pittsburgh up 3-2.

The pivotal goal blunted much of the momentum the Flyers gained by briefly taking a 2-1 lead on Mike Richards’ two goals.

Malkin’s first career short-handed goal, on a breakaway created by Sergei Gonchar’s pass from one end of the ice to the other early in the second, was the crusher for the Flyers, who didn’t do much offensively after that despite taking 28 shots against goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

With Philadelphia on the power play, Malkin missed his initial short-handed attempt before being leveled behind the net by Richards. Malkin got up and began skating toward the Penguins’ zone. Before he got there, Marian Hossa knocked the puck loose from Daniel Briere.

That allowed Gonchar to sail it back down the ice to Malkin for a slap shot between the hash marks that flew past Martin Biron before he could react, generating a huge roar from the all-in-white Penguins crowd of 17,132.

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