One of many great sequences from last night's 8-5 Flyers win over the Penguins came in the first period, when the Pens were still seemingly in control of the action, already up 2-0. Pinned in the defensive zone with Pittsburgh on the power play, the Flyers were bailed out by Ilya Bryzgalov, who split across the goal mouth to rob Kris Letang of what looked to be a certain goal.
Letang tried to claim Bryz's glove was beyond the goal line (it wasn't), then dropped the ice when given a shut-up shove from Flyers rookie Matt Read. Both were sent to the box as the refs finally called a Pens dive, and on the next shift, the Flyers scored a short-handed goal, putting them squarely back in the game. Max Talbot held the dagger.
Videos/break-down/making fun of the Penguins below.
Here's Bryz's save and Letang's sad attempt to draw a penalty.
Yet another Flyers rookie physically calling out a Penguin, a la Brayden Schenn with Sidney Crosby. Yet another Penguin diving.
And here's what happened next…
Full marks on the shorthanded effort by Talbot and Claude Giroux to bust up the Pittsburgh power play, stripping Sidney Crosby. Giroux then blew past a pair of Penguins (including Crosby, just thought we'd mention), drawing both along with him as his shot pulled Marc-Andre Fleury out of the net.
Talbot had an easy go of it from there…
Both the NBC and CSN commentators called into question Dan Bylsma's decision to stock the point with a forward or two on power plays. The Flyers are just too tenacious on the kill, and they made them pay.
Related: Here's Wayne Simmonds mocking Letang for having a Pez dispenser's neck action:
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