The Flyers basically own Pittsburgh's CONSOL Energy Center

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Looking for a great way to get under the skin of your most-hated rival and its fan base?

How about winning almost every game you’ve played in that hated-rival’s new hockey arena since it opened a few years ago.

Yeah, that’ll sting.

Well, if you look at a satellite image of downtown Pittsburgh, odds are you’ll see an orange and black flag sticking out of the top of CONSOL Energy Center because the Flyers have felt right at home there and have pretty much claimed ownership of the arena since it opened in October 2010.

After two Brayden Schenn goals and a marvelous 30-save Ray Emery performance paced the Flyers to a 2-1 victory over the Penguins in the Steel City last night, Philadelphia now holds a 9-2-1 lifetime record at CONSOL Energy Center. That record includes three games played there during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Take that, Pittsburgh!

To refresh your memory and to gloat -- not going to lie, mostly to gloat -- here’s a quick recap of the dirty work the Flyers have done at CONSOL Energy Center to send Penguin fans home with sad faces.

Oct. 7, 2010 – Flyers 3 Penguins 2

The Penguins celebrated the first-ever regular season game at CONSOL Energy Center and the Flyers promptly ruined that celebration by handing the Penguins a 3-2 defeat. Mid-way through the second period, Danny Briere scored the first goal in the building’s history. Blair Betts and Claude Giroux also scored. Rookie goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves for the victory in his first NHL game.

Oct. 29, 2010 – Flyers 3 Penguins 2

In a game that featured Mike Richards and Matt Cooke dropping the gloves right after the opening faceoff, Giroux scored twice and Bobrovsky made 26 saves to give the Flyers their second win in as many trips to Pittsburgh’s new arena.

March 29, 2010 – Flyers 5 Penguins 2

Ville Leino, who is currently wasting away in that mess in Buffalo, scored twice and Giroux, Jeff Carter and Scott Hartnell all added goals as the Flyers steamrolled a Crosby-less and Malkin-less Penguins team. Brobrovsky again took home the win. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m sensing a theme here.

Dec. 29, 2011 – Flyers 4 Penguins 2

This game featured Jaromir Jagr and Max Talbot’s returns to the city where they began their respective careers and each poured salt into the wounds of Penguin fans with goals. Kimmo Timonen and Matt Read also scored for Philadelphia. Bobrovsky made 24 stops for another win in Pittsburgh.

April 1, 2012 – Flyers 6 Penguins 4

Jake Voracek scored twice to lead the Flyers to a victory. That was cool, but this game is most remembered for the Royal Rumble that broke out late in the game after Penguins’ forward Joe Vitale rocked Briere with a hard check at center ice. All kinds of shenanigans then ensued. Peter Laviolette tried to jump the benches and fight Penguins’ coach Dan Bylsma, Zac Rinaldo tried to take on the whole Penguins’ bench and Hartnell brought us the joy that is him trolling the fake Hulk Hogan Penguins fan - which is on the short list of greatest moments of my life. That, in turn, led to an in-arena playoff promo featuring the real Hulk Hogan supporting the Flyers – which also happens to be on the short list of greatest moments in my life.

April 11, 2012 – Flyers 4 Penguins 3 (OT) (Game 1 – Eastern Conference Quarterfinal)

Ah, the start of perhaps the most ridiculous playoff series any of us have ever seen. Philadelphia fell behind 3-0 but Briere – aka Mr. Playoffs – scored twice and Schenn knotted the game up in the third before Voracek stunned the Penguins with a quick overtime winner. It would be a precursor to the rest of the crazy series.

April 13, 2012 – Flyers 8 Penguins 5 (Game 2 – Eastern Conference Quarterfinal)

Again Pittsburgh jumped out to an early lead and again Philadelphia fought back for the victory. Every time you blinked, it seemed like another goal was scored. But the Flyers scored the knockout blow. Giroux and 19-year-old rookie Sean Couturier both netted hat tricks in the win.

Feb. 20, 2013 – Flyers 6 Penguins 5

Another kooky Flyers/Penguins game in Pittsburgh that wound up in the Flyers’ favor. Again the Flyers fell behind the Penguins and again they fought back for the win. This game had everything. Crazy goals, fights, penalties, momentum changes and anything else you could have asked for. Voracek posted a hat trick, including the game-winner on a shot from behind the net that fooled Pens’ backup goalie Tomas Vokoun. It was the game of the year for the disappointing Flyers.

Nov. 13, 2013 – Flyers 2 Penguins 1

You should remember this game because, well, it happened last night. It wasn’t your typical exciting Flyers/Penguins game but it was a win so it worked. Schenn scored two huge goals and Emery helped calm a Penguins’ storm early on with his play in net to lead the Flyers to a win.

So, there you have it. Sure, there were three losses sprinkled in there, but the Flyers have basically owned the Penguins’ new barn and claimed it as their own.

All that’s missing is Mayor Nutter riding a white horse into the Steel City while wearing a Revolutionary War outfit and screaming, “I HEREBY PROCLAIM THIS LAND TERRITORY OF THE GREAT CITY OF PHILADELPHIA!”

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