Pens draw first blood against listless Flyers

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 26-of-27 shots, as the Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1, in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at Mellon Arena.

Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby each posted a goal and one assist for the Penguins, who have won five of the last six playoff meetings against the Flyers dating back to last season.

"I thought we did a pretty good job," said Crosby. "I thought there were times where we might have gotten away from our game for a couple of shifts. Certainly I think we're pretty happy we played a full 60 minutes."

Tyler Kennedy and Mark Eaton also tallied for Pittsburgh, which won four of six regular-season meetings against Philly.

Simon Gagne picked up the lone goal for the Flyers, who avoided being blanked in back-to-back playoff games. Fleury and the Pens closed out the 2008 Eastern Conference finals with a 6-0 rout in Game 5 last May 18.

Martin Biron allowed all four goals on 33 shots in defeat.

Game 2 is scheduled for Friday in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins were awarded the game's first power play and converted just 4:41 into the contest, as Malkin's stuffer from the goal line was followed up by Crosby, who appeared to kick the puck forward off the far post and in. A review upheld the goal after it was determined there was no distinct kicking motion.

"We got behind the eight-ball right away," said Flyers coach John Stevens. "We took an undisciplined penalty and on the power play they scored right away. It's a worst-case scenario coming out to start in their building."

Seconds later, Biron stopped Jordan Staal on a clean breakaway, but the Pens went back on the man advantage. The Flyers survived that and killed off another Pittsburgh power play but trailed by one at intermission after failing to convert their lone full two-minute edge with an extra skater.

The home team benefited from a lucky break early in the second period, when Kennedy flubbed his shot on a 3-on-1 break, but it squeezed through Biron's pads for a 2-0 edge at 1:39.

The Penguins went up by three 6:28 into the third period. A Flyers defenseman attempted to clear behind the net, but the puck hit the boards at an odd angle, bouncing in front. Malkin was there, and spun a backhander along the ice past a sprawling Biron for the score.

It was 4-0 at 10:27, as Crosby won a left-circle draw back to Kris Letang, who fed Eaton for a long shot near the blue line which slipped by Biron.

Philly finally got on the board via the power play with 4:35 left in regulation. Mike Richards' shot from the slot rang off the post and bounded into the crease, where Gagne shoveled it home to cap the scoring.

Game Notes

The clubs have met four previous times in the playoffs, with the Flyers winning three (1989, 1997, 2000) and the Penguins taking the last meeting, in the 2008 Eastern finals...Philly forward Jeff Carter, who finished second in the league with 46 goals, was held scoreless on eight shots in 17 minutes of ice time...There were 18 penalties in the contest, 12 to the Flyers...Pittsburgh converted 1-of-9 power plays, and Philadelphia went 1-for-4.