Battle of Pennsylvania 2010-11: Game 2

In game two, things looked different. There was a new Penguin goaltender between the pipes and another new arena as the venue was the perpetually hostile crowd of the Wells Fargo Center (or whatever they want to call it these days). It's a quick turn around to game 2 as the painful memory of the opening day loss to the Flyers remain in the minds of the Penguins players and fans. Could they strike back in front of the Flyers fans?

Of course, this was no easy task for the Penguins who were now facing a new goalie as well as the defending Eastern Conference champions. The first period started like the first game as Danny Briere scored after the 6+ minute mark on the power play to give the Flyers a 1-0. Johnson, who had looked more confident than Penguins starter Fleury lately, had also started to provide doubts for the Penguins hopeful fans. But Kris Kunitz, not known to be as productive in a Penguins uniform, scored on the new enigmatic Russian-born Bobrovsky to tie up the game 1-1 just 5 minutes later. Penguins fans believed their team was in better shape than the first game going into 1st intermission with the tie.

In the second period, Mark Letestu (who?) the shocking Penguins rookie placeholder for the injured Jordan Staal, scored another goal to make it 3 on the year and break up the tie late. The Penguins and Flyers fans expected that at any moment the momentum could shift and we could have more fights happen than the one Rupp-Shelly dance that occurred early in the 1st period. Still, Bobrovsky was standing tall and certainly making the case that he should be the next Flyers starting goalie outright.

The 3rd period should have been the relief that the first 2 periods of tension had created. Starting with the return of the "class" that the Flyers fans have been known for, the "Crosby sucks" chant echoed through the rink showing that their seething jealousy continues to plague the fans. But it only served to be a negative motivator as Crosby put the puck in the net twice during the power plays to bring the Penguins a 4-1 lead middle way through. Matt Cooke, often villainized for the way he aggressively plays, scored a final goal at the open net to remind the Flyers fans that the Penguins weren't exactly going to hand over the Atlantic division crown without a fight.

It was a solid game for Brent Johnson and a game showing that Bobrovsky was in fact human. Game 3 is going to be back in Pittsburgh in early November.

Afterthought Note: The Flyers captain, Brad Richards, decided to give a "spirited" post-game interview (via: Broadstreetbullies)"it's tough to be playing Pittsburgh, they are going to be falling down easy". I am sure the Penguins faithful will keep this up on the bulletin board. Would you like some cheese with that whine, Mr. Richards?

[Via: Yahoo! Sports]