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   VS. 

4. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

JOSH BREWSTER

CORE MATCHUP: These two teams are so evenly matched, we’ve got to put the dividing point squarely on the goaltending showdown of Marc-Andre Fleury vs. Martin Biron. Fleury, who proved himself in last year’s Cup Final, went 9-1-2 in March as the Penguins compiled a 16-3-3 record from game 61 to game 82. Biron gets some heat for a lack of playoff experience, but he was solid during the Flyers’ run to the conference final last season. Who makes the key saves at the key times will make all the difference for these offensively-capable clubs.

Both the Flyers and Penguins scored 264 goals, tying the clubs for fourth in team goals scored. Goals against? Just as close, with 238 against for Philly, while Pitt allowed 239. Jeff Carter was a monster, with 45 goals for Philly. Evgeni Malkin won the Art Ross (his 1st) with 113 points. Mike Richards will likely win the Selke as best defensive forward.  Richards scored 30, as did Scott Hartnell, while Simon Gagne rebounded from injury with 34 markers. In Pittsburth, Sidney Crosby was the league’s third-best scorer with 33 goals and 103 points. Go through the entire roster, folks, these clubs are tightly matched.

POTENTIAL SERIES-TURNERS: (These two clubs are so even, we’ll name two) Sergei Gonchar recorded six goals and 19 points in a season shortened to just 25 games, but he’s ready to rock this postseason, and might be the clutch guy in Pitt. For Philly, Joffrey Lupul is a tricky sort: He once scored four goals in one playoff game for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2006, and is a solid shooter.

Pick: Pittsburgh in 7. The Pens will thank goodness that Philly dropped out of the fourth spot in the conference, surrendering a key home game in the process. Pens win in their own building.

LEON RAFNER

An East- West battle to match the California re-enactment of the Civil War. Those Pens finally are hot. New Coach Dan Bylsma was a player’s player and he has inspired this team to get it together just in time. Another great trade deadline decision was the addition of Chris Kunitz, a speedy sharpshooting winger that has opened up the ice for Sid the Kid and Evgeni Malkin. Like the Caps, this team has to score to win. Don’t look for their D or Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to save the bacon. The Flyers need to counter with an improved defense and must get a strong performance from Goalie Martin Biron. With Daniel Briere an unknown at this point, the Flyers need scoring from Mike Richards and Simon Gange to counter the Pens stronger offense. Certainly Joffrey Lupul and Mike Knuble are a big solid plus for this team, but the Pens will apply intense pressure on the sometimes lax Flyers D-men. Although neither team has a great defense, the superstars will take this series for the Pens. Pittsburgh in 5.

DENNIS BERNSTEIN

Ooh, the Flyers are going to rue that final regular season game loss to the Rangers. That defeat gave the surging Penguins home ice advantage in what stands to be a much closer series than last season’s five game walkover. Yes, Dan Bylsma lightened the load but the real reason Pittsburgh resurfaced was the return of Sergei Gonchar to the lineup. Though the Flyers have a tremendous one-two punch down the middle with Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, neither Martin Biron nor Antero Nittymaki has four wins in them between the pipes.  Pittsburgh in 7.

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