NHL Preview: Battle for Pennsylvania bragging rights resumes as Pittsburgh Penguins host Philadelphia Flyers
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers will square off on Friday 29 October, at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, in the 251st regular season meeting of the Battle of the Keystone State.
Previous meetings and recent games
The Phildelphia Flyers hold a considerable edge over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the history between these two teams, but it was the Penguins who won their most recent meeting by beating the Flyers 5-1
in Philadelphia on 16 October. This will be already the third time the two teams have met this season with the series tied 1-1 after the Flyers beat the Penguins 3-2 in their season opener back on 7 October.
The two teams have similar records so far this season with the Penguins collecting an extra win, but the Flyers having a game in hand.
The Penguins are coming off a tough 5-3 loss to the Tampa Lightning after surrendering a 3-1 first period lead.
The Flyers are coming off a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on October 26.
How they match up
It's been a tough year for Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury who started the season at 1-3 before making way for Brent Johnson. What didn't help Fleury's case was that Johnson was solid for the Penguins
winning four out of five games – the only loss coming in a 1-0 overtime loss to Jaroslav Halak and the St. Louis Blues. Head coach Dan Bylsma had always regarded Fleury as the team's number one, and, in an effort to get him back into action, started Fleury
against the Tampa Bay Lightning which saw the Penguins concede four unanswered goals.
Sidney Crosby, once again, leads the team in scoring with 12 points, including six goals, but it has been the play of several of Pittsburgh's defencemen which has been the biggest asset to the team thus
far. Kris Letang, Paul Martin, and Alex Goligoski have 23 points between them in 10 games and are a combined plus-15 rating.
Daniel Briere has had the hot hand for the Philadelphia Flyers recently with six goals. Forward Scott Hartnell currently holds the dubious distinction of being the NHL's most penalized player having already
served 39 minutes.
In the first meeting between these two teams it was rookie goalie Sergei Bobrovsky which undid the Penguins stopping 29 of 31 shots. The Penguins had no trouble getting the puck past him in their next
meeting scoring four goals on 31 shots.
What to expect
Of all the goalies that could possibly take part in this game, only Johnson, Pittsburgh's professed backup, has been consistent. Johnson is currently in the NHL's top five in both goals against average
and save percentage. If Bylsma does the sensible thing and gives Johnson the start it could be a key factor in getting the Penguins the win.
Neither team has won against the other at home so far this season and the Penguins struggled at their new building losing their first three. But they have won their last two games at the Consol Energy
Center and should get another as they hope to bounce back after losing the way they did to the Lightning.
Prediction:
Penguins win 4-2.
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