* The Pens swept the regular-season series against Philadelphia, going 4-0 and scoring 5 goals in every game. More importantly, Pittsburgh picked up a critical 2 points in the tight Metro Division, pulling to within 3 of division leader Washington.
* Another game, another incredible Sidney Crosby goal. His double whack at an airborne puck against Montreal was certainly a display of Crosby's intelligence, awareness and skill. Against the Flyers, he scored a goal that was more about grit and determination. Crosby carried the puck with one hand on his stick, used his body to protect the puck and danced around Sean Couturier in the offensive zone. Then he went top shelf far side. That was about strength and power to fight off Couturier. And what a finish.
* What a read-and-react play by Conor Sheary and Derick Brassard to connect on a goal in the first period. Sheary had the puck in the neutral zone in a crowd of bodies. Brassard immediately jetted up ice. Sheary flipped an airborne, alley-oop pass. Brassard tracked down the puck for a breakaway and then went top shelf. The goal was the result of skill, execution and mostly hockey intelligence.
* Stick tap to defenseman Chad Ruhwedel for a great defensive play in the second period. With the Flyers on a 3-on-2 rush, Pittsburgh was struggling to track back. Philly made a few passes and lured Murray out of the net. Travis Konecny had an empty-net into which to shoot, but Ruhwedel got his stick on the pass to break up the chance and save a goal.
* The Pens finished the game with one power-play goal, but essentially they had two. Patric Hornqvist scored on the classic man-advantage with a nice spinning shot right at the crease. Exactly 2 minutes later Evgeni Malkin tallied his 42nd goal of the season while the Pens were working on a delayed penalty call. The entire shift by Pittsburgh was impressive. The Pens held the puck in the offensive zone for over a minute, drew a penalty, gained the extra attacker and still held the puck long enough to create a few scoring chances before Malkin converted.
