If the last two Flyer games didn't whet your appetite for playoff hockey, you're need to convert to the NBA.

Today's 3-2 Flyers overtime win against Pittsburgh was one of those "Can't wait till April" games if these two clubs meet in the playoffs.

Just a fabulous game. Scott Hartnell's offense and physical play coupled with Kris Letang's outstanding defensive and physical play for Pittsburgh made this a true classic.

Both these players took their teams and the game itself to another level.

“We need to engage in the game and by the second period we were stagnant with everything,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “With our attack, our physical play. You really need to engage in the game. You hit and maybe somebody reacts.

“[Hartnell] got really physical there. We needed to do that. That push, I think, was needed. We got real sleepy in the second period and just got real agitated and active in the game. I think physically it helped turn the momentum around in the third period.”

The angrier the Flyers got Evgeni Malkin, the more Hartnell took advantage of the situation, as the Pens were goaded into taking bad penalties.

Hartnell had a monster game.

Here's his comments to reporters after game, courtesy of the Flyers:

Q: Second day in a row that you guys saved everything until the end.

"It was a battle, sixty plus minutes against this team. You have to fight for every inch and it even took us a couple periods in an afternoon game to get ready. We were able to get a huge two points and it was a physical match. It was everything we expected on our end."

Q:Did it feel like a playoff game to you guys today?

"It was a playoff game. Odds are that we are going to end up with these guys in the first round. We got a point on them tonight. One step closer to getting home ice, we play them twice in Pittsburgh. It is not going to be easy. It is a big confidence boost for everybody."

Q: Do you feel like you were able to frustrate them?

"Yeah. I think [Evgeni] Malkin took a couple penalties. He is good for a couple of those in a game if you hit him and play him tight. He scored the second goal. You have to know where he is at all times. I think we did a good job of fighting right until the end and we got the two points."

Q:Was that the best second period back-checking by a team this year?

"They were relentless. Their five man unit is up and back to the defense. When everyone is playing committed like that, it is hard to play. I think we had one shot in that second period and it really stifeld us. I think we stuck with the program and we were disciplined in the third period. We got a powerplay goal there, Kimmo [Timonen] on his birthday. He was able to get a big shot like that and we were able to get it in overtime."

Q:What did [Peter Laviolette] say to you after the second period?

"I can't really remember. Just go out there and play hard. I don't know if we were trying to be too fancy, but we wore them down at the end. Good things happen when you put the puck to the net and that happened tonight."

Q:A style of play like today's, is that when you play your best?

"It is physical, it is emotional and right now we are gased. We are playing a lot of games in a lot of days. It took every ounce of energy of all twenty guys to get an emotional win like that. We can't let it fall here this time next week. We have keep on working hard."

Q: Danny Briere had three set ups in the overtime, for a guy struggling to score he kind of rose in that period.

"The overtime goal was a great pass to me. [Braydon] Coburn did a good job of letting it go through his stick and I was able to get it and shoot it quick. I know that the time was about to expire. A guy like him has to work hard to get his breaks. Right now he has been really working his tail off. It is good to see a guy like that I think is gripping his stick tight to work hard. The harder you work the more bounces you are going to get."

Q:Inaudible

"I looked at it and I had [Jaromir] Jagr coming off and he was out there at least a minute. I saw a few seconds left and when I jumped on the ice and had a chance that I had to shoot it quick. I was able to get it up and over [Marc Andre] Fleury."

Q: What does it say about the caliber of play in this game mean for two teams that might play in the first round?

"It is what it is all about, playoff hockey. It is not just about beating one good team to get where you want, you have beat two or three good teams. If it is the first round that we have to go through Pittsburgh, or second or third, this team is going to be there. We have to go throught them. First round, we will take them on with open arms and play a seven game series."

Q: Inaudible

"It is great. [Ilya Bryzgalov] is kicking right until the end and our defensemen are playing hard. I think we were undisciplined in the first period and I thought even though in the second period we didn't get many shots, that there is a quiet confidence in our room. When you have that, you can see in the guy next to you in his eyes that he is going to go out there and work hard for you. It is a great thing and we don't want to do that too often, but we will take the points. It is going to be a battle right to the end."

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