PITTSBURGH _ It's almost like the Phillies sweeping the Pirates in a double-header back in the late 1970s when they were the dominant clubs in the NL East.
Except this is many decades later and it's hockey and the Flyers have begun their "Deadly Dozen" stretch run through the first week of April with two wins against the Metro Division leading Penguins.
Great execution by the Flyers all weekend against a depleted Pittsburgh lineup where the Flyers exploited them where they had to.
Pens were 0 for 9 on the power play. Flyers scored three power play goals, two shorthanded goals (both Matt Read) and Steve Mason pitched a shutout in one of the games.
I said the Flyers needed to get 16 points in these 12 games and they have 4 right from the get-go which is better than the split I projected.
Next up, Chicago visits on Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center.
Gotta like the power game Wayne Simmonds displayed here Sunday at CONSOL Energy Center with two power play goals in the paint against Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Pens literally stood around and watched the Flyers PP units pick them apart, get quality shots, and score three times in two games.
Simmonds had lots of time and room in the paint with Scott Hartnell in the high slot and Claude Giroux near him for the quick pass and one-timer play.
“I had a ton of time,” Simmonds said. “With Hartys in the high slot, it scares a lot of teams. He’s got a heck of a shot from there and you never know when G is going to pass him the puck.
"He doesn’t even look at you. You have to be ready. It opens up me and in turn, opens up Jake [Jakub Voracek] on the back door.”
By the end of Sunday, the FLyers could be in second place. Regardless, this was a big start for the next couple weeks that will either clinch or could eliminate any Flyers playoff hopes.
“Our team will get confidence from this,” Flyers coach Craig Berube said. “Any time you can beat Pittsburgh twice, it’s a big boost. That’s a very good team over there.
“This is over. I don’t try to get too high or too low. I try to keep our team even. We got a game Tuesday [against Chicago].”
Sean Couturier did yeoman's work on Sidney Crosby while CLaude Giroux did the same on Evgeni Malkin. Neither had a point all weeked.
Pens were without some pretty big guns in Chris Kunitz, Kris Letang and James Neal, among others, but Crosby didn't want to hear that.
“We missed guys before throughout the year and found ways,” Crosby said. “I don’t think we will use that as an excuse. There are times when our power play is good and doesn’t score and that is not the case here. It’s not very good right now.”
And the Flyers PP are humming along.
“Power play, penalty kill very good again,”Berube said. “Lots of shots, lots of chances. We played a real strong game.”
Now the Flyers have to keep it going with a tough week ahead featuring the Blackhawks, Dallas and St. Louis, where Ryan Miller is 6-0-1 since joining the Blues.
For more on the Flyers, check out CSNPhilly.com:
click here 
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»