Flyers need answer to Pens’ speed

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The speed the Pittsburgh Penguins brought at them shift after shift, period after period, shouldn’t surprise the Philadelphia Flyers — they’ve seen it from Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal 20 times over the past two seasons.

The fatigue and frustration it caused, and maybe the lack of discipline it provoked? The Flyers didn’t seem prepared for that, and already they find themselves in a likely must-win playoff Game 2 against the Penguins.

The Flyers, just as they couldn’t during last season’s one-sided Eastern Conference finals, didn’t handle anything the confident and under-control Penguins brought at them during a 4-1 Pittsburgh victory in Game 1 on Wednesday night. The Flyers retaliated with needless penalties, undisciplined play, a late sequence of message-sending hits and not much else.

After allowing four goals or more for the fifth time in six playoff games against the Penguins the last two seasons, the Flyers appeared leg-weary and slightly discouraged. They also seemed to be looking for answers in an Eastern Conference first-round series that could get away from them as fast as Malkin on a breakaway if they don’t win tonight in Pittsburgh.

“I don’t buy that we’re done by any means,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said Thursday. “Pittsburgh’s a good team, and we have to play well to beat them — better than we did. We need to play a more complete game.”

The Penguins? They want to keep playing the same uptempo, keep-the-pressure on style that has enabled them to go 19-3-4 under coach Dan Bylsma.

“We’re going to play the way we know how,” said Crosby, who had a goal and an assist in Game 1. “Hopefully, we’re skating and they have to chase us. Hopefully, the result of our game is at least getting scoring chances and then some will go in.”

The Flyers were criticized by coach John Stevens for drawing numerous unnecessary penalties during a mistake-filled night, and their breakdowns in discipline were illustrated by forward Dan Carcillo’s whack to Penguins forward Max Talbot’s head with three seconds remaining. The NHL held a disciplinary hearing Thursday to decide whether Carcillo will be suspended.

“You never want to be down in a series, so obviously there’s a little bit more pressure now to get this next win so we can carry some momentum over into our building,” the Flyers’ Matt Carle said. “But at the same time if we go down 2-0 in a series it’s not over. We still have two games in our building. But it’s definitely not a spot you want to be in.”