Penguins 3, Flyers 2 (SO)

Crosby Sucks! Crosby Sucks! Yeah, sure he does.

If you’re a Flyers’ fan, aren’t you getting tired of this synchronized chant? First, it’s just lame. Second, it clearly doesn’t come close to having any effect whatsoever on its intended target. And yet it’s still a go-to rallying cry for the Philly faithful.

Crosby tortured the Flyers again last night, scoring on the power play and netting the clinching goal in the shootout – with a shot he clearly fanned on. Pens win 3-2, but the Flyers do earn a point in defeat. Letang also scored in the shootout, while Fleury stopped both shots he faced.

Guerin got a PP goal, Fleury made 31 saves (9-1-1 in his last 11 starts!), Rupp took care of Asham again and Kunitz chipped in with two assists. Pens improved to 24-10-1. I know it’s not even the midway point, but how can you not like where we’re at in the standings and how we’re playing? No Stanley Cup hangover in Pittsburgh.

The Pens are in Buffalo on Saturday night. The Sabres are red hot and lead the Northeast, but the game will be their second in two nights.

Random thoughts:

•  ”You keep your spare in the car?” Coach Mario Lemieux’s question to one of his young players about where he keeps his backup stick was probably my favorite line of last night’s broadcast. Bob Errey’s “You want to bang him!” was a close second. For the record, Errey was talking about the need to engage Flyers’ defenseman Chris Pronger in an effort to wear him down over the course of the game – a sound strategy to be sure.
• By the way, did anyone else notice Fedotenko blowing past Pronger in the 2^nd period? Is Fedotenko getting faster or has Pronger lost a step? I’ll go with the latter. Pronger’s giveaway on Crosby’s power-play goal was brutal.
• Fleury is now 18-6 in his career against our biggest rival. Nice work.
• How cool would it be to be coached by Lemieux? How cool would it be to have your son coached by Lemieux? Must be a thrill of a lifetime for players and parents alike.
• Scott Hartnell, who was in the box for Crosby’s PP tally, leads the league in minor penalties. Go figure.
• How bad did Letang make Boucher look on his shootout goal? Juked him out of his skates.
• 3-on-3 for two minutes in OT – very odd situation…and very cool to watch.