(Kate Frese/Sports Talk Philly)
By Rob Riches, Sports Talk Philly contributor
With the Flyers' playoff hopes in desperation mode, they had a tough task ahead of them against the Pittsburgh Penguins — a team that had won five of their previous six games with relative ease.
They more than answered the bell on Wednesday, blanking the Pens, 4-0, in what can be considered a statement win. Four different Flyers found twine, while Steve Mason turned away all 23 shots he faced.
After a first period that saw the Flyers (32-29-8) and Pens walk away even, Sean Couturier started the second stanza with a goal just one minute in. Wayne Simmonds followed up with a much-needed power-play tally — his 200th career goal — to pad the Flyers' lead.
Claude Giroux netted a one-timer in the third, just after it seemed apparent the Penguins (43-17-9) could not score. Dale Weise followed up with a tip-in at the doorstep with 47.3 seconds left, giving the Orange and Black more than a comfy cushion.
The defense remarkably held up in front of Mason, though the Pens did sneak in a few decent chances in the middle frame. Mason turned them all aside with relative ease, though, for his third shutout of the season.
With the win, the Flyers avoid a season-series sweep at the hands of the Penguins, in the third of four meetings this season with their cross-state rivals. It's their first win against the Pens since April 9, 2016.
The Flyers return to the ice tomorrow night, as they head up to North Jersey for a matchup with the Devils.
