Hockey Today
No games scheduled. The conference finals continue on Saturday, May 17.
STAR
-Joffrey Lupul, Flyers, ignited Philadelphia's three-goal first period and added an empty-netter that sealed the 4-2 win over Pittsburgh.
NOT GROUNDED YET
Philadelphia scored three first-period goals and avoided a four-game sweep against Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference finals by defeating the Penguins 4-2 on Thursday night. The Flyers had been swept the five other times they trailed in a series 3-0.
CAN'T CLOSE
Pittsburgh has lost two straight Game 4s when holding a 3-0 series lead after falling to Philadelphia 4-2 on Thursday night. The Penguins swept Ottawa in the first round, but failed to duplicate the feat against the New York Rangers in the semifinals before finally winning that series in Game 5.
STILL SIDELINED
NHL playoff goal-scoring leader Johan Franzen will miss his fourth straight game when Detroit faces Dallas in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Saturday. Detroit general manager Ken Holland says Franzen has been cleared for light workouts. But Holland says the center would need to practice with the team for a few days before returning to the lineup. Franzen was scratched from the Red Wings' lineup for Game 2 against the Stars and missed the next two games as well because of concussion-like symptoms.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Jordan Staal scored both Pittsburgh goals in Thursday night's 4-2 loss at Philadelphia in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. He had only three tallies in his first 12 postseason contests this year.
EYESORE
Philadelphia defenseman Braydon Coburn was ruled out Thursday for a second straight game after his swollen left eye didn't show enough improvement. Coburn was struck in the face by a puck in the opening minutes of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals last Sunday and sat out Tuesday when the Flyers lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins to fall into an 0-3 hole.
SPEAKING
``I think he thought I was trying to slash him, but I was just trying to move the puck forward,'' ``He was probably angry that he wasn't winning the hockey game and he tried to slash me. We can't worry about getting undisciplined and running around like village idiots.'' - Philadelphia captain Mike Richards on receiving slashing and roughing penalties with Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby during the final seconds of the Flyers' 4-2 win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday night.