If Penguins-Flyers isn't the NHL's best rivalry, it's certainly in the conversation.
It's been passionate. It's featured highlight-reel goals, glass-rattling hits and more than a few scraps. It's also been (fairly) even. Mostly, though, hockey's version of the Hatfields and McCoys has been entertaining stuff.
Since meeting for the first time in postseason play in 1989, the Keystone Rivalry has provided some of the game's most indelible moments. From Ron Hextall chasing Rob Brown, to Keith Primeau's late-night goal, to Max Talbot "shushing" the crowd in South Philly, the Penguins and Flyers have brought out the best — and worst — in each other, especially in postseason play.
As they are set to begin their seventh playoff series, we look back at the first six postseason meetings.
1989 SECOND ROUND
Flyers win, 4 games to 3
Backstory: Philadelphia had been to the Stanley Cup Final in three of the previous eight seasons but came up empty-handed each time against the dynastic Islanders in 1980, and the dynastic Oilers in 1985 and again in '87. By '89 the Flyers had become an aging team with Mark Howe, Tim Kerr, Dave Poulin and Brian Propp battling injuries and Father Time. After missing the playoffs the previous six seasons, the Penguins were a young, up-and-coming team led by Mario Lemieux, who recorded a career-high 199 points, the fifth-most in NHL history. It was also the same season that the Penguins ended a 15-year drought, winning their first game in Philadelphia since 1974. In the first round, Pittsburgh swept the Rangers for their first series win since 1979.
Series: The Penguins split the first two games at the Civic Arena and took a 2-1 series lead on Phil Bourque's OT goal at the Spectrum. They then took a 3-2 series lead after Lemieux, coming off a neck injury, put his team on his back in a performance for the ages in Game 5. Lemieux scored four goals in the first period, on his way to five goals and eight points, tying the NHL record in both categories, as the Penguins held on for a 10-7 win. However that game might be best remembered for Hextall chasing Brown around the ice after the Penguins sniper scored the seventh goal against the fiery Flyers goalie:
Despite that showing, the Flyers came back to win Games 6 and 7, outscoring the Penguins 10-3.
Epilogue: The Flyers lost to the Canadiens in the conference final. In Game 6, Hextall charged Chris Chelios for a hit on Propp earlier in the series.
1997 FIRST ROUND
Flyers win 4 games to 1
Backstory: Eight years later, the roles were reversed as the Penguins were an older team that was five years removed from the glory days of the early '90s. The Penguins still had plenty of skill, though, scoring 285 goals to lead the league. Eddie Johnston was fired as coach in midseason and replaced by GM Craig Patrick, who led the Penguins back into contention, but the team fizzled down the stretch going 8-18-3. It was also the last season for Lemieux who had announced he would retire at age 31. Led by Eric Lindros and John LeClair, the Flyers' 103 points were the fourth-most in the league. After reaching the playoffs each of the previous two springs, following a franchise-worst, five-year absence, the Flyers were on a trajectory toward the Cup.
The series: It was never close. The Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, outscoring the Penguins 13-6. On home ice, in what would be Lemieux's last home game (for a few years anyway), the Penguins avoided the sweep with a a 4-1 win in Game 4. In the final minute, Lemieux scored on a breakaway against Garth Snow:
Three nights later in South Philly, the Flyers closed out the series with a 6-3 win. Afterward, the Philadelphia crowd gave Lemieux a standing ovation as he skated off the ice.
Epilogue: The Flyers went on to beat the Rangers in the conference final but were swept in the Cup Final by the Red Wings.
2000 SECOND ROUND
Flyers win 4 games to 2
Backstory: With Lemieux having brought the team out of bankruptcy, the Penguins were going through a rough stretch off the ice. Defensive-minded coach Kevin Constantine was replaced by Herb Brooks, who let Jaromir Jagr, Alexei Kovalev and Martin Straka lead the way offensively. The Penguins weren't as dominant as in years past, but could still contend. In the first round, they dispatched the Capitals (go figure) in just five games. The Flyers, without Lindros due to his concussion issues, were still unable to get over the top in the Eastern Conference despite a loaded roster that included Mark Recchi and rookie Simon Gagne.
The series: Behind Jagr, the Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 series lead taking both games in Philadelphia, while outscoring the Flyers 6-1. The Flyers clawed their way back into the series, winning Game 3 on Andy Delmore's OT goal. However, the series is best remembered for Game 4. The Penguins and Flyers were tied 1-1 after regulation and again after a first, second, third and fourth overtime. The game ended in the fifth OT, after 152 minutes, when Primeau froze Darius Kasparaitis and beat an exhausted Ron Tugnutt:
It remains the third-longest game played in NHL history. The Flyers went on to win the next two games, outscoring the Penguins 8-4.
Epilogue: Lindros returned for Game 6 against the Devils in the conference final but was KO'd early in Game 7 on a vicious open-ice hit by Scott Stevens. The Devils won 2-1 and Lindros never played for the Flyers again.
2008 EASTERN FINAL
Penguins win 4 games to 1
Backstory: After returning to the playoffs in 2007 following a five-season absence, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins were a team destined for greatness, especially after they traded for Marian Hossa at the trade deadline. They then promptly steamrolled the Senators and Rangers in the first two rounds. After a brutal 2006-07 season that saw the Flyers post a franchise-worst 56 points, they rebounded by 39 points the following season. Led by a young cast that included Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, the Flyers upset the heavily-favored Capitals in the first round and Montreal in the second.
Series: Though it was a physical series, Gary Roberts and the Penguins were undeterred by the Flyers' roughhouse tactics. They took the first three games by a combined score of 12-4. Crosby scored two goals and five assists in the series. And when the Penguins closed it out on home ice with a 6-0 shellacking, the captain refused to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy:
Epilogue: The Penguins advanced to their first Stanley Cup Final in 16 years but were no match for the Red Wings, losing in six games. To add insult, Hossa signed with Detroit in the summer, claiming the Wings gave him his best chance to win.
2009 FIRST ROUND
Penguins win 4 games to 2
Backstory: After losing in the Final to Detroit, the Penguins lost key players in Roberts and Ryan Malone in the off-season. Their progression seemed to stall midway through the 2009 season when they went 10-16-2 in December and January. By mid-February, GM Ray Shero made his move, replacing Michel Therrien with Dan Bylsma. The Penguins responded instantly, going 18-3-4, while picking up Chris Kunitz and Billy Guerin at the deadline.
Series: Meeting in the playoffs for the first time in consecutive years, there was obviously no love lost between the rivals. The Penguins opened with a 2-0 series lead when Guerin scored on a 5-on-3 power play in OT in Game 2. Emotions started to boil over in Game 3 when Kunitz laid a big hit on Kimmo Timonen that started a 5-on-5 scrum. That hit seemed to inspire the Flyers, who scored four goals over the final 40 minutes. The Flyers scored a 3-0 win in Game 5 to force a Game 6 in Philadelphia. Feeding off the crowd, the Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 lead to the delight of the Wachovia Center. However, one-time Penguin prospect Daniel Carcillo wasn't satisfied with that. Midway through the second, Max Talbot goaded Carcillo to a fight to try and inspire his teammates:
It worked. Though he lost the fight, he shushed the Philly faithful, and the Penguins scored five unanswered goals to win the series.
Epilogue: The Penguins went on to win their third Stanley Cup in franchise history by avenging the previous year's loss to the Red Wings and Hossa.
2012 FIRST ROUND
Flyers win 4 games to 2
The backstory: After winning the Cup three years earlier, the Penguins were dogged by Crosby's concussion issues and chronic playoff underachievement. But they cruised through the regular season going 51-25-6, their 108 points the fourth-most in franchise history. Malkin had 109 points to win the Hart Trophy, while James Neal reached the 40-goal mark. Prior to the season the Flyers jettisoned Carter and Richards, acquiring Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds in their place. They also signed free agent Jaromir Jagr, who shunned the Penguins after returning to the NHL following three years in Russia's KHL. Coupled with an emerging Claude Giroux, the Flyers were a fast, physical team.
The series: When the Flyers overcame a three-goal deficit in the opener to win on a Voracek goal in overtime, it only set the stage for one of the wildest series to date. In Game 2, the Flyers overcame four deficits, two of them by two goals, to win 7-6. In that game, Sean Couturier, 19, became the youngest player since Teeder Kennedy in 1948 to score a playoff hat trick. In Game 3, the first in Philadelphia, the undisciplined Penguins were blown out 8-4. At one point, Crosby poked Timonen's glove away from him and engaged Giroux in a wrestling match.
Game 3 resulted in 158 combined penalty minutes while Arron Asham, James Neal and Craig Adams earned suspensions for their actions in it. The Penguins were able to stave off elimination in Games 4 and 5, outscoring the Flyers 13-5. Back in Philadelphia for Game 6, though, Giroux won the opening draw against Crosby and then proceeded to throw a hard hit on the Penguins captain and then beat Marc-Andre Fleury just 32 seconds in. That goal set the tone for a 5-1 Flyers victory. In all, the Penguins and Flyers combined for 56 goals and 309 PIMs.
Epilogue: Coming off their emotional win over their in-state rivals, the Flyers were beaten in five games by the Devils in the second round.
