PHILADELPHIA — Joffrey Lupul scored the first of Philadelphia’s three first-period goals Thursday night and the Flyers extended the Eastern Conference finals for at least one more game with a 4-2 victory over the Penguins.
“We have the momentum right now, but we have to come out in Pittsburgh like we did tonight,” Flyers forward Mike Richards said. “We still have a desperate situation here. We know the mountain that we have to climb. As long as we take it slow and not try to win it in the first 10 minutes and play a full 60, we could have success.”
The Penguins’ smooth ride toward the Stanley Cup Finals got a bit bumpier and will now include a Game 5 on Sunday. Just as they did after taking a 3-0 lead over the New York Rangers in the second round, the Penguins were beaten in Game 4.
Pittsburgh wrapped up that series at home in its next chance, shaking off its only other loss in the playoffs (11-2).
Jordan Staal scored twice in the third period to get the Penguins close, but Lupul sealed the Flyers’ first win of the series with an empty-netter in the final minute.
“They had a good first period, and we didn’t,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. “That was really the difference. We fought hard in the second and third . . . but it was just too little, too late.”
The Penguins are 7-0 in the playoffs at home and have won 15 straight there. They beat the Flyers 4-2 in each of the first two games of the series.
“We want to finish it off,” Crosby said. “I don’t think you go into every series expecting to win four in a row.”
Only two NHL teams have recovered from an 0-3 deficit to win, the 1942 Maple Leafs and the 1975 Islanders. Pittsburgh has led all three series this year 3-0, including a first-round sweep of Ottawa.
