Crosby’s hat trick pushes Penguins past Flyers 7-0
PITTSBURGH — The sluggish opening three months. The so-so finish. The only occasional attention to detail on defence. None of it matters anymore.
The playoffs are here. The champs are, too.
Sidney Crosby and the Penguins provided proof in Pittsburgh’s 7-0 dismantling of the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening game of their first-round series Wednesday night.
Crosby performed more stick wizardry on his way to his third post-season hat trick, Evgeni Malkin added a highlight-reel goal of his own and the Penguins overwhelmed their seemingly overmatched cross-state rivals to begin their quest for a third straight Stanley Cup with a blowout that seemed to indicate the grudge match could be a mismatch.