Loss keeps the Flyers in suspense With only two games left, John Stevens' team has yet to clinch a playoff berth.

PITTSBURGH — Evgeni Malkin can do two things nicely. He can play keep-away with the puck. And he can fire a laser wrist shot that freezes a goalie as it burns the net.

Malkin's 47th goal last night at Mellon Arena doomed the Flyers to a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. With two games remaining, the Flyers still have not clinched a playoff berth.

During a second-period Penguins power play, Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made a splendid shorthanded pad stop against Sami Kapanen. On the regroup, Malkin took a pass from Ryan Whitney off the boards from a standing position, then sped into the Flyers' zone and buried a shot against Martin Biron to break a 2-2 tie.

It was the game's most critical play, especially coming seconds after Fleury's save. It changed momentum amid a tense, playoff-style atmosphere.

"Obviously, their power play and special teams were the difference, because they capitalized on their power plays and we didn't," Flyers center Mike Richards said. "Lupes [Joffey Lupul] and I said it. It was like a playoff game. Usually, special teams are the difference in the playoffs, and it was tonight."

Pittsburgh started the night just 1 for 17 on the power play in its last three games, but it scored four times on the Flyers (1 for 5).

"They got a puck off our guy in the first, a five-on-three goal in the second, a goal I would want back, and then [Sidney] Crosby makes a great deflection at the end - four totally different goals," Biron said. "They have the personnel" to do that.

Biron made outstanding saves to keep it a one-goal game in the third period before Crosby's between-the-legs redirected shot for the final power-play goal helped the Penguins clinch the Atlantic Division crown.

"We've got two games left," Flyers center Jeff Carter said. "We've got to pull out a couple of wins."

The game featured two early fights and fierce contact throughout.

"We had two penalties on one play there, and it certainly wasn't in our favor," Flyers coach John Stevens said about a couple of second-period power-play goals. "Their power play was the difference. They have a very dangerous power play. They get that many opportunities [six], it's not good for us."

Neither is this: Late in the game, center Danny Briere took a left knee-on-knee hit from Jarkko Ruutu.