PITTSBURGH - The Penguins have had their way recently with the Flyers at Mellon Arena.
With an already-impressive 14-2-0 home record - including 5-0 in the postseason - against the Flyers over the past three seasons, the Penguins will look to continue their home-ice dominance tonight at 7 in an Eastern Conference quarterfinal.
With a Game 5 victory, the Penguins would clinch the series in front of a whiteout home crowd and advance to the conference semifinals.
"It's always a challenge," Penguins center Max Talbot said of playing the Flyers at home. "We're always ready. It's a big rivalry. Our team takes it personal and our fans take it personal, so we are extra ready when it comes to Philly."
The Penguins have an opportunity for the second consecutive postseason to close the series against the Flyers at home. Last year, the Penguins used a 6-0 Game 5 home victory to advance to the Stanley Cup final.
Regardless of the Penguins' recent success while hosting the Flyers, eliminating an extremely desperate Philadelphia team from the playoffs for the second consecutive season will be no easy task.
"We have an opportunity to get that fourth one, but it's a hard one to get," interim coach Dan Bylsma said. "A lot of times, it's the most difficult to get. We want to get it as soon as we can get it."
Winning at home would be ideal for a Penguins team that concluded two series at Mellon Arena last season on their way to the Stanley Cup final. A sweep of the Senators forced the Penguins to celebrate in Ottawa, but they clinched their series with the New York Rangers and Flyers at home.
"I think we're playing well at home," Talbot said. "We take advantage of the fans on our side. We feel comfortable in this building.
"It'd be huge because we definitely don't want to have to go back [to Philly]."
After saving the day in Game 2, the Penguins' power play has sputtered again.
The power play went 1-for-7 and hemorrhaged a shorthanded goal in the Penguins' 6-3 loss in Game 3, and then was 0-for-5 in Game 4.
The Pens were credited with four shots on their five power plays in Game 4, not counting the crossbar Sidney Crosby hit early in the third period.
"You always have to remember the penalty kills for the other team are trying," Bill Guerin said. "They're working hard. They're doing the right things, as well, and [the Flyers] have done a good job. Their penalty killing has been excellent, but we have to find a way to figure that out and maybe simplify our power play a little bit and get back to shooting pucks and getting pucks to the net a little more often.
"To me it's all puck movement if a team's aggressive [killing penalties]. You have to keep the puck moving. The more you hold onto it the more you let everybody get into that position and get ready to strike. You're playing into their hands. Nobody can move faster than the puck. To me, a couple of quick passes and shots are important."
The Penguins' power play ranked sixth among playoff teams at 16 percent (4-for-25) before last night's games. *
Mike Prisuta, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, contributed to this report.
