Penguins

Kyle Greentree scored 1 minute, 39 seconds into overtime and the Phantoms took a 2-1 win from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penquins in the AHL last night. The Phantoms' Ryan Potulny scored his 20th goal of the season midway through the first period for a 1-0 lead. The team had clinched a Calder Cup playoff berth with an overtime loss in Bridgeport, Conn., on Friday night. With the playoff berth sercured, coach Craig Berube went with Michael Teslak, who got his first AHL start since joining the team in March.

Alexander Daigle, a former No. 1 draft pick who walked away from hockey two years ago at age 25, signed a tryout contract yesterday with Pittsburgh. Under the deal, the Penguins will pay Daigle a per-diem allowance and cover his living expenses at training camp. If Daigle makes the team, the Penguins will negotiate a contract with him. A few weeks ago, Daigle appeared ready to go to camp with the San Jose Sharks, but he apparently changed his mind when given the chance to play alongside Mario Lemieux.

Players to watch FLYERS: Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov With all the scoring the Flyers have been doing, Bryzgalov's mediocre play has fallen under the radar. He has a 3.95 goals-against average and .868 save percentage, and it looks like sitting out four of the last six regular-season games - three because of an injury - has caused him to lose his rhythm. PENGUINS: Center Evgeni Malkin The NHL's leading scorer with109 points in the regular season, Malkin has failed to score a goal in the series as he has been hounded by Flyers rookie Sean Couturier.

Players to watch FLYERS: Center Danny Briere   He is to the playoffs what Reggie Jackson was to baseball's postseason. Briere has 98 points in 98 career playoff games, and he has 31 goals - including two in Wednesday's opener - in 58 playoff games with the Flyers. PENGUINS: Center Jordan Staal   He gets lost in all the talk about Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but he is one of the Penguins' most important players. Staal's defensive work was eye-opening in the opener as he blanked high-scoring center Claude Giroux, who managed just one shot.

The Phantoms could not overcome a three-goal first period by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last night and fell to the Penguins, 3-2, in an AHL playoff game at the Wachovia Center. The Penguins lead the Calder Cup's East Division finals, two games to one. Game 4 is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. tomorrow at the Wachovia Center. The Penguins jumped ahead with two goals in 12 seconds midway through the first period on shots by Alain Nasreddine and Connor James. With 2 minutes, 54 seconds left in the period, Alex Goligoski took a wrist shot from the left circle that wriggled out of Scott Munroe's glove and over the goal line for a 3-0 Wilkes-Barre lead.

Ron Francis admitted facing his former teammates from Pittsburgh wasn't quite as dramatic as the first time he was traded from Hartford and faced the former Whalers just a week later. Still, the $21 million free-agent signee of the Carolina Hurricanes had to push aside some emotion during a 3-3 tie with the visiting Penguins last night. "When you win a Stanley Cup with certain guys like [Tom] Barrasso and [Jaromir] Jagr - that is such a special feeling," said Francis, who had one assist against his former team.

PITTSBURGH - The Penguins had 25 games to establish an identity under interim coach Dan Bylsma. The Flyers have seemingly been honing theirs since 1967. "They've always tried to bring a physical element," Bylsma said yesterday. Bylsma and the Pens can expect more of the same in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Penguins have long been recognized for their collection of skilled players, led this season by centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, who finished first and third, respectively, in the NHL scoring race.

Evgeni Malkin deflected Sidney Crosby's one-timer from the right point on a Pittsburgh power play with 1 minute, 41 seconds remaining in regulation to finish a frantic comeback as the Penguins rallied from a three-goal deficit against the visiting New York Rangers for a 5-4 victory in their second-round playoff series opener last night. Petr Sykora and Marian Hossa scored 20 seconds apart early in the third period, and the Penguins shook off Scott Gomez' tying goal midway through the period for one of best comeback victories in their playoff history.