Norman Vergara - AHN Sports Writer
Pittsburgh, PA (AHN) - Pittsburgh calmly rallied back after allowing Philadelphia to equalize matters in the second period then called on an unlikely scorer to shatter it come crunch time as the Penguins scored a 4-2 win for a 2-0 lead against the Flyers on Sunday at Mellon Arena.
The Penguins took an early lead midway in the first on Sidney Crosby's power play shot but the Flyers, who also lost via the same score in the opener, tied it on their own goal with a man advantage, early in the second.
After Jeff Carter's score that made it 1-1, the Penguins moved ahead when Marian Hossa rifled in an assist from Ryan Malone and Sergei Gonchar, 13:43 in the period. The Flyers again negated the lead when Mike Richards delivered a shorthanded shot, some 24 seconds left in the second.
That's when the Penguins found their Game 2 hero and it was not Crosby, Hossa or Evgeni Malkin. Instead, it was Max Talbot, the fourth-line forward who beat Martin Biron to deliver the go-ahead shot, 8:51 into the third.
"It's something special-I was happy as a kid just to be back out there," Talbot told the Associated Press. "It was extra special to get the game-winner."
Talbot's goal, off a perfect pass from Gary Roberts and Georges Laraque, made it 3-2 and Jordan Staal completed the parade with an empty net goal, 29 seconds left in the game.
Now, the Flyers head back to Wachovia Center raring to get a win against their Atlantic Division rivals. Game 3 is set Tuesday night with Game 4, also in Philadelphia, scheduled two nights later.
"We've played in a Game 7 where if you lose, you go home," Biron said. "Game 3 isn't like that, but it's as close as it's going to get. I think we played pretty good, but we can play better. ... It's all about desperation and urgency."
Biron finished 34-of-37 while counterpart Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 30 of 32 shots he faced.
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