Pens - Flyers Off-day Report: Niskanen pushing to play; Malkin's line has 0 ES points, -14 rating but Bylsma happy with their play

-- Defenseman Matt Niskanen who has sat out the last two playoff games, is not at full strength and in an ideal situation would sit out at least a couple more games. Niskanen, according to sources, is dealing with a shoulder injury that is causing him a lot of discomfort and the team doesn't know if the appropriate amount of strength is there for him to be able to take a hard hit without re-aggravating the injury like he did against the Bruins.

However, it's an injury Niskanen could play with and with the Penguins on the brink of possibily falling down 0-3, Niskanen is pushing to play tomorrow but it's not clear yet if he will get the OK from team doctors tomorrow.

"Our backs are against the wall, " Niskanen said. "A lot of players play with pain this time of year. Aches and pains and I’m no different. I’ve got to get ready and as soon as I’m physically able, I’ll make sure I get out there, " he said. "Despite not being close to full strength, if Niskanen can function enough he wants to be out there tomorrow. "Right now it’s just a matter of strength and being able to do what I need to do out there, " Niskanen said on the injury. "Everybody plays through pain and that’s not going to be an issue. It’s going to be a functional thing and if I can play the way I need to play without anything holding me back.

-- It was well known coming into this series that the Flyers were going to be threat to score on all four lines and a storyline to emerge though two games is that the Flyers are a four line team and the Penguins don't feel they are.

11 Flyers forwards had over 13 minutes of ice time and over 11:40 of ice time at even strength in Game 2, while Pittsburgh's 4th line of Arron Asham - Joe Vitale and Craig Adams had under 7 minutes of ice time at even strength with Vitale having just 4:19 of ice time and Arron Asham seeing 5:58 of ice time at even strength.