Post-Game Buzz: Pens to avoid Flyers in Round 1; Bylsma’s comments about Hartnell create a stir

The Pittsburgh Penguins will avoid seeing the Philadelphia Flyers for at least one round. The Flyers secured third place in the Metropolitan Division with a 4-3 overtime win over the Penguins on Saturday afternoon.

Mark Streit scored the game winner in overtime on a poor goal given up by Marc Andre Fleury who gave up 4 goals on 21 shots in the loss. It certainly wasn’t the type of game the Penguins wanted to see from Fleury going into the playoffs as he is going to be under the spotlight at nearly every situation.

In what was expected to be Fleury’s last start of the regular season, he finishes with a 39-18-5 record, 2.37 GAA and .915 save percentage.

Philadelphia improved to 4-1 vs Pittsburgh this season. The Flyers will face the New York Rangers in the first round.

Aside from Fleury, a lot of buzz after the game was on Dan Bylsma’s comments about Scott Hartnell “picking” on Kris Letang as the two got into a shoving match in the Flyers end during the third period.

DAN BYLSMA AUDIO

“A guy picking on a guy who had a stroke,” Bylsma said of Hartnell’s antics. Flyers coach Craig Berube had a good response when told about Bylsma’s comment. “Then he shouldn’t be playing…. That’s a dumb comment,” Berube said.

That is the truth. I’m sure everyone feels for Letang and his situation but he’s fair game out there like any other player. Moments later you could tell Bylsma didn’t mean for his words to come out “a guy picking on a guy who had a stroke”, and that’s not really how he feels but he said what he said and the quotes are obviously creating a stir especially with the Philly media.

With the Flyers win, the Penguins could learn their first round opponent tonight. If the Columbus Blue Jackets win in Florida tonight, it will be Pittsburgh – Columbus in the first round.