Flyers win, will face Washington in first round

The Flyers didn't play with nearly as much intensity as they did against the Devils on Friday night, but they did just enough against the Penguins to win 2-0. The victory vaults the Flyers into the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference and sets up a series against the Washington Capitals, who finished with fewer points than the Flyers yet still won their division.

The Penguins played without their star player, Sidney Crosby, and looked like they didn't want to win the game. They played with very little energy and even went 0 for 8 on the power play. Flyers goalie Martin Biron needed to stop only 20 shots to record his second shutout in a row. Offensively, Scottie Upshall scored a goal late in the second period off a faceoff, and Mike Knuble added an empty net goal at the end of the game.

If the Penguins had won, they would have clinched the top spot in the Eastern Conference. It would have guaranteed them home ice advantage until they reached the Stanley Cup Finals. A win would have also meant they would play the Flyers in the first round, instead of their current opponent the Ottawa Senators. The Penguins would never admit it, but they are much happier playing the Senators than the Flyers. The Flyers would wear the Penguins down in a grueling series, so even if the Pens managed to get past Philly, they would be exhausted for the subsequent rounds. Playing the Senators allows Pittsburgh to play their style of hockey, and will keep them fresher for the later rounds.

The Flyers will meet the Capitals in the first round. The season series is tied 2-2 between the teams, with the Flyers outscoring the Caps 15-14 in those games. Alexander Ovechkin will make the Caps a tough team to beat, but they don't have much depth beyond him. I will post the schedule for the games as soon as it becomes available, and I will have an in-depth preview posted in the next few days.

Highlight of Scottie Upshall's game winning goal: