Bring on the Penguins!

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

There is no avoiding the Flyers this time, Penguins!

The Penguins defeated the New York Rangers today, 3-2 in overtime, winning the series 4-1 to set up an all-Pennsylvania Eastern Conference Final between the Flyers and Penguins. You will recall the last time the Penguins played the Flyers at the end of the regular season, they purposely sat Sidney Crosby and tanked the game, ensuring that they wouldn't have to play the Flyers in the first round of the playoffs. They knew that playing the Flyers in the first round would wear them down and hinder their chances at making a deep run in the playoffs. This time they can't avoid the Flyers and you can bet that Crosby is going to get hit from all sides every time he touches the puck.

Expect plenty of bad blood between these two teams when the series gets under way later this week. These teams do not like each other and have had several fights already this season. The Flyers won the season series against the Penguins this year 5-3, but we know none of that means anything now.

Bring on Pittsburgh and lets show them how playoff hockey is really played. They have played two teams that aren't exactly known for their toughness in the Senators and Rangers, so expect the Flyers to really rough them up and slow them down. With a trip to the Stanley Cup on the line, this series has all the makings of a classic battle. Expect the NHL to bill this as Good vs. Evil, Sidney Crosby vs. a bunch of thugs, and that is just fine with the Flyers, who relish in the underdog role.

Bring on the Penguins!