Even as hockey leagues all over the world take a hiatus, the Last Word on Hockey team is still devoted to publishing quality content in the absence of live sports. Such begins a new series: the NHL Rivalry Breakdown.<\/p>\n
Each article will take a look at two longtime rivals and break down how the rivalry came to be, how the teams stack up against each other currently, and how the matchup may look down the road. In the latest edition of our NHL Rivalry series: we take a look at the exciting rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> and Philadelphia Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Both the Penguins and the Flyers came into the league in the NHL’s six-team expansion in 1967. Of the two, Philadelphia was the first to strike gold, winning their first two (and only two, to date) Stanley Cups in the 1974 and 75 playoffs. It’d take 16 years for Pittsburgh to tally their first Cup win, although the Penguins have managed four more since.<\/p>\n The rivalry wasn’t as big in the early years. For much of the teams’ beginnings, the Flyers generally had the upper hand. They had an amazing stretch, from 1974 to 1989, where they didn’t lose a single home game, in regulation, to the Penguins. It is still unfathomable how the Penguins couldn’t get a single regulation win in 42 opportunities during that stretch but it was finally changed on February 2nd, 1989.<\/p>\n The Penguins were able to notch their first win in Philly in 15 years that day, toppling the Flyers 5-3. That win ate at the prideful city of Philadelphia but it was nothing compared to the events that would transpire that Spring when the teams met in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n The first of many playoff matchups between the teams was finally here. The Mario Lemieux<\/strong><\/a>-era Penguins qualified for the first time and looked to be in top form after they swept away the New York Rangers<\/a> the round prior. Philadelphia was able to dispatch the Washington Capitals<\/a> in the First Round in six games, placing them in the hands of the Penguins. It was a thrilling series, as thrilling as the inevitable rivalry has become, that would be stretched to seven games.<\/p>\n The teams traded games back-and-forth until Game Seven itself. Neither team was able to gain any sort of traction and the team’s stars seemed evenly matched. Well, save for Lemieux, who undoubtedly had one of the best performances to come out of the series. He was questionable to play in the pivotal Game Five matchup at the Civic Arena but that didn’t stop him. He ended up scoring an incredible\u00a0eight points<\/em>, leading the Penguins to a 3-2 series lead over the Flyers:<\/p>\nNHL Rivalry Breakdown: Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers<\/h2>\n
The Past<\/h3>\n
1989 Patrick Division Final<\/h3>\n