Broad Street Buzz
Fansided

Philadelphia Flyers Face Penguins In Historical Celebration

By Steven Pugmire

Apr 1, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux (28) checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux (28) checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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The history of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers are intertwined from the very beginning of their entrance into the league.

Both the Penguins and the Flyers became part of the next wave of teams to enter the NHL in 1967, and both teams are celebrating their fiftieth anniversary this year.  On February 8th, 1966, the Penguins paid today’s equivalent of $18.7 million to become part of the NHL, and on April 4th, 1966 the Flyers held a contest to determine a team name after a complicated history to bring hockey back to Philadelphia in 1967.  The first home game the Philadelphia Flyers ever played was against the Penguins on October 19th, 1967.  The Flyers won that game 1-0 on the back of a third period goal scored by Bill Sutherland.

Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers /

Philadelphia Flyers

Since that night, the two teams have played a total of 278 games against one another, and are respected in the Metropolitan division by passionate fans in each city on opposite sides of Pennsylvania in what has become known colloquially as The Battle of Pennsylvania.  The Flyers are leading the all-time wins column 151 to 89, but this years’ league standings – the Penguins have 82 points, and are 3rd place in the NHL while the Flyers have 63 points and are 19th  in the NHL along with the fact the Penguins won the championship last year, and the last time the Flyers won theirs was in the 70’s leaves a lot to be desired for the Flyers and their fans.

The teams both celebrate their fiftieth in style as they play outside on February 25th, 2017.

Heading into this game, The Penguins won six out of 11 games or 54% in January, and six out of 11 or 54%.  By comparison, the Flyers only won five out of 13 games in January or 38%, and have won a 1/3rd  or 33% of their games this month.  The Penguins are defending their current championship sitting in the three seed, and the Flyers are trying to climb out of January into February and raise the stock of their 19th seed, so the stakes are clearly higher for the Flyers.  This game would calm down a Flyers fan base whose team has experienced rough sledding for a month and a half with a lot of questions as to who should be held responsible with little answers.

Ron Hextall and Dave Hakstol have come completely under fire for the performance of the team, but a general manage or a coach can only do so much.  Ron Hextall has preached patience since he arrived, and this is only Hakstol’s second year with the team.  These two do deserve some of the accountability and so do the players, but right now the focus for everyone on the team needs to be on winning this game against Pittsburgh.

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