Flyers – Penguins rivalry The Philadelphia Flyers - Pittsburgh Penguins rivalry , also known as The Battle of Pennsylvania is a rivalry in the NHL ' s Atlantic Division . The rivalry began in 1967 when the teams were introduced into the NHL ' s " Next Six " expansion wave . The rivalry exists due to divisional alignment , and geographic locations , as both teams play in the state of Pennsylvania . The Flyers have generally dominated the series with a 134 – 86 – 30 record . However , the Penguins have knocked the Flyers out of the playoffs in 2008 and 2009 , strengthening the rivalry . However , the two teams didn ' t meet each other during the Flyers Cinderella run of 2010 . In the 2012 playoffs , the Philadelphia Flyers knocked off the Penguins in 6 games in a high scoring series . Early Days . The first meeting between the Flyers and Penguins occurred on October 19 , 1967 in the first ever game at the Philadelphia Spectrum . Flyers goaltender Doug Favell stopped all 17 Pittsburgh shots and Bill Sutherland scored the lone goal 2 : 59 into the 3rd period for a 1 – 0 Flyers win . The rivalry was not as strong in earlier years , as the Penguins struggled in the NHL until the arrival of Mario Lemieux in 1984 – 85 . The Flyers achieved just the opposite , winning back - to - back Stanley Cup s in and . When the NHL realigned divisions prior to the 1974 – 75 season , the two Pennsylvania teams were moved to separate divisions . The Penguins spent the next seven seasons in the Norris Division and became the Flyers division rivals once again upon joining the Patrick Division in 1981 – 82 . Arrival of Mario Lemieux . With the arrival of Lemieux in Pittsburgh , the Penguins slowly but surely gained respectability in the league and had begun to shed their image as one of the NHL ' s perennial doormats . In 1988 – 89 , the Flyers and the Penguins met for the first time in the playoffs in the Patrick Division Finals . Despite the upstart talent on the Penguins roster led by Lemieux against the Flyers ' aging core of players , the Penguins blew a 3 games to 2 lead and lost the series in seven games . Despite the Flyers ' victory , the series proved to be a turning point for both franchises . The Flyers fell from grace and missed the playoffs entirely for the next 5 seasons , while the Penguins continued to strengthen their ranks with the additions of Jaromir Jagr , Ron Francis and Tom Barrasso among others , and won back - to - back Stanley Cups in and . Eric Lindros and the 1990s . The rivalry continued during the 1990s with the arrival of Eric Lindros in Philadelphia , which gave the Flyers a counterbalance against Lemieux . But further divisional realignment split the teams up again in 1993 – 94 and the Penguins spent the next five seasons in the Northeast Division . Lindros and Jagr were tied for the scoring lead in 1994 – 95 , but the Art Ross Trophy was given to Jagr for scoring more goals than Lindros . Lindros won the Hart Memorial Trophy that season as MVP , with Lemieux winning it the following season in 1995 – 96 , with Lindros as first runner - up . The two teams met again in the playoffs , in the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals . The Flyers won in five games and Lemieux retired for the first time at the end of the series . After Game 5 , Lemieux skated around the ice and received a standing ovation from the Philadelphia crowd . He had previously received a standing ovation from the Philadelphia crowd in March 1993 after returning from radiation treatments . Perhaps the pinnacle of the Penguins - Flyers rivalry occurred during the 1999 – 2000 season , when the two teams met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals . A season after the Penguins joined the Atlantic Division , the Flyers had won the division and the 1st seed in the East , while the Penguins snuck into the playoffs as the 7th seed . Despite this , the Penguins jumped out to a 2 games to none lead in the series , winning both games in Philadelphia . The Flyers won Game 3 in overtime , but NHL history was made in Game 4 . Tied at 1 , the game stretched to five overtime periods and set the record for the longest game played in the modern era of the NHL . Keith Primeau ' s goal at the 92 : 01 mark gave the Flyers a 2 – 1 win and a 2 – 2 split in the series . The outcome energized the Flyers and demoralized the Penguins , as the Flyers went on to win the next two games and the series . Rivalry in the 21st Century . The rivalry between the two teams lost its luster in the years leading up to the 2004 – 05 NHL lockout as the Penguins struggled on and off the ice , dropping to the bottom of not only the league standings but the attendance rankings as well . In 2006 – 07 , the Penguins defeated the Flyers in all eight matchups between the two teams , and Penguins goalie Marc - Andre Fleury became the first goalie to defeat a team eight times in a season since 1967 – 68 . The Flyers have swept the season series twice , winning all four games during the 1980 – 81 season and winning all seven games during the 1983 – 84 season . During the 2007 – 08 season the Flyers won five games and the Penguins won three of the games in the season series . The series was highlighted by an 8 – 2 win by the Flyers and a 7 – 1 win by the Penguins . The Penguins and the Flyers faced off in the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals , won by the Penguins in 5 games for the Penguins ' first - ever playoff series win against the Flyers . A year later in the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals the Penguins beat the Flyers again , winning the series 4 – 2 on their way to winning a Stanley Cup . season . The season saw a moment of peace in the rivalry with both captains , Flyers ' Mike Richards and Penguins ' Sidney Crosby winning gold medals as members of the Canadian men ' s ice hockey team during the Vancouver Olympics . Crosby scored the game - winning overtime goal , often known as " the golden goal . " During the regular season , the Penguins beat the Flyers in the series 5 – 1 , but they didn ' t meet in the playoffs . With the Penguins losing in 7 games to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round and Flyers coming back from a 3 – 0 deficit to beat the Boston Bruins in their second round series , it made the Flyers Cinderella march to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since , which began on the final day of the season in the first shootout to decide a playoff spot , much easier , though they had to go through one of their own rivals , the New Jersey Devils , in the first round . Unlike the and Finals , which featured the Detroit Red Wings and the Penguins , the Final was a showdown between their respective biggest rivals , the Chicago Blackhawks and the Flyers . Like the Penguins in 2008 , the Flyers lost the Finals in six games and on home ice . season . In the season opener , Philadelphia traveled to Pittsburgh to open the Penguins new arena , the Consol Energy Center , on October 7 . Rookie goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made his NHL debut and spoiled the Penguins party , leading the Flyers to a 3 – 2 victory . Flyers forward Danny Briere scored the first goal in the new building . With the win , the Flyers reminded the Penguins as to what made their Cinderella march to the Stanley Cup Finals the previous Spring much easier . The next time the two teams meet , on October 16 in Philadelphia , the Penguins will get further reminders when they see a new banner , saying " Philadelphia Flyers , 2009 - 10 Eastern Conference Champions . " On October 11 , when the Flyers played their home opener against the Colorado Avalanche , they raised that banner .