Penguins use defensive game to take commanding 3-0 series lead in East final

Penguins use defensive game to take commanding 3-0 series lead in East final 13 hours ago PHILADELPHIA — Mario Lemieux walked over to Michel Therrien in the hallway at Wachovia Center with a smile as big as Pennsylvania. The Hall of Famer and minority owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins shook his head coach's hand and mumbled something to the effect of great job. What else needs to be said at this point. The Penguins unveiled yet another page from their playbook Tuesday night, suffocating the Philadelphia Flyers with a defensive gem that put them just one win away from the Stanley Cup final. "We are more known for our offensive attack and the star players we have, but especially since the start of the playoffs the players are really committed defensively," said Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. "We've really improved in that area since the start of the season and we showed it again tonight." Marian Hossa had two goals, while Ryan Malone and Ryan Whitney also scored for the Penguins in a 4-1 victory that put them on the verge of a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference final. And a likely date with Detroit in the Cup final, the Red Wings also up 3-0 in their conference final with the Dallas Stars. "We've got a long way to go," cautioned Malone. "The next game will be the most difficult. We need to dial it up a notch."