Despite getting some false hope with Kimo Timonen(or as some people would have you believe, the second coming of Bobby Orr) returning, the Pens finished off the Flyers with a 6-0 thrashing at Mellon Arena.  The Pens are a perfect 8-0 on home ice, and haven't lost at the Arena formally known as Civic since February.  More importantly, the Pens clinched the Eastern Conference Championship, and third trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

The Pens did exactly what they needed to do.  They came out flying, and never looked back.  After Ryan Malone deflected in Sidney Crosby's shot/pass, it was all but over. Evegeni Malkin, Marian Hossa, Malone again, Jordan Staal, and Pascal Dupuis would finish off the route and give the Pens the series win. 

The Pens won this game because they did what they didn't do in Game 4: come out ready to finish the series.  The Flyers staived off elimanation in that game because they came out more energy, and got the Pens to take penalties.  The early penalty drew by Max Talbot and insuing power play conversion set a clear tone for the game.  The Pens were more disciplined this game, being physical without taking the penalty.  The Flyers didn't come out and lie down.  They were beaten soundly by a better team that was in the right frame of mind. 

So far the Pens have shown that when they are properly focused, they are a hard team to beat.  Give credit to the Flyers, they fought hard all series, but were down-in by superior talent.  They had a remarkable climb out of the cellar, and have nothing to be upset about.

As for the Pens, it has been a long road since 2003 when they were the worst team in the league by far.  Getting Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin was a big help, but the Penguins re-built their team the right way.  They drafted smartly, and developed their talent in a impressive way.  Making moves like acquiring Georges Laraque, Gary Roberts, Hal Gill, Pascal Dupuis, and Marian Hossa have all worked out in ####s.  The Pens have been absolute force in the playoffs, as their Game 5 win gives them an impressive 12-2 playoff record. 

But this if far from the final step.  As evidenced by post-game interviews, the Pens are not satisfied with what they have accomplished so far.  Their is still one more mountain to climb, and it the toughest one to scale.  But these Penguins, born of so much promise, are one step away from relizing that promise.  They are as determined as they are skilled.  They will have to wait for their next opponent, and while they can't enjoy this win that much, us fans that have been there through thick and thin certainly can.  To quote the great Mike Lange when the Penguins clinched their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1991: "You can spit shine your shoes, because we are going dancing with Lord Stanley".