PENGUINS 10, FLYERS 3: Jordan Staal recorded his first career postseason hat trick as visiting Pittsburgh scored eight unanswered goals to emphatically stave off elimination by throttling Philadelphia in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Captain Sidney Crosby and Steve Sullivan collected a goal and two assists apiece and Evgeni Malkin netted his first two tallies of the series. Pascal Dupuis and defenseman Matt Niskanen scored and set up a goal for the fourth-seeded Penguins, who showed no signs of lacking firepower with 40-goal scorer James Neal serving his one-game suspension.

The Flyers tied a franchise record for most goals allowed in a playoff game - coincidentally, with the Penguins providing the opposition. Mario Lemieux had five goals and three assists in the 10-7 victory on April 25, 1989.

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia also set an NHL record for most goals (45) in the first four games of a postseason series. The Penguins will host Game 5 on Friday,

After Crosby leveled the contest at 3-3 late in the first period, Staal gave Pittsburgh the lead just 70 seconds later after wiring a shot from the slot.

Letang doubled the advantage at 3:07 of the second period after his one-timer from the left faceoff circle beat Ilya Bryzgalov. The Russian netminder was pulled after yielding five goals on 18 shots.

Staal netted his second goal and Pittsburgh's third power-play tally just over four minutes later by wiring a shot past a screened Sergei Bobrovsky.

Sullivan and Dupuis put the game out of reach with their second-period tallies and Staal capped the hat trick with 3:57 left by wiring a shot just inside the post.

Defenseman Kimmo Timonen scored a 5-on-3 power-play goal and Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek also converted with the man advantage for the fifth-seeded Flyers.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 22 saves. ... Neal was suspended for Wednesday's contest after he belted rookie Sean Couturier during the third period on Sunday and then charged at Giroux. ... Craig Adams served his one-game suspension for instigating a fight on Sunday. ... Arron Asham, who is a former Flyer, was suspended four games following his brutal cross-check to rookie Brayden Schenn on Sunday. ... Philadelphia hasn't swept a four-game series since accomplishing the feat against the New York Rangers in the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals.