Even a checker comes up big for the Penguins

But losing to the Penguins on fourth-line forward Max Talbot’s shot will be very difficult for the Flyers to deal with, especially in a series that is fast slipping away from them.

Talbot, who had missed the three previous games because of a broken right foot, is a checking line forward on a team renowned for its stars. He scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period, and Pittsburgh took a two-game lead in the Eastern Conference finals, beating Philadelphia 4-2 Sunday night.

Crosby and Marian Hossa­ also scored, and Jordan Staal­ added an empty-net goal in the final minute, as Pittsburgh came back for a victory after twice giving away leads.

"It’s something special — I was as happy as a kid just to be back out there," Talbot said. "It was extra special to get the game-winner."

"We’ve played in a Game 7 where if you lose, you go home," said goalie Martin Biron, who made 34 saves. "Game 3 isn’t like that, but it’s as close as it’s going to get. I think we played pretty good, but we can play better."

Gary Roberts carried the puck behind the net after the Flyers’ Steve Downie turned it over at the blue line, and defenseman Derian Hatcher went with Roberts. That left Talbot open in the slot, and Roberts put a backhander onto his stick for Talbot’s second playoff goal, at 8:51 of the third.

Fitting that a player known as Mad Max scored the game winner in a peculiar game in which an apparent Pittsburgh goal didn’t count and the Flyers scored short-handed and on the power play but couldn’t score at even strength. And Crosby, one of the NHL’s biggest stars, got only his third power-play goal in 5½ months.

"It’s frustrating," the Flyers’ Mike Richards said. "They got a couple of bounces."

Downie was inserted to give the Flyers more of a physical presence, but he will be remembered for giving up the puck on the decisive goal.

"That’s a costly turnover," coach John Stevens said.

Philadelphia, desperately trying to avoid going down two games against a team with Pittsburgh’s speed and talent, had tied it at 2 when Richards intercepted Evgeni Malkin’s risky cross-ice pass on a power play, got loose on a breakaway and beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a wrist shot with 24 seconds remaining in the second period. Despite allowing the goal, Fleury played another strong game by making 30 saves.

Philadelphia, without top defenseman Kimmo Timo­nen (blood clot), played most of the game with five defensemen after Braydon Coburn was hit in the face by Hal Gill’s shot less than two minutes into the game. Coburn left the ice bleeding and did not return.