Don’t start throwing dirt on the Flyers just yet.

Oh, the orange and black still have one foot in the grave, but they’re also still kicking and screaming.

They proved that rather convincingly last night when they came out and jumped all over the Penguins in the first period of their crucial Game 4 of their series. The Flyers ran out to an early 3-0 lead – the first time they’ve actually been able to get a lead on the Pens.

Of course, they couldn’t just coast to an easy win. They had to put their fans through a rather cardiac third period in which the Pens drew to 3-2. An empty-netter gave the Flyers their final 4-2 margin.

Now it’s back to Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon.

And things are getting very interesting for the Flyers on the injury front.

They could take the ice Sunday with both of their top defensemen back in the lineup. Braydon Coburn took a puck in the face in Game 2. He was scratched again last night because of concerns for the eye over which he is sporting a nasty looking 52 stitches. But he likely will be back in the lineup Sunday.

Even more surprising is that the Flyers’ best defenseman, Kimmo Timonen, the leader of the vaunted power play unit, also might be ready to return from a blood clot in his ankle. He’ll likely be a game-time decision.

Should the Flyers again jump out to an early lead on the Pens, it will be very interesting to see how the Pens react to the pressure.

Hey, it beats making tee times.