Maybe the Pen really is mightier than the sword.

The Flyers find themselves in dire straits this morning after falling to the Penguins, 4-1, last night at the Wachovia Center.

The Flyers did little to cheer their fans, who provided a raucous atmosphere to start the game, only to see the orange and black quickly fall behind 2-0 in the first period.

Call it orange crushed.

The Flyers now will have to do something that is rarer than a Philly fan who does not believe the locals are getting jobbed by the refs. That would be to win four straight games to overcome a 3-0 deficit.

The Flyers did do one thing right last night, however. Before the game they offered a moving memorial to slain Philadelphia Police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski.

Liczbinski was a huge Flyers fan, so much so that his brother led those gathered for his funeral Mass in a “Let’s go, Flyers” cheer in the stately Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

They held a moment of silence before the game as the ice surface was lit up with a huge image of the slain officer.

Well done.