Fast-paced, up-and-down, the game was played at breakneck speed. Two teams trying to get off to a quick start traded goals for the first two periods. It was almost a question of who would score last in this meeting of franchises who have experienced long title droughts.

On this night it happened to be the Blackhawks.

"You lose the first game of the Stanley Cup finals and it's hard to sit here and thumb through the positives right now," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. "We'll take a look at it tonight and tomorrow. We'll be ready to go." Game 2 is in Chicago on Monday.

Kopecky, who had been scratched the previous five playoff games and was in the lineup because of an injury to Andrew Ladd, scored from the left side with a sharp-angled shot that beat backup Philadelphia goalie Brian Boucher at 8:25 of the third.

The Flyers failed to hold three one-goal leads.

"They came out strong, they were playing really physical," Chicago forward Kris Versteeg said. "We had to match them, and once we did that, we did well." Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell had a goal and two assists apiece for Philadelphia, while Ville Leino, Blair Betts and Arron Asham also scored.

Chicago's Troy Brouwer scored two goals, the second putting the Blackhawks ahead 5-4 in the second period and prompting the Flyers to replace starting goalie Michael Leighton with Boucher.

"I just wanted to be ready. We wanted to out and be a dangerous line every time we were on the ice," Brouwer said.

Dave Bolland had a short-handed goal for the Blackhawks, and Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg also scored.

Chicago is in its first final series since 1992 and aiming for the franchise's first championship since 1961. The Flyers, who last made the finals in 1997, are shooting for their first title since the second of two championships in 1975.

On Philadelphia's first goal, Leino directed the puck toward the crease from the left circle. Niemi blocked it and then it apparently deflected off Chicago's Niklas Hjalmarsson and went into the net just 6:38 into the game to give the Flyers the early lead.

The raucous crowd of 22,312 at the United Center wasn't quieted for long. Just 68 seconds later, Hossa made a nice backhanded pass from the right circle to Brouwer in the circle. From high in the slot, he rifled it past Leighton to tie the game.

Chicago went ahead 2-1 when Bolland took the puck away from defenseman Braydon Coburn at center ice, started his breakaway, and his shot struck Leighton before finding its way into the net.

But after Chicago's third penalty of the opening period, the Flyers converted on the power play to make it 2-2.

Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger drove a shot from the high slot, and Hartnell scored on the rebound.

Philadelphia stunned Chicago by scoring with just 27 seconds left in the first period to make it 3-2. Briere fired a shot from the slot, hustled toward the net and scored on the rebound for his 10th goal of the playoffs.

The Blackhawks pulled even at 3-3 after only 71 seconds of the second period. On a break, with Hossa on the other side of the ice, Sharp held onto the puck and fired from the right circle, beating Leighton.

Flyers fourth-liner Betts made it 4-3 to the visitors when he picked up a loose puck after it came off the boards when the Blackhawks couldn't control it, skated into the left circle and fired it past Niemi for his first playoff goal.

But a little more than two minutes later, Versteeg got his own rebound and tied it after Kopecky had skated behind the net, tying it 4-4.

Chicago went ahead with 4:42 left in the second via Brouwer's second goal, on a pass from Marian Hossa who reversed himself behind the net.

Yet again, the Flyers pulled level when Asham converted from the left circle after a cross-ice pass from Briere with 1:11 remaining in the second.