Hartnell Leads Flyers to Dramatic Comeback Win

The third period began and hope was all but lost for the Flyers fans. The team looked sluggish through two periods. Things looked bleak.

Down 2-0 halfway through the Second Period to the Carolina Hurricanes, on goals by Eric Staal and Matt Cullen, Scott Hartnell scored on the Power Play to cut the Canes deficit in half. Then the bottom fell out. Eleven seconds later, Sergei Samsonov got behind defenseman Ossi Vaananen (covering for a pinching Luca Sbisa) and made it 3-1.

Things got even worse from there when Scott Walker boarded Andrew Alberts and all hell broke lose. Eventually it settled down into a Walker-Arron Asham scrap, but the result was a four minute power play for Carolina, as Alberts and Asham combined for 21 penalty minutes compared to Walker's five. The game looked lost and out of control when Carolina scored twice on the ensuing Power Plays, goals by former Flyer Joni Pitkanen, and Eric Staal's 2nd of the night. The fans let the referees have the business every time they made a call, and as the two left the ice for the second.

Everyone was expecting the Flyers to roll over and die. They were down four with 1 period remaining, and the referees seemed to be against them.


The Flyers proved everyone wrong and came out flying in the third period. Scott Hartnell tallied his second of the night early in the period, and a few minutes later, he netted his third on the Powerplay to give him a hattrick and to give the fans something to cheer for. Suddenly, there was life. The Flyers were only down two, with over twelve minutes to play. With about five minutes left in the game, Scottie Upshall knocked out Goaltender Michael Leighton's stick and buried a goal to make the Canes' lead one. Simon Gagne then tied the game with less than two minutes remaining.

While the Flyers were putting the pressure on, Flyers goalie Antero Niittymaki was up to the task to keep the Hurricanes at five. He had several outstanding saves in the third period and overtime and helped the Flyers get to the shootout.

In the shootout, both Simon Gagne and Mike Richards scored for the Flyers, as Niittymaki stood tall, denying both Tuomo Ruutu & Rod Brind'Amour to preserve the win.

3 Stars
1. Scott Hartnell (PHI)
2. Simon Gagne (PHI)
3. Eric Staal (CRL)

The Flyers wiped out their biggest deficit en route to a win since a February 1988 11-6 win over Detroit. The Flyers also trailed 5-1 in that game.

In addition to the Asham-Walker bout, Hartnell fought Carolina's Casey Borer after Hartnell clocked Rod Brind'Amour. Borer left the ice bloodied.

Continuing reading...

Hartnell Feels Benching Has Had Positive Result

Scott Hartnell was benched last week against the Islanders because coach John Stevens felt that he was not giving the team a full effort. Since the benching, the Flyers mounted a 3 goal comeback against the Penguins (only to lose in OT), beat the Canadiens in Montreal, and halted a 6 game win streak for the Atlanta Thrashers. Sure, they probaly should have won the game against Pittsburgh and not made the game against Atlanta look closer than it should have been, but they've registered points in 4 straight games.

Hartnell on his benching:

"I think it had an effect [on the team]," Hartnell said before last night's game against Atlanta. "Now we've had two games in a row with 60-minute efforts and guys not taking shifts off and that's what we're going to need to take this team to the next level.

"It seems like we needed something to send a message to everyone and if I needed to be the one to send the message I'm OK with that." [Daily News]

The Flyers are finding a way to play much better hockey, even with all of the injuries. Their early season schedule sure did not help them, but that's what they'll have to deal with because of the strong parity in the NHL now. The Flyers will have a long break to sure up some things, but long breaks between games usually turn in to a negative result. A negative result that they cannot afford to have up in Boston. The Montreal win will be a good win to turn the corner on and the Flyers need to make sure they do that.

Continuing reading...

Where is the Heart?

Editor's Note: Pope Pogo II (Mike) has joined the We Hate to Lose team and he will post blogs and recaps on the Flyers.

For the third straight game, the Flyers have lost a meaningful game. They have lost an opportunity to solidify their playoff chances, have given the Sabres an excellent shot at making the playoffs, and have given the Washington Capitals and the Florida Panthers a shot to sneak in as well. Two of those 3 games the Flyers have been beaten without the opponent's captain, Mats Sundin for Toronto, and Zdeno Chara for Boston. This stretch could have easily been three straight wins for the Flyers; having Toronto down 3-0 and letting them get away with an improbable comeback is unacceptable for a playoff caliber team.

How they could have gone from 2nd in the conference, to struggling against teams they should beat to barely hold the 8th seed is beyond me. I, personally, am still trying to figure out the Eager for Vandermeer, the 3rd rounder for Modry and the Vandermeer for a 3rd rounder debacle myself. Both Vandermeer and Modry should be healthy scratches. I still have not seen anything from Modry that has made me feel happy with Kukkonen being a scratch. Everyone who watches the Flyers with any kind of consistency knows Lasse Kukkonen should be playing every night.

Still this goes beyond what Paul Holmgren and John Stevens do in terms of their decisions. For huge portions of games, and hell for the most part of the year, this team plays without "heart" and at times, while losing, seems to play without a care. They seem to have a "maybe next game" mentality, and that is what makes me sick. It is not the losing, (who am I kidding? I hate to lose.) it is a lack of heart. It isn't the entire team playing without it. There are a few players who do play with that fire that we as Philadelphians love and they are Richards, Hartnell, and Carter (over the last 15 games).

This season isn't lost yet, but tomorrow doesn't get any easier as we face a rested Evgeni Malkin and the red hot Pittsburgh Penguins. The question of heart will most assuredly be answered tomorrow and in the coming weeks with 10 games remaining, including nine divisional games.

Continuing reading...

Flyers 5 - Islanders 3

Scott Hartnell recorded his second hat trick in his last 5 games, all coming on the power-play, as the Flyers came from behind to beat the Islanders 5-3. The Sixers have won 3 straight and 5 straight on the road. They are now 25-15-5 for 55 points and have reached a second place tie with New Jersey and 2 points out of first behind the Penguins.

The Flyers' power-play units continued their current hot play and raised their scoring percentage to 24.9%, which is first in the league.

Derian Hatcher beat the piss out of Trent Hunter to change the momentum and it helped sparked life into the Flyers. Steve Downie and Scott Hartnell scored second period goals to tie the game.

The Flyers were up for good when Braydon Coburn wrapped a puck around the boards and it took a crazy bounce out in front of the net for Scott Hartnell to slam it home and to add his third goal of the game. Mike Richards iced it when he beat Dipietro with a wrist shot.

Scott Hartnell has 13 points (9G, 4A) in his last 6 games.

The Flyers return home tonight to host the Ottawa Senators who are first in the conference.

Continuing reading...

Flyers Cribs: Scott Hartnell

Continuing reading...

Flyers Finally Beat the Rangers

The Philadelphia Flyers overcame a two goal deficit after the first period to score three goals in the second and three goals in the third. The Flyers dominated play to win 6-2, led by a hat trick from Scott Hartnell, who now has ten goals on the season.

Simon Gagne returned for the Flyers and ended the scoring with a power play goal late in the third period.

Antero Niittymaki made his third straight start and recorded his fourth straight win making 39 saves on 41 shots. I cannot say Stevens not starting Niittymaki on Saturday and

The Flyers finished their 6 game road-trip with a 5-1 record. They return to action at home against Boston on Saturday for 1PM matinée.

Continuing reading...

2 straight wins!

The Philadelphia Flyers have finally won two straight for the first time since November 12th after they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 to start their 6 game road-trip.

Joffrey Lupul continue his hot play by scoring on a penalty shot and adding two assists to post 18 points in his last 9 games.

Mike Knuble, Kimmo Timonen, and Scott Hartnell all added goals as well. Hartnell and Knuble had PP goals which allowed us to extend our streak of Powerplay goals in now 13 straight games.

Martin Biron stopped 31 of 33 shots.

The Flyers travel to Sunrise for 5:00 PM showdown with the Panthers tomorrow.

Continuing reading...