Scott Hartnell’s happy place is the soft spot amid the penalty killers, midway up the left wing face-off circle. His recent success there is a testament to his stealthy one-timer. The fact that no recent opponent seems to want to figure this out is an astonishing detriment to the other teams’ penalty kill. Hey, as long as no one seems to notice.
“I work on the one-timer every day at practice,” points out Hartnell. “We all shoot every day as much as we can.”
Hartnell’s other happy place is among the League leaders in goals; tied for fifth after the
weekend. All-Star Game or no All-Star Game, it’s been an enjoyable offensive explosion for one of the League’s biggest and best all-around shift disturbers.
“It would have been obviously a treat to be picked (for All-Star) and to get credit for a good start to the season and what not, but I just try to prepare for every game and every practice, to be focused and work hard, and the last couple games have been good,” Hartnell explained.
What makes Hartnell’s totals even more remarkable is that they come in a season that started very slowly. A comment at one Flyers home game during the first two weeks: “He’s playing like a guy who wants to be traded.”
Hartnell seemed to lack finish or the desire to finish. He was goalless in his first seven. The sign that he was still involved and working at it; he was still even in plus/minus during the drought.
“I don’t think he was completely healthy then,” points out head coach Peter Laviolette. “To his credit, he worked hard, extra work, to make sure he got ready to get the opportunity to play with (Claude) Giroux and (Jaromir) Jagr.”
Then it clicked. Since a two-goal game at home against Toronto October 24th, his offense has been pretty consistent. During one run in December, Hartnell had a single goal in six consecutive games.
Of course, it helps to have the likes of the aforementioned talents around, but it also helps that Hartnell provides a nice balance and a big, physical body to the offense.
“I think he’s a key contributor and a key factor as to why that line is successful,” adds Laviolette. “He’s got a lot of confidence right now the way he’s playing, tonight (today against Boston) he was physical, obviously offensively he did what he needed to do.”
Mainly due to five goals in two games over the weekend, Hartnell was named the NHL’s
second star for the week that just ended.
"Confidence is a weird thing,” Hartnell stated, “I’ve got a lot of confidence, I feel strong on
the puck, strong on the ice, and when Giroux makes those nice little passes to me, it’s nice to get a good shot off.”
For the second straight game, the Flyers followed a weak first period with a dominating second. Hartnell’s natural hat trick in that period against the Bruins Sunday was the second of his career, both with Philadelphia.
Hartnell finished the week with six points, all goals, and a plus-1. He'll hope to not cool off too much with a week between Flyers games.
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