Speaking of Undisciplined play...

by Flyers and Terriers on Dec 14, 2009 10:00 PM EST

The Flyers accounted for 8 penalty minutes in Monday night's game against the Bruins. One was on Boucher for mishandling the puck in the restricted are--understandable considering the pressure on him at the time. The other 6 minutes? All from Scott Hartnell. Don't get me wrong, I like Scott Hartnell. He brings a lot of energy to the ice and has been depended on for some production. However, penalties like the ones he takes (i.e., slashing with just over 1 minute left in the game) are simply unacceptable. I had the opportunity actually to watch a game for the first time (I live in Boston presently) and think his penalties were stupid. If the Flyers want to get back in the swing of things, they need to stay out of the box. It's something so simple, but for Scott Hartnell it proves so difficult. I understand he has a role on this team, however, when stuff like this happens I want to see Richards or Pronger step up and get in his face about it. This team needs to get some W's under its belt. And with the lack of offense we've seen, trying to win while killing penalties is going to be too damn hard. Thoughts?

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I agree completely.

Him complaining about Recchi diving on that last call was ridiculous too. It was a penalty. It was an obvious penalty. It would (or at least should) have been called even if Recchi pretended he didn’t get it.

He’ll be skating tomorrow, even if the team is given an off day. Unless he’s benched for Nodl.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Dec 14, 2009 10:13 PM EST reply actions

I’ll watch again later, but I’m not sure there was ever a good view.

I thought he lifted Recchi’s stick as the puck got there and then caught Recchi somewhere above the waist on the follow-through of the stick lift…

by MarioD on Dec 14, 2009 10:38 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe your right. I shouldn’t have staked out such a firm stance, but I do believe he got Recchi in the chin. Again, I could be wrong. But it was a bad penalty to take either way.

Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Dec 14, 2009 10:40 PM EST up reply actions

I have no idea where it caught him, just that the stick came up.

I was saying I wasn’t sure it was a bad decision. I thought it was a successful stick lift but he put a little too much into it.

by MarioD on Dec 14, 2009 10:46 PM EST up reply actions

On review, looks like Hartnell hooked him by the shoulder, stick doesn’t seem to have touched his face.

Rex threw his upper torso back (bad video made it unclear whether that was accentuating or not) and in doing so his stick came up, which is what misled me into thinking Hartnell had lifted Rex’ stick.

by MarioD on Dec 15, 2009 3:09 PM EST up reply actions

He will be doing the “skate of shame” to atone for his stupidity.

by doubleh on Dec 14, 2009 10:15 PM EST reply actions

The only penalty you can really fault Hartnell for is the last one, the high sticking. The other 4 came one a unsportsmanlike conduct he got for standing up for Giroux. So really he only took one stupid penalty. It came at the worst possible time but the Flyers came out clean. If Carcillo can learn not to take stupid penalties, then there’s hope for Hartnell too.

by Parduno on Dec 14, 2009 10:26 PM EST reply actions

I agree that Carcillo has improved, but are we really ready to declare that Carcillo has learned? Personally, I’m not.

by DragonGirl0583 on Dec 14, 2009 10:42 PM EST up reply actions

Fact: I love Hartnell
Myth: He is irreplaceable on this team
If he dose not get his moppy head out of his butt and start to grow up I hope he will be shipped out of town faster than Cote come 1/15th

by Prometheus74 on Dec 14, 2009 10:40 PM EST reply actions

Caught him in the chin..

The toe blade caught Mark under the right side of his face near the chin (maybe on the shoulder but still way too high). It was stupid and lazy. But I thought the overhand right Hartnell threw in the crease melee earlier was even stupider. Lavvy should have benched him at that point.

by stubborne on Dec 15, 2009 10:02 AM EST reply actions

Hartnell takes undisciplined and untimely penalties..

and there’s one more guy you’re forgetting..Danny Briere! he’s taking as many untimely and undisciplined penalties as anyone. He appears on almost every boxscore with some kind of a stick violation.

by FlyersGoalies1and27 on Dec 15, 2009 11:57 PM EST reply actions

very true…I focused on Hartnell mainly because of the Boston game where we played well aside from undisciplined penalties. You’re completely right about Briere. Not only does he take those penalties but he’s also been a minus player all year and hasn’t been getting done defensively on the ice.

by Flyers and Terriers on Dec 16, 2009 12:27 AM EST up reply actions

As of today (after the Pens game) Hartnell has 46 penalty minutes. Not too shabby … except that he has NO majors adding into there! That’s 23 minor penalties in 32 games. Sure, he has 21 points, good for third on the team, but he’s also a -4. (Aside: do you get a minus when you’re the schmuck in the box and the other team scores?) There are justifiable penalties – hooking a guy on a breakaway and the like – but how many of Hartnell’s fall into that category? I daresay (without looking at them all) that most are ‘lazy’ penalties, and most also occur in the offensive zone. BOTH are unacceptable. With the imminent return of Gagne, Betts, and Powe, I say make Hartnell the healthy scratch until he has atoned in a few practices. Don’t get me wrong – I love forwards that play with an edge, but the key to that is maintaining that edge right on the verge of penalties. Hartnell goes over the edge, and needs to be pulled back.

by penguinsfan on Dec 16, 2009 10:30 AM EST reply actions