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Hartnell's hat trick sparks Flyers

Jan 20, 2008 - 4:04 AM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- Everything seems to be bouncing just right for Scott Hartnell and the Philadelphia Flyers.

Hartnell scored off a favorable bounce 54 seconds into the third period to complete his second hat trick in five games as the Flyers rallied from a two-goal deficit and extended their road winning streak to five games Saturday with a 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders.

Hartnell has scored nine goals in his last six games, and the easiest came 54 seconds into the third period, when defenseman Braydon Coburn dumped the puck into the offensive zone during a power play with a shot that went around the boards.

As goaltender Rick DiPietro went behind the net to play the puck, it caromed back in front, and Hartnell blasted it into the net, snapping a 3-3 tie and completing his third hat trick.

"Ninety-nine times out of 100 I got behind the net like that, the puck keeps going around the net or I stop it," DiPietro said. "It hit a stanchion, hit off my pad and went in front of the net."

"There were some lucky breaks for me," Hartnell admitted. "It seems like right now, it's my time. It hits the partition with the goalie behind the net again. They weren't the prettiest of goals, obviously, but I'll take them."

Hartnell's recent outburst has come after he failed to tally in the Flyers' first 15 games of the season. But defenseman Derian Hatcher still believed the 2000 sixth overall pick by Nashville was contributing.

"Even when he wasn't scoring earlier in the year, he was still playing well and helping out, doing things like taking the body and playing well defensively," Hatcher said.

Rookie Steve Downie and Mike Richards also scored and Martin Biron stopped 28 shots for the Flyers, who have won six of their last seven games overall.

Richard Park, Josef Vasicek and Bill Guerin tallied in the first period for the Islanders, who watched a 3-1 lead evaporate in the second session.

"I'd love it if I had Scottie Hartnell's luck tonight," Guerin said. "It's just great timing. Those things happen."

New York has lost three straight home games for the first time this season.

The Islanders were forced to play without three of their top defensemen. Brendan Witt is sidelined with an ankle injury, Radek Martinek is out with a shoulder problem and Chris Campoli missed the game with an injured shoulder.

In the end, they could not keep up with the Flyers, who entered the game with the league's top-ranked power-play unit (24.2 percent) and scored three times with the man advantage.

"Instead of protecting a 3-1 lead, we were trying to make it 5-1," New York coach Ted Nolan said. "We didn't pay attention to detail. It was a total team fall-apart."

With Park off for holding, Hartnell opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 5:21, poking in his own rebound following a centering pass from Jeff Carter.

Park made amends 22 seconds later, taking a long pass from defenseman Bryan Berard and beating Biron on a breakaway. DiPietro was credited with an assist on the play, tying a club record with his fourth of the season.

Vasicek gave the Islanders their first lead midway through the period, converting a 2-on-1 created when Miroslav Satan skated around Flyers blue-liner Jim Vandermeer at the right point. Guerin made it 3-1 with 2:39 remaining, burying the rebound of defenseman Bruno Gervais' shot from the left faceoff circle for a man-advantage tally.

Philadelphia rallied in the second period, as Downie scored off a scramble in front of the net at 5:04 and Hartnell netted another power-play goal with seven minutes to go.

DiPietro again went behind the net in an attempt to cut off a dump-in but failed, and the puck continued up the right wing boards. After deflecting off Scottie Upshall, the puck wound up in front for Hartnell, who deposited it into the net for his 14th of the season.

"I thought we weren't very good in the first period, but (Hartnell) was the one guy I thought was terrific," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "He single-handedly tried to turn the game around for us. It's only fitting that he end up getting the hat trick."

After Hartnell completed his hat trick, Richards increased the Flyers' lead to 5-3 with a wrist shot from the left circle at 12:11.

DiPietro made 27 saves for New York, which has lost all three meetings with Philadelphia this season.