Everyone seemed to have a different viewpoint on why Scott Hartnell threw down with Torontos Dion Phaneuf a millisecond after scoring a goal.
Dion had hit him near the goal line and the other guy fell into the boards, offered Leafs coach Ron Wilson.
I think it had to do more with that hit earlier than it had to do the goal. That is why Hartnell player slashed him after he scored the goal. That is why they got the extra penalty.
Claude Giroux liked what he saw.
It was typical hartnelldown, but I saw the replay and he got tripped, Giroux said. He stayed in there with a goal and a fight. When he gets pissed off, thats dangerous for the other team. Hes on the puck and hes jumping.
Phaneuf had his own version.
Well he slashed me, Phaneuf said. And to be honest with you, fights happen they're part of the game. He came after me and obviously he wasn't happy. He voiced that and it's done.
Trading partners
Nary a day goes by without a report of the Flyers dealing James van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs for defenseman Luke Schenn.
NHL
Old news, says one Leafs executive.
We havent talked about that in a month and Schenn is playing very well, the source said.
Flyer sources said there was never a deal there because their feeling was JVR has the potential to be a 40-goal scorer while Schenn doesnt match that potential from a defensive standpoint in giveback.
Despite this, the Leafs remain interested in JVR, even though he is currently concussed. Recall the Leafs traded for Matthew Lombardi last July despite the fact he played only two games last season in Nashville with post-concussion syndrome.
That would not be a deterrent, the source said.
Loose pucks
Brayden Schenn has two goals in three games. ... Torontos Mike Brown took out Zac Rinaldo in an early first period fight, while Hartnell and Phaneuf fought to a draw late in the period. ... This was Hartnells second careers Gordie Howe Hat trick as a Flyer. His last came Jan. 11, 2011 against Buffalo. ... Luke Schenn drilled Giroux in the third period while Jagr did the same to Bozak. ... Girouxs 21st goal pulled him within one point of Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh) in the NHL scoring race. He has 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points. Giroux had 11 attempts on net. ... He was also 10-for-16 (63 percent) on faceoffs and is now 53.2 percent on the season, up from 50.9 percent on January 1. ... Max Talbot was 7-for-10 on faceoffs. He is 28-for-40 (70 percent) in his last four games. ... Toronto has already sold 60,000 tickets to next year's Winter Classic vs. the Red Wings at Michigan Stadium.
E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net