Hartnell, Giroux fall in All-Star Game
Daily News Flyers blog
Hartnell, Giroux fall in All-Star Game
OTTAWA -- Statistics say that approximately 4 percent of the world’s population was born with natural, red hair.
Scott Hartnell, the Flyers’ resident ginger, just happened to be on a line with two others - in Vancouver twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin - in his first NHL All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon in Ottawa.
That was how the game started.
Hartnell’s regular linemate, Claude Giroux, nearly played a role in extending it. Giroux, who summers in Canada’s capital city, knotted the game at 8-8 for Team Alfredsson with 10:20 to play in the third period.
Fittingly, Zdeno Chara won it for Team Chara, 12-9, with a blast less than 3 minutes later. The Rangers' Marian Gaborik was named the All-Star Game’s MVP with 3 goals and an assist.
Daniel Alfredsson, who brought to crowd to his feet on multiple occasions in what appears to be his swan-song season after 17 years in Ottawa, wasn’t able to get the win for his team. All 5 of of the host Senators skated on Team Alfredsson.
All in all, the All-Star Game was an opportunity to let some of the game’s brightest personalities shine.
And Hartnell was a key focus.
For Hartnell, who spent most of the contest mic’d up on the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, it was a constant playful experience. At varying points in the third period, Giroux was even trying to trip his teammate, Hartnell, to try and cost him a little more money.
Before the game, Hartnell pledged that he would donate $1,000 for each time he fell to the ice as part of his ongoing #HartnellDown campaign to raise money for charity. Hartnell, 29, joined up with a Flyers’ fan on Twitter (@SethDH) earlier in the season to since make his hashtag a consistently trending topic during Flyers games.
Hartnell’s agent, Dean Grillo, was in town to keep track of the spills himself.
Through the first two periods, Hartnell fell 4 times, racking up $4,000 for charity. One shift alone cost him 2 G’s.
"It was really awesome,” Hartnell said during the second intermission, in which musical guest Drake performed at Scotiabank Place. “It was a lot of fun and I [was] just trying to take it all in. I was able to set up one of the Sedins, I'm not sure which one it was, but it's fun trying to work hard and not look too funny out there.”
Hartnell actually picked up 2 assists in the contest.
"I just got a good pass back-door and I saw he was waiting for it, so I just laid it in there and I was able to get it in,” Hartnell said of his first one. “It was a little tic-tac-toe pass and we were able to do something with it.”
Giroux, skating with Steven Stamkos and Logan Couture, had 1 goal. Defenseman Kimmo Timonen was paired with Ryan Suter on Team Chara. He did not post a point but added 1 shot on goal in his 4th career All-Star Game appearance.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
The ASG should be played outdoors, that might make it a bit more interesting to watch. Normally I'd rather turn in to watch the skills competition, as I find that much more enjoyable. I only tuned in a bit to watch the game because of Giroux and Hartnell and the fact that Hartnell was mic'd up for the event.
Hartnell should get the Class Guy Award this year for how gracious he's been and how he even embraced the 'Hartnell Down' thing. Other players could have been offended, but not Hartnell. It was difficult to tell when he was on the ice with all the duplicate numbers. I actually thought some players would purposefully trip him for the charity during his shifts.
Also glad none of the Flyers got hurt. And it was great to see Matt Read do so well in the accuracy shot & Sean Couturier on the breakaway (or whatever that event was called). Wish some of the other Flyers participated a little more in the skills competition. Don't know why Matt Read didn't do the fastest skater. These 2 guys will be going to all star games for many years to come -- hopefully as Flyers!
All 5 guys did a great job in representing the fame of hockey. Now bring the Cup to Philly!!!!!!— Pelle31- All "All-Star" games suck. They should stop playing them all together. Instead of playing to win, or putting any real effort into it, they only play to NOT get injured. They're a complete waste of time!— ANGRY AL 2
- All "All-Star" games suck. They should stop playing them all together. Instead of playing to win, or putting any real effort into it, they only play to NOT get injured. They're a complete waste of time!— ANGRY AL 2
- Hartnell has really exposed himself as a great ambassador of hockey. Really proud to have him on our squad, as a great player and a great dude.— gpants
Comment removed.- The allstar game, though unwatchabel for longer than a period, is good for returning our best players unharmed to their teams. The respect these players show one another is an example to the rest of the league's players.— Blvd Al
- GNKIKGNARLY making a strong push for dumbest post of the year and we're only 30 days deep into 2012... impressive— eburd983
- A lot of brilliant people commenting today. "Ginger" has several meanings, confirmed on any number of slang dictionaries on line. 1) Homosexual 2) Red haired person 3) Carbonated drink (in Scotland) So who are the idiots posting here? — Dude-in-Antwerp
- A ginger, or ging, is a redhead, not a gay you idiot— blaqjaq
- Their prime minister looks like my 7th grade science teacher.— burholme
- Wonder where GNIKGNARLY got that idea? swing and a miss and doubly so for trying to make Frank look bad when you were the one not up on the lingo.— Sidewinder7
- Yea any fan of south park knows a ginger is one with pale skin n red hair. (Kyle)— edemac44
- A ginger is, among other things, a person with red hair, freckles and pale skin. Some darker skinned or non-ginger haired persons feel compelled to denegrate gingers out of jealousy because a ginger's look is unique.— carrollwx
- A ginger is, among other things, a person with red hair, freckles and pale skin. Some darker skinned or non-ginger haired persons feel compelled to denegrate gingers out of jealousy because a ginger's look is unique.— carrollwx
Anyone else gonna let Frank in on the joke or shall I?
Ummm Frank, you ARE aware that calling a man "a ginger" implies that he's gay, right? Not that there's anything wrong with that. LOL- Hartnell was a great rep for the all star game. Overall Flyers looked good in All Star Game, lots of fun and great to see such quality play, Thomas great in goal as usual. But it's back to reality now, hope they can improve and make a run. I thought I saw rocknrob in Ottawa!— NCFLYER
- Hartnell was a great rep for the all star game. Overall Flyers looked good in All Star Game, lots of fun and great to see such quality play, Thomas great in goal as usual. But it's back to reality now, hope they can improve and make a run. I thought I saw rocknrob in Ottawa!— NCFLYER
- Let's get back to real hockey - go Phlyers !!— bigdaddyG
- Glad its over, hope they had fun, the real season begins along with Bryz's last shot to keep his job.— Sidewinder7
