Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Hartnell felled by shot; Laughton at stake

Late word from Flyers camp is that Scott Hartnell will be out indefinitely after taking a Kimmo Timonen point shot off his left leg during last night's 3-0 loss at New Jersey.

In typically terse fashion for unexpected news, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said: "Scott will be out indefinitely with a left foot injury. We will know more on this within a day or two as we await results of tests."

That's not good. Judging by replays, the placement of impact and Hartnell's unsteadiness on the leg thereafter, he could be looking at a fracture.

Hartnell's loss, along with Danny Briere's continued absence and the subtraction of Zac Rinaldo due to his leg injury from Sunday and Brayden Schenn's suspension means the Orange and Black face near-insurmountable odds tomorrow night while hosting the New York Rangers, trying to avoid an 0-4 start for the first time in franchise history and a ninth straight defeat to their division rivals dating back to March of 2011. 

It also means that prospect Scott Laughton will almost certainly remain with the big club and not sent back to Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League. 

Under amended rules, junior prospects can only play in the NHL for five games before burning through a year of entry-level contracts. Game 5 will be Saturday night at Florida and the no-return Game 6 is late Sunday evening in Tampa. 

It is expected that Tye McGinn will also get an extended look before heading back to the Phantoms as well.

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