Rough stuff wasn’t working, Hartnell says

Wing Scott Hartnell, a healthy scratch Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, said the Blue Jackets’ focus on physicality in the early games of the series might have backfired.

“As much as you want to hit them … obviously it’s not working,” Hartnell said before Game 4 at Nationwide Arena. “Basically, all it does is tire you out. Watching the other (playoff) series, there hasn’t been that much of the ‘I’m going to run you over for the fun of it.’ You’ve got to outscore them, and I hope that’s what the guys do.”

Hartnell has a history of unnerving Pittsburgh with his physical and agitating style, but under coach Mike Sullivan, the Penguins have been less willing to take the bait and lose their cool. On the way to winning the Stanley Cup last year, playoff opponents could not rattle them with afterthe-whistle scrums and heavy hits.

The Blue Jackets began to employ the strategy in the last regular-season meeting at Pittsburgh, a 4-1 loss on April 4, and continued it through the first two games of the playoff series. They lost those games 3-1 and 4-1, and wing Matt Calvert was suspended for Game 3 for his cross check and attack on Tom Kuhnhackl at the end of Game 2.

“I think the first two games we were running around a lot and maybe out of position or whatever,” Hartnell said.

Arguably, the Blue Jackets’ best game, a 5-4 overtime loss Sunday, saw fewer post-whistle scrums and attempts to go out of their way to hit Pittsburgh players. However, coach John Tortorella thought his team was better in the first two games because they had more puck possession.

Hartnell, a 16-year veteran, has played some of his best games against the Penguins. He also has not scored a goal in 36 games. Hartnell, who turned 35 on Tuesday, said he was informed of his benching in the morning.

He had a feeling that when the Blue Jackets regained full health at forward, he might be the odd man out. Rookie center Lukas Sedlak returned to the lineup after missing 18 of the previous 25 games because of an oblique strain.

“Obviously, a little frustrated, but I hope the boys can pull it off,” said Hartnell, who had no points and a minus-2 rating in three playoff games.

Commish in town

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman attended Tuesday night’s game and spoke highly of the Blue Jackets’ franchise-best regular season, which included the 16-game win streak.

“The team has shown an unprecedented level of competitiveness, which gives people a real sense of how this game can be played and what the future holds,” Bettman said. “I think the team’s 16-game win streak really ignited people’s emotional and intellectual connection to the game. That was the second-longest winning streak in the 100-year history of the league. I think it captured the imagination, and I think it demonstrated where this team is going.”

Great starts

The Blue Jackets have been quick starters in the series. In the first period of the four games, they outshot the Penguins 57-26 and outscored them 5-2. They held a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes Tuesday night.