Six in a row: Thrashers cruise past Caps

Mar 17 2009

Published by bud006 at 9:02 am under Thrashers Analysis Edit This

By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

ATLANTA — Throughout this miserable 2008-09 season, the Atlanta Thrashers have frustrated their disjointed fan base with uneven play, unrealized potential, unfulfilled expectations.

But now that the Thrashers certainly will be spending most of late spring watching the playoffs, a funny thing has happened:

The Thrashers actually are resembling the type of team so many of us thought they could be way back when this season started.

Atlanta won a franchise-record sixth consecutive game Monday night, totally dominating Southeast Division-leading Washington on national TV, cruising to a 5-1 victory.

Yes, Ilya Kovalchuk didn’t play, watching the proceedings while healing from an upper body injury. Yes, the Thrashers’ D remains giving as ever, the Caps pounding Kari Lehtonen for 50 shots.

But Lehtonen continues his evolution — finally, perhaps?! — to elite netminder status, stopping 49 shots and carrying the shutout into the final two minutes of the game. Just ask Alexander Ovechkin how good Lehtonen is … the Russian Master had 10 shots on goal, yet came away with nothing to show for it other than frustration.

The younger Thrashers, remade thanks to several recent trades and transactions, looked faster, hungrier, and dare we say better than a Washington team that figures to play on into May. Atlanta used their speed and hustle to take control of this one, and while Lehtonen had to work far harder than he should have, the Fin was equal to the task.

Six in a row … won’t mean much as this season winds down, but the promise of next year is there for all to see.

Maybe one of these years, that promise will be fulfilled early enough to make next year this year.