Thrashers.Today.Com

By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

Penguins 3, Thrashers 2

Top of the Slot: Tied at 2-2 entering the third period, the Thrashers gave up the game-winner with 2:40 left, losing for the second straight game.

The Good: Slava Kozlov’s bounce-back season continued with his 11th goal in the first period, off assists from Ilya Kovalchuk and Mathieu Schneider, who returned from a hip injury. Jimmy Slater got his second goal, a wrap-around effort, to tie the game at 2-2 in the second. Eric Perrin and Toby Enstrom assisted on that goal, which came 84 seconds after Sidney Crosby (BOO!) broke a 1-1 tie. Ondrej Pavelec weathered a 16-shot second period, finishing with 28 saves on 31 shots. Slater won five of his seven face-offs and skated strong in his nine minutes of work.

The Bad: Where, oh where, has Kari Lehtonen gone … not saying Pavelec played poorly, because the kid actually played well. But just how bad is Kari’s back injury that has shelved him for three weeks? Chris Thorburn continues picking up penalties at bad times; his interference penalty set up the game-winning goal. Schneider picked up two minutes for high-sticking in the second. Todd White, who has played very well, left the game in the third after going head-first into the boards.

View from the Sports Garage: Nothing puts me in a worse mood than Crosby doing something good against the Thrashers. Tough game to lose, but you can say that anytime you lose by one goal at home. You also can say you believe this is one that got away, and these are the games the Thrashers MUST win if they are going to be a legitimate playoff contender. Tied at 2-2 entering the final period at home, Atlanta had an opportunity to make a statement. Perhaps the statement is, after two straight losses, this team isn’t as good as what we saw during the five-game winning streak. Time will tell. Nonetheless, I’m excited about what could be with this team. I’ll be in Philips Arena on Saturday for my first look in person at this team. Speaking of Saturday …

Next
Thrashers vs. Blue Jackets
7 p.m. Saturday

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

ATLANTA — The NHL’s leading scorer comes to Philips Arena Thursday, and it puts a delightful smile on my face to say it’s not Sidney Crosby.

Evgeni Malkin entered play tonight with seven goals and 23 assists. Crosby, the anointed “Golden Child” by the NHL and by all those who sponsor the league (which isn’t many, but that’s another axe to grind for another day), isn’t exactly my favorite player. Yes, he’s good. Very, very good. Damn good, to be blunt.

But I don’t like him.

OK, call me a hater. I’m sure Wayne Gretzky had ’em back in the day. As did Michael Jordan. As did Ted Williams. You acknowledge their greatness, but at the same time, you delight when your team sticks it to the chosen one.

Me? I’d take Alexander Ovechkin in a heartbeat. For that matter, Malkin. And of course, the guy who will be leading the opposition against Sid the Kid – Ilya Kovalchuk and the Atlanta Thrashers.

Usually, Crosby and Kovy are leading their teams in scoring. Not the case so far. Malkin leads the Pens, and Bryan Little (nine goals, eight assists) leads the way for the Thrashers.

Beyond the sheer aggravation I get from Crosby, the Thrashers need a good showing Wednesday after seeing their five-game winning streak end Sunday in Philadelphia. No better way to start a new streak than by putting it to the chosen one.

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

Flyers 4, Thrashers 3

Top of the Slot: After battling back from a pair of two-goal deficits, the Thrashers gave up the game-winner with 6:17 left as their winning streak ended at five games.

The Good: The Thrashers showed plenty of heart in fighting back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1. Erik Christensen scored his first goal of the season to make it 2-1 in the second period. The second line continued to shine, Bryan Little and Slava Kozlov netting goals in the third as Atlanta tied the game at 3-3. Ilya Kovalchuk recorded two assists. Ron Hainsey finished plus-2 and had an assist. Garnet Exelby also notched an assist.

The Bad: The Thrashers’ defense was far from stellar in the first two periods, allowing 28 shots in the opening 40 minutes. Johan Hedberg allowed four goals on the night, the game-winner on a shot where Moose just didn’t get down quick enough to stop it. Really, puck should’ve been stopped.

View from the Sports Garage: Well, the win streak is over. Instead of talking about a franchise-record sixth straight, the Thrashers left Philly wondering what could’ve been had they not been outshot 28-11 in the first two periods, if Hedberg had stopped the game winner … oh well. It was a better effort than the Thrashers displayed in that 7-0 whipping Philly hung on them last month at Philips Arena. Time to shake this one off and take a few days off until the Sidney Crosby Circus comes to town.

Next
Thrashers vs. Penguins
7 p.m. Thursday

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

ATLANTA — The Christmas lights are up at Centennial Olympic Park. The coldest winds of winter blew through downtown Atlanta last night.

And walking into Philips Arena to get my first peak this season at the Atlanta Hawks, the ticket taker at the gate noticed my 5-year-old’s Thrashers’ jersey.

(Now for clarity, my son does not have a Hawks jersey. I had a Hawks shirt I bought the day before last spring’s Game 6 playoff victory over the Celtics, a game I attended. I did have a Thrashers’ sweater on under my T-shirt … hey, I told you it was cold).

Anyway, back to the gate, where the ticket taker pointed to my kid’s jersey and said, “Were you here last night?”

We weren’t – I’m going to my first Thrashers game of the year next weekend – but in talking to folks at the Hawks game last night, in the store where you can buy Thrashers’ and Hawks’ swag, there is no denying the buzz that is starting to gradually build around this team.

Five consecutive victories will get people’s attention, especially when you start the season with just six points in the first 11 games. The Thrashers have been lights-out ever since, and they roll into Philly for tonight’s game with the Flyers looking like a team that can really make a push toward the top of the Southeast Division.

The Flyers played last night, posting a 2-1 victory at Montreal. We all remember the vicious 7-0 beatdown Philly put on the Thrashers on Oct. 28 at Philips. That seems like a long time ago, because the Thrashers are playing so much better hockey now.

Hopefully, that trend will continue tonight. As I wrote a few days ago, this stretch of November is critical for Atlanta, and so far, the Thrashers have done exactly as they’ve needed to and turned the ship around.

Now at .500 on the season, it’s time to push above break-even, and continue this surge toward first place. Keep this up, and the conversation around this team will only grow louder.

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

Thrashers 3, Hurricanes 2

Top of the Slot: Break up the Thrashers! One of the NHL’s hottest team made it five in a row Friday night, tying a franchise record for longest winning streak by downing division-rival Carolina for the second time in five days.

The Good: Maybe Marty Reasoner needs to skate against the Canes all season. Reasoner scored his fourth goal of the season, his third in two games against Carolina, to open the scoring midway through the first period. Eric Perrin netted his first goal of the season early in the second. Slava Kozlov gave the Thrashers a 4-2 lead 4:12 into the third, in the dying seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage. Bryan Little, Ron Hainsey, Eric Boulton, Jim Slater and Colby Armstrong notched assists. Johan Hedberg was solid in goal, turning away 27 shots to earn the victory. Ilya Kovalchuk didn’t score, but he led the team with seven shots.

The Bad: The Thrashers allowed two power-play goals, and made life tough on themselves into the game when Boris Valabik took a holding penalty with under five minutes left and Atlanta clinging to a one-goal lead. Kari Lehtonen did not play again, but hey, the Thrashers are perfect since Kari left the lineup, so does anybody care? The Thrashers were outshot (again) 29-25, but again, a win is a win. We shall not complain!

View from the Sports Garage: If you’ve been away for a couple of weeks, traveling on business or maybe taking a vacation, you’d be shocked if you looked at the NHL standings this morning. There sits Atlanta, 7-7-2 on the season, six points out of the Southeast Division lead. The past three victories – one against Buffalo and two against Carolina – really have been impressive. Another good performance Friday night, where the Thrashers played strong hockey in their offensive zone, were solid on the blueline, got good goaltending … impressive to play like this against Carolina. That’s two wins in hand against one of the teams in the Southeast. Any win in division play is big. Need to continue the momentum into Philly Sunday. This Thrashers team is vastly different from the one the Flyers embarrassed 7-0 at Philips Arena last month.

Next
Thrashers at Flyers
7 p.m. Sunday

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

ATLANTA — The good news is the Atlanta Thrashers enter tonight’s home contest with Carolina riding a four-game winning streak.

The bad news is the Thrashers haven’t played since Sunday. So the question persists: how will this team look when they hit the ice tonight?

Will it be sharp and focused, the type of play we’ve seen from the Thrashers during this streak? Or, will it be the type of play that we typically see after a long idle stretch, the type of play that is rusty and a stride slow?

We shall see.

Sometimes, the worst thing that can happen is taking a few days off when you’re playing well. And with this being the longest break the Thrashers will have all season (besides the All-Star break), it will be a challenge reaching five in a row, which would tie a franchise record for longest winning streak.

Hopefully, Atlanta can come out with plenty of jump tonight and take control. Any division game is big, especially since you only play your division mates six times this season, as opposed to eight times in the past. Washington leads the Southeast with 20 points, moving past Carolina after beating the Hurricanes Wednesday.

Carolina sits in second with 18, and then there are the Thrashers, after that horrid start, tied with Tampa Bay for third with 14 points.

We’ll also see how the team looks in those red third jerseys tonight. The new unis will be debuted. If the Thrashers lose, I say burn ’em.

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

ATLANTA — Pardon Ondrej Pavelec if he doesn’t know if he’s coming or going.

Pardon the rest of us if we’re a little frustrated with Kari Lehtonen.

And so it goes with the Atlanta Thrashers’ goaltending situation. Lehtonen, who has missed the past five games with the flu and back problems, reportedly reinjured his back in practice on Tuesday. Now, he will miss the Thrashers’ games Friday at home against Carolina and Sunday at Philly.

Pavelec, who won the first two games of Atlanta’s current four-game winning streak, was shipped to Chicago of the American Hockey League Monday. Now, he’s back, and don’t be surprised to see the youngster between the pipes at least once this weekend. Pavelec has done nothing but impress during his stint in Atlanta.

As for Lehtonen? Well, he played very well during the early days of the season, when the Thrashers weren’t winning. Certainly, he’s the best goaltender on the roster. But at some point in time, you’ve got to wonder if the Thrashers are going to get more than irked at what seems to be Kari’s inability to bounce back from injuries in a timely manner.

We shall see if Lehtonen can grace the Thrashers with his presence next week. For now, it’s Johan Hedberg and Pavelec charged with keeping the streak alive.

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

ATLANTA — Watching the Atlanta Thrashers last season reinforced a painful memory of mine from high school:

I should’ve paid more attention in chemistry class.

And the guys I watched on the ice last season looked like they spent chemistry class in the same manner as I – daydreaming, doodling, doing anything but paying attention to the teacher’s instructions.

Now that we’re into 15 games into the new NHL season, the Thrashers are coming together. Four straight victories, 19 goals scored in those triumphs, just 12 goals allowed …

And you can trace it all to chemistry.

New coach John Anderson already has shown he won’t hesitate to shake up things when the results don’t match his expectations. Line-juggling never is a good thing, especially so early in the season. But if you look back into the preseason, you’ll see Anderson has mixed and matched linemates from the word go.

Finally, he’s found the right combination. And, just like in chemistry class, when the parts come together just right, good things happen.

The Thrashers are a dangerous team right now. They’ve scored five goals on the power play during their streak, or just as many man-advantage goals they netted in the 10 games preceding the winning streak. The No. 2 line of Todd White, Bryan Little and Slava Kozlov have fueled this team offensively all season. The trio has combined for 20 goals and 24 assists through 15 games.

But beyond the numbers, it’s the on-ice communication and decreasing number of blatant breakdowns that stand out to me. This team looks like it’s finally settled into who they are, and how each part of the sum fits into the overall picture.

It’s far too early to toast this team as a success. Just look at the Hawks or the Falcons or Georgia Tech football or the buzz around the Braves getting Jake Peavy or the Dogs’ attempt to still slip into a major bowl. There’s a lot of news happening in our area right now.

But the Thrashers are quietly doing what we hoped they would do, and after a rough start, it appears the kids in the back of the chemistry class have finally woken up and are taking notes.

A few more games like what we’ve seen the past 10 days, and the city the Thrashers call home might start paying attention, too.

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

ATLANTA — Ondrej Pavelic belongs in the NHL, but there simply is no room for him on the Atlanta Thrashers when both Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg are healthy.

So, with four days off until their next game Friday, the streaking Atlanta Thrashers assigned the talented 21-year-old Pavelec to Chicago of the American Hockey League on Monday.

Pavelec went 2-0-0 for Atlanta with a 2.57 goals against average and a .889 save percentage. He started the Thrashers’ current four-game winning streak by making 18 saves in a victory over Florida on Nov. 2. Four days later, Pavelec stopped 24 of 27 shots at the Thrashers topped the Islanders.

But with Hedberg playing well in his past two starts, and with the belief Lehtonen will be over his back injuries and flu virus when Atlanta returns to the ice Friday night against Carolina, the Thrashers sent Pavelec down so he could play on a regular basis.

At Chicago, Pavelic posted a 5-3-1 record with a 1.54 goals against average. He earned AHL goaltender of the month for October.

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By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

Thrashers 5, Hurricanes 2

Top of the Slot: The Thrashers rode two goals from Marty Reasoner and a four-goal unanswered streak to take complete control against the Southeast Division winners, running their winning streak to four games and pulling within four points of the division lead.

The Good: Reasoner hadn’t played well through the first 14 games of the season but boy he had a ton of jump and really looked good Sunday, scoring his second and third goals of the season, finishing at plus-2. Jason Williams scored his fourth goal in the past three games and added an assist. Ilya Kovalchuk scored his sixth goal of the season and also had a helper. Ron Hainsey added a goal and an assist. Bryan Little, Eric Perrin, Erik Christensen and Chris Thorburn each added an assist. In goal, it was Johan Hedberg and he was solid, making 35 saves.

The Bad: Kari Lehtonen still is not back, having not played in the past four games due to back problems and the flu. With four days off until Friday’s rematch with the Hurricanes, maybe Kari can finally get well. Slava Kozlov’s point-scoring streak ended at six games. Atlanta was outshot 37-22, and only mustered three shots inside the final 20 minutes.

View from the Sports Garage: Looking at the Southeast Division standings this morning, you’d never think the Thrashers had slogged their way through a miserable start to the season. This team is flying right now. Yes, the first two wins of this streak were against teams that aren’t very good. But any weekend during which you win at Buffalo and at Carolina is a really good weekend. We’re starting to see some guys get on track, like Williams, like Reasoner. It’s a byproduct of chemistry, of now having 15 games with each other under their belts. In a way, it stinks that this team doesn’t play again until Friday. They’re on a pretty good roll right now.

Next
Thrashers vs. Hurricanes
7:30 p.m. Friday

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