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DEL.ICIO.USRussian leads way in Russian Roulette
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
They set themselves up for this. Some teams win games early and leave themselves margin for error. The Thrashers couldn’t do that. They had to start slow, then climb back, then lose seven straight, then rise again, then bump their head.
They’ve left themselves a pinhole.
“It’s fun to play games like this when everything is on the line,” Ilya Kovalchuk said.
Fun? OK. I always thought that saying was meant for playoff games. But if one guy believes it’s fun to navigate the NHL’s version of Russian Roulette — well, it figured to be the Russian. Kovalchuk scored twice in the Thrashers’ 5-2 win over Carolina Saturday at Philips Arena.
They live. To die another day?
“You play, you coach and you can even tell that the players are looking at the out-of-town scoreboard,” coach Bob Hartley said. “You see Montreal winning. It’s tough. You know if you lose, then you lose ground. You win and you stay there. But you just have to keep winning games and hope some teams start to get in trouble. If we keep playing like we did tonight, we have a chance of being there. But we definitely need help.”
They did this to themselves. They endured that ridiculous blur of goalie injuries, found life, then took one step off the balcony. I’m not sure how many teams have made the playoffs despite a seven-game losing streak. But I’m guessing not many.
In the NHL, a team can lose a game three different ways (regulation, overtime, shootout) and still gain points in two of them. The Thrashers whiffed in seven straight.
That will hurt you.
Like a barbell falling from the top shelf will hurt you.
The Thrashers have set a franchise record for wins (36), and it’s not nearly enough. They dumped Carolina, one of the league’s best teams, for the third time this season. They would pose a threat to any opponent in the playoffs — and yet the odds are they’ll never get to an 83rd game.
“It’s weird,” said Marc Savard, who scored the game’s first goal on a penalty shot. “We seem to play our best against the best teams. We’ve done well against the Ottawas and the Carolinas. We have a good hockey team, but we know we have to win every game.
“It’s sort of like poker now. We just have to keep putting all of our chips in the middle. We’re all in.”
When the Thrashers rallied to defeat New Jersey, 6-5, on March 23, they maintained a hold on the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. As temporary triumphs go, it was like thinking you had the winning lottery ticket after only the first number was called.
They lost a game at Long Island. They had four days off while three other teams — Montreal, New Jersey and Tampa Bay — kept winning. They lost another game at Tampa Bay. For a franchise that has seen far worst things than two straight losses, this set a new standard on the misery index.
How does a team go from one up to seven down in a week?
And with the backdrop of a playoff guarantee, no less.
A chasm separates eighth and ninth place in the East. The Thrashers were seven points out with 10 games remaining entering the night. That basically meant that if they went 8-2, at least one of three teams ahead of them (New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Montreal) could go no better than 4-5 for the Thrashers to claim the final berth.
(Let’s keep tie scenarios out of this for now. There are too many wins and prayers between today and tie scenarios.)
So now they’re five behind the Lightning and still seven behind the Devils and Canadiens.
Having fun yet?
“That’s why we’re here,” Kovalchuk said.
One game, they implode. The next minute, they show uncommon resolve. They lost center Bobby Holik less than three minutes into the game for a check that look tame to most clear-thinking humans but was deemed by a referee as worthy of a boarding major and a game misconduct. Carolina’s Bret Hedican was seriously injured on the play — so injured that he returned to the ice eight minutes later.
“I can lay down, too,” Holik scoffed.
The Thrashers are not prone yet. But their position would seem to be closer to that than fun.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Thrashers / NHL
Comments
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By Dunwoody_Joe
April 2, 2006 08:08 AM | Link to this
Actually, this is the most fun I’ve had as a Thrashers’ fan—ever!
The team is finally playing “meaningful” games in April by playing a desperate, enjoyable brand of hockey. Welcome to a spirited playoff race where every play is important. The Philips was rocking last night and people are starting to notice that hockey is a great sport.
Truth be told, the Thrashers have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs and if they do, watch out—they could make some noise.
In any event, we should enjoy the race! “It ain’t over till it’s over!”
By Jeffrey Mundie
April 2, 2006 11:52 AM | Link to this
——-Original Message——- From: Jeffrey Mundie [mailto:jpmundie@comcast.net] Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2006 10:27 AM To: Lou DePaoli Subject: Freedom of Speech in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Dear Lou, (Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer - Atlanta Spirit, LLC)
As per my voicemail on your cell phone at 11:08pm, Saturday April 1, 2006, I am COMPLETELY appalled by the actions of two trainers of the visiting Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club TOWARDS ME … at the Philips Arena last night
I implore you, how can a SEASON TICKET HOLDER be ejected from an ATLANTA THRASHERS game for the following:
I am not an American citizen but I have been a tax paying, permanent resident of the United States of America since 1997.
So Lou, please help me understand the RIGHT of FREE SPEECH, guaranteed in the FIRST AMENDMENT of the US CONSTITUTION that you and your fellow Americans hold to your hearts so dearly?
Thank you and RSVP, Jeffrey P. Mundie Section 116, Row M, Seats 15 and 16
Free speech, exercised both individually and through a free press, is a necessity in any country where people are themselves free. - Theodore Roosevelt, 1918
By sodapants
April 2, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this
It’s the south, Jeff.. show some manners. heh
By Other Mark
April 2, 2006 02:51 PM | Link to this
Sorry Jeff - but you need to check with the Dixie Chicks. We have freedom of speech in this country, which says you can’t go to jail or be beheaded for saying something that the government doesn’t like. But, it does not mean there are not consequences to pay. You paid for being rude and obnoxious. We expect better from Atlanta fans. This ain’t New Yawk or Jersey! Ridicule the goalie and little and then shut-up —-
Great game Thrashers - we love ya and are standing behind you every step of the way.
By Tony C.
April 2, 2006 08:10 PM | Link to this
BS!
There’s no good reason you should be ejected for heckling. Provided you do not curse or say things which would be inappropriate for children. Having any member of an NHL orginization threaten a paying customer is wrong.
Now I’m sure none of us were there, but if you got the gate, and you were merely being a vocal fan, then I say you file a greivance with the board of govenors. There’s no reason a member of either teams’ staff should threaten you.
Just because it’s the south, doesn’t mean you can’t heckle the other team. Seriously, where did yall grow up that you didn’t heckle the other school’s football team on friday nights????
GO BLUE!!!
By Other Mark
April 2, 2006 08:41 PM | Link to this
We all heckled the other team, but how many of us got thrown out??? Not many. Jeff crossed the line - I WAS there - and he deserved going out the door. Congratulations Phillips staff - the rest of us appreciate your taking these fools out. Buying a ticket does not give you carte blanche to do anything and say anything -whether it’s vulgar or not.
By tim
April 3, 2006 09:29 AM | Link to this
This will go a long way towards building next years contender.instead of floating and playing at half speed early in the year and packing it in early if the opposition opens a two goal lead they’ll start playing tough ALL YEAR and pick up points in close games in October and November and avoid the panic finish next season.
By sodapants
April 3, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this
Now lets approach with some common sense… Jeff has all the right in the world to heckle someone. Fine. What Jeff doesn’t have the right to do is ruin the experience for all the other fans who also are “paying customers”, by the way.
I’ve worked at an arena before and Jeff can do what he likes for the most part… but!…once people start complaining he either has to knock it off or he’s gone. Period.
Don’t wanna hear the whiney, poor customer routine.
By Brendan
April 4, 2006 12:48 PM | Link to this
Jeff Schultz, another great Thrashers column. I am NOT going to complain about the Thrashers missing the playoffs this year, if that happens. I think “reasonable people” can see that playing 36 games without Lehtonen, and Dunham for a significant portion of that same time frame, is a “mitigating factor” for the Thrashers missing the playoffs.
At this juncture, seven-points back with eight (8) games to play, the Thrashers are still mathematically alive. But Tampa must crash and burn and while doing so, manage to lose both games against Atlanta in regulation time.
The NHL allows the Lightning to get points for overtime and shootout losses. So, Atlanta must defeat them within the alotted 60-minutes of play for non-tied games.
This is the scenario I most feared. Back in December, when the Thrashers were five, six games below .500, NHL-style, I posted that it’s probably too many points to overcome, barring some amazing winning streaks. Lo and behold, Atlanta went on a 13-2-3 streak and got right back into the race. I also posted that the worst thing that could happen was to get close, but just miss the playoffs.
Welcome to April 4th, 2006. Now, I don’t want to sound overly alarmist, as my main reason for posting that back in December was over concern with our draft order positioning.
Well, I’m sort of glad the Thrashers played meaningful games in March, and participated in a playoff chase. In essence, it gave Lehtonen, Kovalchuk, Stefan, Slater, Exelby and other younger players “playoff experience.” Oh, not technically. But the playoffs began, for all intents and purposes, in the first week of March.
If you’re wondering how the Thrashers might do in the playoffs, take a look. You’re seeing it. They can beat anyone at any given time, even teams like Ottawa and Carolina and Dallas, even Detroit. They can also lose to the Washingtons, NY Isles, Torontos and Bostons of the league, in “must win” situations.
Getting back to draft order, I am frustrated by that. But it’s not like Don Waddell cannot overcome a poor draft position, if he wanted to. He could offer up Savard to draft 2nd overall. Or thereabouts. The name “Savard” if FAMOUS in Chicago, which will surely draft high, given their poor record. Time will tell, though. Marc Savard becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, I believe. Though, I’m not SURE of that. And any team that really wanted Savard could wait until after the draft this June to bid for him. The trade route would almost certainly involve Don re-signing Savard, then trading him to a Chicago, for example.
By jason
April 4, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this
Mr. Mundie, Unless it was the government who threw you out of the arena, the First Amendment does you no good.
By George
April 4, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this
Ridiculous that Thrasher fans, season ticket holders no less, are thrown out for heckling the other team. What is this, figure skating??? News flash Atlanta, your fan base is nationally ridiculed because of this type of “lack of support”. It comes in many fashions in this town, but all in all, it adds up to simply a boring, lackluster, sit on your hands, home town crowd. If that’s what you want, go to a Braves game.
By MarySue
April 5, 2006 03:33 PM | Link to this
The reason Jeff got the boot is because he’s a season ticket holder and he’s seen the way the Thrashers play. They are a dirty team, hacking, slashing, elbows to the head. Hartley, Exelby, Sutton and Kovalchuk..nothing but BUMS! No wonder this team isn’t going to make the playoffs. Spend too much time in the penalty box.
By sodapants
April 6, 2006 12:54 AM | Link to this
No George… Jeff got the boot because he’s a fvckin’ @sshole… period. That fact that his whiney little punk-@ss had to recite his pvssy-@ssd letter to the rest of us just illustrates what kind of publicity-seeking schmutz he really is. Too bad for you..
Get over it… Anyone who knows any better alreay knows he’s a retard. But if you want to include yourself in his exclusive club then go ahead. You clearly belong there.
Arena staff have goals.. order, safety and the enjoyment of EVERYONE! That’s all.
Some drunkard who can’t seem to pee in the right places deserves to get the gate…. ‘cause i’ll guarantee you this… 1 total idiot isn’t worth 10 sober customers. Now shut the fvck up and grow a pair…
By MarySue
April 18, 2006 01:27 PM | Link to this
April 18th….See I told you they wouldn’t make the playoffs!!! Hossa Rocks but the rest are BUMS. Go Sens!!