AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > April > 14 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThrashers follow charming script
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
Such a charming little story: A team that has never made the playoffs can, with a little help, make the playoffs on the final night of its sixth season. A franchise looking to plant its flag atop the Atlanta skyline is positioned for one of those breathless finishes that, almost 15 years ago, enabled another Atlanta team to captivate a city.
With three games to go, the Thrashers are knocking on the door. Can the hockey gods fail to grant entrance?
“If we get in, I don’t know that you could ever write a better script,” said Don Waddell, the general manager since inception. “A franchise that has gone through the death of a player [Dan Snyder] and an ownership transfer and five goalies [this season], and we’ve still got a chance.”
They do. They have to win their last three games. (The first comes today against Boston at Philips Arena; the final two are on the road Monday and Tuesday.) If the Thrashers claim the maximum six points, they’ll make the playoffs if Tampa Bay — the reigning Stanley Cup holder — loses once in regulation. A week ago, you wouldn’t have thought the Lightening was in danger, but it has lost its last three games.
“I’d put our chances at 50 percent,” said Waddell, speaking Friday afternoon. “If Tampa Bay loses tonight, our chances go up by 10 or 15 percent.” And the Lightning lost in a shootout.
Because the struggle for the East’s last playoff spot hasn’t been just an A or B thing — New Jersey and Montreal were also in the mix until buying themselves clearance — everyone associated with the Thrashers has monitored multiple results these last six weeks.
It got so agonizing that Waddell had to bring himself to stop formulating scenarios. He has since resumed the procedure, and he was watching Sunday when Tampa Bay lost to Florida, a game that changed the face of the chase.
“That gave us a lift,” he said. “I’m not saying the result Tuesday [the Thrashers beat the Lightning 6-2] would have been different, but if Tampa Bay would have won Sunday, they could have clinched against us. That would have made it tougher.”
As happens in every frenzied stretch run in every sport, the Thrashers have had their share of palpitations. Ilya Kovalchuk scored his 50th goal with 4.3 seconds remaining to force overtime in Tampa last week and gain his team a precious point. On March 23, the Thrashers surged from 4-1 down to beat New Jersey in overtime. Of their nine wins last month, three came in OT, three more in shootouts. Yeah, they’ve lived on the edge.
And that’s the point: They live still. An operation that hasn’t grown beyond its niche in a trendy marketplace suddenly has a shot at getting really big really fast. “This [late run] is not only big for the franchise, it’s big for the year,” said Waddell, and here’s what he means: Should the Thrashers make the playoffs, they’ll arrive not as an awed No. 8 seed but as a certifiably Hot Team. Such is the nature of the NHL playoffs that being hot matters way more than being favored: The seventh-seeded Mighty Ducks weren’t eliminated until Game 7 of the 2003 Cup finals.
“If we get in,” Waddell said, “we’d go in on a six-game winning streak, thinking we can beat anybody we play.”
Sure, much has to happen first. But which is the better story: Tampa Bay creeping in to defend its title or the upstart Thrashers storming the gates? Which was the better story back in 1991 — the imperial Dodgers winning the NL West yet again or the Braves going worst-to-first?
“We’re playing our last home game of the year, and we’re still alive,” Waddell said. “Did I think we’d be in the position [when the season began]? No, I thought we’d be in the playoffs by now. But this is where we are, and I think we’ve got a good chance of winning our three games.”
Beyond that, it’s in the lap of the hockey gods. The Thrashers are praying those deities don’t have hearts of ice.
Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: Mark Bradley, Thrashers / NHL
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Joe
April 14, 2006 11:45 PM | Link to this
Impeach Bush!
By Chris Ciovacco
April 14, 2006 11:58 PM | Link to this
Come down to Philips and cheer our Thrashers Sat at 2pm - we need a loud crowd to help get over the hump - GO BIRDS
By doug ( funky fresh)
April 15, 2006 03:29 AM | Link to this
Great article.
I grew up in fayette and love all Georgia sports and finally I can talk about a winter sport this year. I have moved to hockey country years ago in the frozen north and I have learned to love hockey. The thrashers have done an amazing job this season and have made the race for the stanely cup exciting. Although the Braves have started on with the season and I love the hawks who are making improvements, this is hockey time and we are a part of it. This is football country and the draft is coming up ( with a 2nd round pick are we really excited) it is time we support our TEAM. I wear my thrasher sweatshirt with pride. Good Luck !!!! Next, soccer and the world cup and ???????
By Marcus
April 15, 2006 07:52 AM | Link to this
Would somebody at the AJC LEARN THIS SPORT!!! The Thrashers DO NOT have to win all of their games to make the playoffs. They can go 2-1 if Tampa goes 0-2. It is not likely to happen, but at least get the facts straight! It takes 2 minutes to get it right boys!!!
By Jim
April 15, 2006 08:08 AM | Link to this
However it turns out, they have given us a lot to cheer about and a lot to anguish over. This team will only get better. GO THRASH- PULL OFF THE IMPROBABLE!
By Dunwoody_joe
April 15, 2006 08:17 AM | Link to this
I’ll take a positive hockey article in the AJC anytime—but ya think Bradley could get his facts straight?
Ok, so Bradley misspelled Lightning once, no biggie. And he also butchered the point requirement to make the playoffs, alright whatever Mark. And by the way, while not likely, the Thrashers can still catch Montreal. But this is the AJC, so let’s not have the facts stand in the way of a story. I’ll take any good hockey story.
Finally, to Don Waddell, I can think of a “better script”…it has an ending with Mellanby skating some hardware around Philips ice to the adoring screams of 18,000 fans. Ya ever thought of that?
One last point, if the season comes down to the last game in Florida—ya think someone could throw us loyal fans a bone by televising the game locally?
By Dave
April 15, 2006 08:33 AM | Link to this
Well Toronto should be eliminated tonight vs Ottawa so that is one less concern (just in case Tampa Bay and Atlanta lose today) but Tampa Bay looked very good on the road last night. Only two goal posts stopped a win in the shootout. It is hard to imagine them laying an egg on home ice tonight. Atlanta only has themselves to blame for those horrendous 1st period starts in their two late season losses to the Lightning. It’s going to be a LONG summer.
By AJ
April 15, 2006 08:55 AM | Link to this
I totally agree with you-Dunwoody joe, I CAN’T believe that SOMEONE ANYONE isn’t showing the last game of the season!!! Maybe someone will get some brains soon and put those boys on tv!!! They play their hearts out and we deserve to enjoy watching them and rooting them on!!!!
By david
April 15, 2006 09:28 AM | Link to this
Good luck Thrashers,lets cheer them on to victory this afternoon and then root like hell for the Hurricanes tonight.
By JB
April 15, 2006 09:29 AM | Link to this
Good article Mark…..Ill take an NHL article from the AJC anyway I can get it......We need to beat Boston today and a regulation loss by Taqmpa tonight.......then we control our destiny.....its that simple.....I just dont see the Caps helping us……If it comes down to Tuesday night, with the Thras needind a win in FLA to get in…………..Ditto Joe …Turner South needs to ditch the rerun of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT and show this game……..I`m so glad I have Center Ice
By Skydawg
April 15, 2006 10:46 AM | Link to this
Joe, you’re an idiot!
By Dunwoody Chris
April 15, 2006 10:58 AM | Link to this
Dunwoody Joe has it right. Bradley should thank joe for getting it right. Thrash just need to win. Skydog needs to crash & burn. AJC needs a thrasher beat writter who knows hockey. And Turner south needs to drop “in the heat of the night” and put Tuesdays game on TV.
By Sean
April 15, 2006 05:09 PM | Link to this
Agreed.
TELEVISE THE FLA GAME!!!
By Turkey
April 15, 2006 06:57 PM | Link to this
AWESOME GAME TODAY! GOOD WORK BOYS! LETS GO CANES NOW (I FEEL DIRTY FOR SAYING THIS).
By Derek
April 15, 2006 07:03 PM | Link to this
WOW!! 2008 All star game is going to be in ATL. Excellent news.
By Harold
April 16, 2006 01:04 AM | Link to this
PLAYOFF MATH — We Win our last two — WASH beats TB in regulation OR — JERSEY beats MONTREAL in regulation (a much more likely scenario) — Suddenly there is light at the end of the tunnel — Suddenly I think Montreal is concerned after they blew that game tonight — GO THRASHERS
By Brendan
April 17, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this
What happens in Montreal, Tampa Bay and Atlanta all finish with 93-points? Bolts and Thrashers are in, but Montreal is out?
Tampa’s #7 and Atlanta is #8? I saw that Montreal lost to Buffalo and Bufalo defeated Toronto to eliminate the Leafs.
Now it’s time to win out and finish with 93-points. Wouldn’t it be something if the Thrashers got the #7 seed, with 93-points, while the Habs got #8, and the Bolts lose to the Capitals and miss the playoffs?
By Ryan
April 17, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this
I can’t believe that the last game of the season is not televised. What the heck is this. This could be the game that makes it for the Thrash. I live in Athens, anyone going to be televising it up here. The Thrash could make the playoffs with this game and I would love to see it!
Discouraged! The slew of local bars could do something special by showing a game!
By Lee
April 17, 2006 03:48 PM | Link to this
Brendenn
You were right. If Montreal, Tampa Bay and Atlanta all finish with 93-points? Bolts and Thrashers are in, and Montreal is out. Tampa’s #7 and Atlanta is #8.
The first tie-breaker would be wins. The Thrashers and Bolts would have 43 and Montreal would have 42. Bye bye Habs. Then the second tiebreaker would be head to head and Tampa would win and get the 7 seed.