AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > November > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThrashers remain inconsistent
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
On a night when one Philips Arena tenant reaffirmed in Philadelphia there will be no playoff tease, the other kept us guessing.
The Thrashers returned home and lost 5-2 to Carolina on Wednesday night. They are 8-3-3, still easily the best 14-game start for a franchise that only once before had managed a winning record to this point. But cracks are showing. This makes two straight losses, punctuated by suddenly pedestrian goaltending, coverage breakdowns and an anemic power play.
This is when you wonder: Are they ready for this?
“Whether it’s focus, execution or whatever — we were outplayed twice,” said Bobby Holik, who has never been one for burying the lead. “This just wasn’t good enough. We were outplayed in two games, at every level, in every department.”
The shot counter, who might have been popping amphetamines, will say otherwise. The Thrashers had a lopsided advantage of 42-18, thanks in part to 10 power-play chances. But shot counts can be as misleading in hockey as time of possession in football. Most of the Thrashers’ chances came from the perimeter. There were few shots through traffic, and even fewer rebounds. Consequently, only one of 10 power plays resulted in a goal, and the team is only two for its last 27.
Are they ready for something special? For 12 games, the Thrashers looked the part. Then came the dreadful first period in Toronto when they allowed three power-play goals in a span of 1:26, awoke too late and lost 4-2.
They returned home hoping to show something that really hadn’t been required yet this season: resilience. But they whiffed on three early power plays, goalie Kari Lehtonen — who was pulled in the second — allowed two goals in a 40-second span, and suddenly they were reeling. A losing streak was born.
Yes, this was a “test” game. Coach Bob Hartley labeled it that after the morning skate. “It’s another situation where we’ll find out a lot about ourselves,” Hartley said. “We’ve been catching up from behind for so long, now the time has come for us to try to be front-runners. We have to find ways to keep battling in our division.
“Those are signs that dictate your learning curve, to really see where you’re at. Right now we’re in a situation where we’ve never been before, and that’s fun. But we’re going to learn more as we go.”
Extended losing streaks have buried this team in the past. Last season, the Thrashers managed to navigate through early goaltending nightmares and fought their way back into the playoff race by mid-January. But then, just when everything seemed to be going great, they dug another hole with a seven-game losing streak and left no margin for error down the stretch.
This season is about avoiding that. Good teams don’t crumble. Good teams bounce back from defeats, especially at home. Hartley said afterward he was “not ready to call this a bad game.” He seemed to pin the result more on Lehtonen — and Carolina goalie Cam Ward — than the rest of his players. He was being nice.
The Thrashers needed a fast start this season to affirm a run at the playoffs. They got it. Now you wonder if they know what to do with it. Logic dictates this can be a dizzying experience for a bunch so used to being stepped on. But nobody really knows because, like, the Thrashers have nothing to compare this to.
So many more games.
So much to prove.
This can gnaw at players like Slava Kozlov. He played on resilient teams in Detroit, and he has seen the other side here.
“I think we’re stronger mentally than we were last year,” Kozlov said. “I think we’re better prepared. But this is the key for us this season. On the good teams, like when I was in Detroit, we almost never lost two or three in a row. When that happened, it was a big deal. We don’t want that to happen here. It’s a matter of discipline.”
A two-game losing streak used to be just the start of something worse for the Thrashers. Now, they’re hoping it’s a blip.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Thrashers / NHL
Comments
By Pinball34
November 2, 2006 01:28 AM | Link to this
Good points, Schultz… One good thing to come from this game is solid play by Hedberg. Although Kari had a rare average game, I have a hard time faulting him for the last 2 goals. Those guys got police escorts into the slot…., eh?
By NCThrash
November 2, 2006 07:07 AM | Link to this
Every team has a team that seems to have their number. In this case it’s Carolina. So let’s take care of business against all the other teams and Carolina will be just a speed bump on the way to the playoffs.
Go Thrashers!!! YOU CAN DO IT!
By Conrad
November 2, 2006 07:55 AM | Link to this
Losing two games is no need to sound the alarm bells. This team is still very good, and will be in the playoff mix all season long. I think Kari is probably a little weary after playing in 13 of the first 14 games. This is still going to be a fun season.
By Johan
November 2, 2006 08:38 AM | Link to this
My god, do you columnists ever print anything positive? You remind of the two loosers that sit behind me at every bloody Thrashers game and all they do is b-tch and whine about how crappy the team is. Hey ya know what? Don’t come to the game. It’s an 82 game season, yes they played like crap but enough with the negativity. Ward played great last night and honestly the breaks were going his way.
By Brendan
November 2, 2006 10:14 AM | Link to this
It seems like an “objective” article to me. But I do agree that there’s no need for “alarm bells” just yet. I still think this is a playoff team. They’ve played Buffalo and Carolina even through 60 minutes on a combined three occassions. If that isn’t a sign of progress, what is??
Someone just tapped me on the shoulder, “Psst! Brendan, if Kozlov hadn’t scored in the shootout, Atlanta might be on a five game losing streak right now.” Okay, I guess that’s true.
Psst! What? Oh alllriiiiight, Atlanta didn’t “exactly” make to to 60 minutes with Carolina twice this year. They lost in the final half-second. Fine. Get that technical on me.
I think these next three (3) games are very winnable, at Washington, at NYI, and home vs. Boston and Marc Savard. Let’s see what happens.
Jeff Schultz, you need to write MORE hockey articles. I know, “blasphemy” in the midst of football season. I just don’t like waiting until January to read more of your hockey articles.
By HockeyDawg
November 2, 2006 01:15 PM | Link to this
Schultz, you’re such a moron! The Thrashers have been without question one of the 5 or 6 best teams in the NHL over the first month of the season. They just finished a gruelling road trip with points in 4 of the 5 games, and have the 2nd best record in the East (now 8-3-3). But they come home, get a rare clunker game from their star 23-year old goalie and lose a game to the defending Stanley Cup champions, and all of a sudden it’s time to sound the alarms - this team can’t handle the success, this team is ready to fall into a big slump, this team’s in big trouble. Gee, you’re certainly not one to overreact, are you? Of course, I’m sure in your case that you’re not overreacting. It’s just that you’d been salivating to write something negative about the Thrashers all season long, and a month into the season this was the first oppportunity they’d given you.
Yeah, Kari stunk last night! But no one is going to be “on” every single game. And yes, the power play is definitely in a slump right now and needs to come around. But Kari’s going to be “on” a whole lot more than he’ll be “off”, and this is a proven power play unit which will definitely get it going again. The improved defensive posture of this team, the veteran presence in the locker room, and the skills of Kozy, Hoss, & Kovy will keep this team toward the top of the SE Division all year long.
Sure, the Thrash are in big trouble, just like the Hawks loss in their 1st game of the season last night means they have no chance of making a run at the playoffs this year. Geez, what a moron!
By Scott
November 2, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this
Carolina owns us. That’s the problem. We play bad against the Maple Leafs too. I don’t know what it is about those two teams we just play like crap against both of them.
By True Rumor
November 2, 2006 03:40 PM | Link to this
Jeff, Tuberville to Miami. Cutcliffe to North Carolina. Go with it! Tub has ties there as a former assistant (erickson or johnson, not sure), a solid recruiting base, and he can tell those j******* Auburn boosters to finally kiss his A@# ! plus, who the heck WANTS to live in Auburn, Bamalama? Sick…Oh yeah, go Thrashers! but honestly noone cares during football season.
By Bob
November 2, 2006 04:26 PM | Link to this
Lehtonen was overworked by Hartley, but Hartley is wising up and will start Moose on Friday.
If Hartley can get a good rotation going and get Moose in their every 5th to 6th start, Lehtonen will stay rested.
I don’t see this year’s edition going on an extended loss streak.
I do see the need for a center, however, Rucchin, Kapanen just aren’t much and Metropolit showed some promise but Hartley doesn’t trust him yet.
Conroy anyone?
By LAC
November 2, 2006 07:44 PM | Link to this
Why have OFFENSIVE changes not been made ?????
Metropolit is AWFUL, plain and simple, Boulton is a clear upgrade. Can Slater shoot the puck anymore ??? Lethonen, I believe, is not that good. He will be in time, but not for a couple more seasons.
We have to make some changes and NOW !