AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 21
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Thrashers confident they’ll get in
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I know some Thrashers fans are nervous to start talking about the playoffs, and potential opponents — don’t want to jinx anything. Well, hockey players are just as superstitious as fans — Washington Post hockey writer Tarik El-Bashir said that Caps coach Glen Hanlon always makes him stand on the same side of him after wins while doing postgame interviews - and you don’t know how many times players knock on wood (or whatever is around them) when talking about positive things (or avoiding injuries).
So with that being said, most of the Thrashers are openly talking about the playoffs. This is a team confident they’ll get in - Jon Sim pretty much summed it up when I was talking to him today after practice:
“I think we’re going to get in the playoffs, it’s just a matter of where we’re going to finish.”
So if the team is talking about the playoffs, shouldn’t we be allowed here on the beat blog?
Practice report: Bob Hartley said he was pleased with the pace of practice today after two days off. Keith Tkachuk was the only player who didn’t skate with the team. According to Hartley, Tkachuk woke up today sick as a dog, although everyone expects him to play against San Jose on Thursday.
Jim Slater will return to the lineup on Thursday in place of Eric Boulton. Kari Lehtonen will start in goal. There won’t be any other changes, although Hartley said it’s been hard sitting guys during this stretch.
“It’s been tough to make changes, no one needs to be out,” he said.
While he’s managed to rotate his forwards, mostly Slater, Vigier and Boulton, Hartley hasn’t managed to work in Steve McCarthy, who hasn’t played since Feb. 24th.
