Thrashers

By NASCAR Dave

December 16, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

Well, well, well… Has everybody figured it out yet??? You know, the “Black Cloud” they keep talking about??? Yeah, the Black Cloud is none other than DONNIE FRAUDell, the Master of Disaster… The sooner you people figure out that he is the One and Only Problem, the better off your lives will be…

I told you PAVELEC was ready… I told you VALABIK was ready… I told you our young Wolves would contribute more than our washed up retreads/”Team” guys…

I told you ERICA PERRIN and ERIKA CHRISTENA are in COACH’s doghouse… He wants them both OUT, can’t you see???

RANALDO, SARA, and the usual flock of apologists have to feel pretty silly trying to argue with me all season that players like VALABIK/PAVELEC/OYSTRICK/CRABB were not ready… Once again, I prove them all wrong, AGAIN…

I know the truth hurts and I know you must feel pretty silly knowing that a guy with “NASCAR” in his name knows more about hockey and THIS team than any of the “alleged” educated fans up in here… LOL

Keep watching, see me be right again and again, and in the meantime let’s get SLATER/CHRISTENA/ERICA PERRIN/and MOOSE out of here and bring up some more Rookies… Oh yeah, and FIRE WADDELL!!!

NUFF SAID.

By Brendan

December 16, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this

Ottawa is a team that isn’t that far ahead of us in the standings. Maybe we have some shot at a point or two tonight! I think we’re on pace for 62-points for the season. It’s always fun to watch Dany Heatley play. What are the odds he’ll get a goal tonight?

By Me

December 16, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this

What does the above rant have to do with anything that Mike Knobler wrote about? It is great for you to have an opinion but at least talk about what Knobler wrote.

These blogs are becoming awful to read. There are a cast of characters that never offer anything but mean spirited comments that usually have nothing to do with the column above them.

By Bob

December 16, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

It’s rather shocking how badly Williams has performed. I was hopeful that we’d get something good for him at the deadline, but now I bet they just keep him and let his contract expire.

By LL

December 16, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this

NASCAR DAVE~~You have proved absolutely zero with the exception of your lack of class. The name calling is tasteless. And please by all means you tell us all how YOU proved anything about the players when you yourself have never hit the ice with this team. Pavelec is not ready and he admitted that with the media last week. He is going to be an amazing goalie in the NHL next season. Oh and the FIRE WADDELL line is old.

By Smoothie

December 16, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this

Brendan come on man you’re not that foolish are you? If we steal a point or by some act of God manage to win it will be because of a poor outing by the Sens. They may only be a few points ahead of us in the standings but they whipped us in every facet of the game last time…did you even watch it??

I’m not trying to be mean but I’m just tired of all of the ridiculous optimism in these blogs. There is nothing to get excited about until a) Waddell is fired or b) the ASG is dissolved and Belkin or McDavid can buy them out or c) several veterans are benched in favor of Stuart, Sterling, LaVallee, Lewis and Stephenson. At least then we’d have something interesting to discuss as we learn how good or bad our minor league players are compared to stiffs like Williams, EC, Armstrong, Slater, Boulton, Thorby and Exelby.

By Lanny McDonald

December 16, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

What does the above rant have to do with anything that Mike Knobler wrote about? It is great for you to have an opinion but at least talk about what Knobler wrote. These blogs are becoming awful to read. There are a cast of characters that never offer anything but mean spirited comments that usually have nothing to do with the column above them.

Using your logic, Me, if you are going to call out David for being Off-Topic shouldn’t you take a look at your own post, which is actually the one that is Off-Topic? I don’t see where you are On-Topic with your post, so to call out David for being Off-Topic is rather funny. At least he said something about Hockey and/or the Thrashers. What did you provide?

By Thrashy Thrashy

December 16, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

On the contrary, LL, the “FIRE WADDELL” line never gets old.

It’s the childish name-calling (and excessive use of capital letters and bold type) that renders NASCAR Dave a buffoon.

By FIRE WADDELL

December 16, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

FIRE DON WADDELL NOW!!

By PUTTING ON THE FOIL

December 16, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this

FIRE WADDELL

By Brett

December 16, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this

It’s good to see that Reasoner is back on a line with Kovy! I’m sure this is exactly who Kovy had in mind when discussing with Waddell the need for a top line center. (Sarcasm)

By Ilya's Dad

December 16, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this

Fire Don Waddell

By Nikita

December 16, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this

I agree with Me. Though I recognize the importance of fixing the off-ice situation, I am primarily interested in the on-ice experience. And I could handle some discussion of the other stuff if it were not overwhelming both of these blogs. It’s like an echo chamber of negativity.

Also, if you truly feel you can’t appreciate or enjoy the team at all till the off-ice stuff changes, then I think you might as well find another team to “support.” It will be years till the ownership changes, and no one knows how long we’ll have Waddell.

And I disagre with this section: stiffs like Williams, EC, Armstrong, Slater, Boulton, Thorby and Exelby.

Two of the players on that list really should be traded or tossed. But some of them are playing fine — Boulton is doing very well, actually, and Thorburn’s not doing too badly, either. The lack of appreciation for the individual members of the team and the skills and roles of the team really depress me.

As for Ottawa, I am hopeful that we will beat them because we are completely capable of it. But I would prefer to see Moose in goal, and every night I light a novena for the return of Kari. I look forward to catching it this evening on Center Ice.

By Steely Dan

December 16, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

What gets old, LL, is that Dave has the REASON to post FIRE WADDELL over and over.

He should have been fired long ago and this team is what it is because he has been given far too much time to screw this team up.

I would love to never have to see see Dave, or anyone else, post a FIRE WADDELL comment because he was finally FIRED!

By Tony C.

December 16, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

FIRE WADDELL

Oh and Dave- if you think Pavelec is “ready” for the NHL then you really haven’t been watching the guy play. He’s close, but he ain’t ready to take the reins the 55+ games a season you’re looking for out of a #1. Well, unless you ice a team that can pot 7 goals a game with regularity.

FIRE WADDELL

By Smoothie

December 16, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this

Nikita get off your high horse! This team is a train wreck and you know it. Thorburn is a fine 3rd or 4th liner at best. In fact, I like his game. However, he is a “stiff” when he’s playing with someone of the caliber of Ilya Kovalchuk. Reasoner is a fine center and gets the most out of his aging body. Again, he has some positive attributes but he’s not exactly in the same league as Keith Tkachuk or Mark Savard. While these players I’ve highlighted might fit in with other teams as niche role players, collectively as a group here in Atlanta they are “stiffs” who have helped us win 2 of our last 13 games. This my dear is more than a trend…it is REALITY!!

If we still had Savard playing with Kovy, and Hossa skating with Kozlov (and Little, can you imagine??), then players like Slater, Boulton, Thorby and Armstrong are fine as glue guys to fill in holes on various lines. To wit:

Kovy — Tkachuk — Thorburn (maybe, but Williams or Little would make more sense)

Kozzy — White or Little — Hossa

Crabb — Reasoner — Little

Boulton — Slater — Thorburn

See what I’m driving at? You still need 3 or 4 bona fide NHL scoring threats to be a competitive team night in and night out. This cast of “stiffs”, ahem, um role players is not going to cut it at this level. If you recall, Slater scored 10 goals, his career high, when there wasn’t so much pressure to elevate his game. He was a great 4th liner who gelled with the likes of Serge Aubin and believe it or not JP Vigier!! But that’s all he’ll ever be. Relative to Kovy, Kozzy and Hossa, he is a stiff.

By Steely Dan

December 16, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this

Oh yeah, and one more thing…..

FIRE WADDELL!!

By N2HCKY

December 16, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this

FIRE WADDELL

By Buzilla in CT

December 16, 2008 4:32 PM | Link to this

I am under the impression that we are trying to get the top pick in next years draft in order to save our franchise.

My predictions for 2009

-Most of you will get your wish and Waddell’s tenure will come to an end

-it pains my heart to say this but Kovy and others will be moved at the deadline to ensure our top pick

-Anderson will be given a clean slate for next year with clear expectations of success. He will have Tavares, Espo, Enstrom, Little, Pav or Lehts, etc. A great core to do SOMETHING with

-I do not think our ownership issue will be resolved. I do hope that our current economic downturn will turn the screws finacially to perhaps make someone blink. I would prefer that they all agree to sell the team to a single owner. My personal preference would be Blank or someone else local

If none of this works, I would be happy to have the team move to Hartford so I can go to games again

By Buzilla in CT

December 16, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this

When Waddell is gone, what will LAC, Sage, NASCAR, etc do with all there free time?

By ranallo10 (in AT)

December 16, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this

Knobler — If you could, would you try to get a few comments out of Esposito? I’m curious if he pays attention to the NHL season, specifically how Atlanta is doing. I’m also curious how he feels he’s changed his ways to prove to the NHL GMs that passed on him that they made a mistake. In other words, what does he think was the reason he fell in the draft and was deemed expendable by Pittsburgh, and what is he doing to rectify it?

I.E., has he worked on becoming a two-way player, been meeting with a personal trainer so he can bulk up, been injecting some steroids so he can shoot a 100mph wristshot…etc.

By Don Waddell

December 16, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this

FIRE WADDELL!

By Nikita

December 16, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this

I’m only on my high horse relative to those of you who enjoy wallowing in the mud.

This team is a train wreck and you know it.

Oh, wise Smoothinator, tell me what I think since apparently you’re in my head.

cue “The Eye in the Sky” by the Alan Parsons Project.

I know no such thing. I know the team is a number of incremental steps from winning. I know that the team has poor morale. I know I’m sick of listening to the same old boring litany, particularly since it has in many cases recently taken the place of discussion which might be proactive or change occasionally.

Thorburn is a fine 3rd or 4th liner at best.

We have no way of knowing this when he never has been allowed to play more than 6 minutes a game on any team since leaving the minors. I doubt he’s a first-liner, but he may prove sufficient for the current task, and I would bet he will become a competent 2nd liner.

And actually, his development since hitting Atlanta is more or less appropriate. He’s gone from not playing at all to holding down a grinder line to pushing to become a competent higher-line player in a new system. He’s not doing badly, and he will do better.

he is a “stiff” when he’s playing with someone of the caliber of Ilya Kovalchuk.

And so is 90% of the league.

Again, he has some positive attributes but he’s not exactly in the same league as Keith Tkachuk or Mark Savard.

I’m very happy with Reasoner. But I would be happiest if he were not needed on the top line, as someone with his background is obviously not the anointed savior of Atlanta hockey. Which is the point here — I see no appreciation for anyone who isn’t.

Reasoner and Thorburn aren’t on the top line because they’re the best guys on the team after Kovalchuk. They are the best guys on the team for Kovalchuk and with them he is scoring, and that is all that they have to be. Now, if the team as a whole isn’t contributing more relatively soon, and Kovalchuk is unhappy with his linemates, then that is a different situation.

While these players I’ve highlighted might fit in with other teams as niche role players, collectively as a group here in Atlanta they are “stiffs” who have helped us win 2 of our last 13 games.

I don’t agree.

First, we have more players, and they don’t lack blame. The third line, right now, deserves a good bit and so do nearly all of the members of our defensive corps. All of the following, IMO, need to get banging within this system ASAP: Eric Perrin, Jason Williams, Colby Armstrong, Matthieu Schneider, Ron Hainsey, and Nic Havelid. (I have given up on Garnet Exelby and Eric Christensen.)And Ilya Kovalchuk deserves a little blame, too, for sandbagging, throwing sticks, and acting like a spoiled child in the recent past.

Second, we also have a coach, who decides where and how to deploy them. I don’t consider it fair or right to judge a lot of the players as inherently useless or “stiff” if I can see that they are developing or have clicked in new assignments or they haven’t had enough stability to do so. The list of folks above who need to elevate their game might be in this category — I’m inclined to think that they are if their historical production is better than the current production, especially WRT Perrin and Armstrong.

This my dear is more than a trend…it is REALITY!!

That we’re losing? Yes. That those seven are the reason? Hell, no.

You still need 3 or 4 bona fide NHL scoring threats to be a competitive team night in and night out.

We don’t disagree on that. But that doesn’t mean the players we have are worthless and deserve to have the legs cut from under them.

Slater…was a great 4th liner…But that’s all he’ll ever be.

We don’t know this. I think we need to trade Slater, though, because I despair of him ever being more for us. He has been tried in a number of places and continues to struggle. He may do better elsewhere.

And Bob, I think my prediction for Jason Williams was that he’d be magic if he could stay healthy. But that’s so obviously not happening. I don’t know what is wrong, but sometimes I see glimmers of hope. Tiny, tiny glimmers, to be sure. I’d like to keep him a little longer to see if he catches fire, but I would not be surprised if he gets traded or allowed to expire.

By Brendan

December 16, 2008 5:33 PM | Link to this

Smoothie, I’m just as frustrated as you are, buddy. But we’ve got to get to 62-points, somehow or other. Don’t worry, though. That’ll still be good enough to put us in the Hedman/Tavares sweepstakes. I’m still leaning towards Tavares. Having Tavares and Bogosian for the future … might be pretty decent. That said, we had Braydon Coburn in the fold, but didn’t develop him worth a spit. As Russ would say, “No one develops talent like the Atlanta Thrashers.” In training camp, I speculated that the point of the upcoming season might be a “youth movement” to “develop talent,” which is the path that we should have been on … back in 1999. But we didn’t choose that path. Instead, we signed Tommie Kallio. And Andreas Karlsson. And Tony Hrkac. And Jeff Cowan. And Per Svartvadet. Yannick Tremblay. Chris Tamer. Petrovicky. Aubin. Vigier. Daniel Tjarnqvist. Jaroslav Modry. Okay. Enough already.

When Bruce Levenson said, “we’re moving in the right direction,” he meant … building through the draft. It’s either that, or Bruce is abject moron. I have a pretty good idea which one it is.

Billy Jaffe, former Thrasher TV broadcaster, was on NHL Radio recently, talking about Islanders rebuilding. One of the more salient things I took away from that caller/topic was this gem from Jaffe, “Look. Rebuilding takes time. And it takes fan patience. But what I disagree with is dishonesty. Just BEEE HONEST with the fans, and they’ll be in your corner. Don’t shut them out of THE PLAN. Keep them IN THE LOOP through the whole process. The fans want to hear THE PLAN to get onboard with it.”

Now, to be clear, Jaffe wasn’t talking about the Thrashers. He was speaking of the Islanders. But the concept is the SAME. How much BETTER might we all feel about things … if the AS, LLC would just CLUE FANS IN about their plans. Instead, it’s the polar opposite. Not only are we kept in the dark about THE PLAN, we’re not even allowed to know the contract length of the Head Coach and General Manager. When the Leafs hired Brian Burke, the BLARED the contract length with a bullhorn on every street corner, whether you wanted to hear about it or not.

By ranallo10 (in AT)

December 16, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this

I would agree that Williams has been a disappointment based on my preseason expectations of his performance in Atlanta. I expected more from him, and unfortunately he’s made me look like a fool thus far.

I think it shows exactly how good Chicago was, if he excelled in their system but is floundering in Atlanta’s.

Hopefully he can get things on track so his deadline return is higher than a 5th round pick and some used toothpaste tubes.

By ranallo10 (in AT)

December 16, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this

When the Leafs hired Brian Burke, the BLARED the contract length with a bullhorn on every street corner, whether you wanted to hear about it or not.

Uh, I’d say that’s because they have more fans that care about such things than the city limits of Atlanta has people.

Supply and demand, I guess. We don’t have the demand, they have no need to supply.

Or perhaps the owners don’t know either. I wouldn’t put it past them to allow someone else to do all of the legwork in negotiating a contract, then put their stamp of approval on it and fax it in. Kinda like how they bought the team.

By kracker

December 16, 2008 5:53 PM | Link to this

Woohooo! I made the AJC print paper today in the picture over Mike’s article about the Anderson film session with the team. It was taken at warmups. I don’t know which game for sure. It’s a pic of Anderson standing in the bench area with the glass behind him. I’m over his left shoulder. Last year’s 7th man award winner Sally is over his right shoulder. Part of my 15 minutes, I guess.

By sisu

December 16, 2008 7:06 PM | Link to this

Pavelic is not quite ready so not sure what some of you are looking at? As to the other kids, Nathan looks solid, Boris is getting better but not quite there…

Now we just need to improve this team instantly and find a way to bring Avery in to the fold. He will bring grit, and scoring right away!!!!

By Tom

December 16, 2008 7:43 PM | Link to this

Interesting thing on the Senators broadcast’s Keys of the game…

Stop #17

I love the Sen’s announcers , the Thrashers power play is anemic. Kolvy no power play goal in 17 games…

By harleyman

December 16, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this

FIRE WADDELL

By Star of the Zanarkand Abes!

December 16, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this

Thanks for not televising the Thrashers-Senators game, Fox!! I had to HEAR about a HUGE fight on the RADIO!!!

LET’S GO ICE BIRDS!!!

By Bag of Salt

December 16, 2008 9:19 PM | Link to this

Star - Little, literally, got plastered by Neil. The ensuing fight wasn’t all that big — Slater and Ruutu dropped the gloves during the dogpile behind the Thrashers net. The ending was more than predictable.

By Star of the Zanarkand Abes!

December 16, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this

Dan Kamal made it seem like Slates all but killed Ruutu ;)

Still hate missing the game; thanks for the update :D

By Star of the Zanarkand Abes!

December 16, 2008 9:32 PM | Link to this

THREE-NOTHING ATLANTA!!!

2 GOALS IN SECONDS!!!

WHY ISN’T THIS GAME ON TV???!!! :D

By Alan

December 16, 2008 9:35 PM | Link to this

Thrashers are now up 3-0 on two Armstrong goals.

By Jared

December 16, 2008 9:40 PM | Link to this

Well, Slater has several good licks in… Ruutu got about 20 in if that clears things up. Let’s go Pavs. Get the shutout.

By Star of the Zanarkand Abes!

December 16, 2008 9:51 PM | Link to this

Oh, dear…

By sisu

December 16, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this

Jared, thanks for the jinx!!!!

The reason for no TV is the contract VS has with the NHL. Tuesday is hockey night so all other games are not shown…

By Ondrej Pavelec

December 16, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this

How do you like me now?!

By Alan

December 16, 2008 10:10 PM | Link to this

Well, 4-1 is the final. Pavs locked it down, and had no way of stopping the lone Sens goal. White had an empty netter at the end.

By Jared

December 16, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this

And wouldn’t you know it? I jinx the kid. I apologize folks :-P

By Steely Dan

December 16, 2008 10:14 PM | Link to this

Price for Center Ice Package needed to watch the Thrashers eat Ottawa 4-1: $169

Price for the large pepperoni pizza consumed while watching the game: $12

A whole blog stenDICK-free blog because the Pavs played so damn well: PRICELESS!

By Steely Dan

December 16, 2008 10:15 PM | Link to this

DAMMIT JARED!

By Brendan

December 16, 2008 10:19 PM | Link to this

Turning point in the game?? Chris Neil’s hit on Bryan Little drew the mettle of the Thrashers. Slater wound up defending his honor, but Valabik wanted to go with Neil. It never happened, though. Colby Armstrong stepped up with two (2) goals. Remember what Rawhide said: “Atlanta beats the teams that they should beat, but lose to the rest.” Or words to this effect.

This was a satisfying win. I don’t know what I like the most: Pavelec’s near shutout or Dany Heatley misconduct late in the 3rd period. He’s got to be embarrassed. Ottawa desperately needed this game. Tomorrow’s OTTAWA SUN and OTTAWA CITIZEN are going to rip the hometown Senators a new one. It’s inexcuseable to lose, 4-1, to the Thrashers, at home. But far worse that the outcome of the game, was the MANNER in which the Senators lost. They lost puck battles. They lost positional play. They lost … on special teams. Atlanta potted two (2) PPGs. For an anemic PP, it sure produced tonight.

See Smoothie, my “optimism” was rewarded tonight. I told ya we could come away with at least a point.

By stendec

December 16, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this

Heart aches that Pavs lost shoutout with just over a minute to play. To be exact: 1:29. Ilya “Bags are Packed” Kovalchuk continues to do his best Invisible Man impersonation! Offense did not set ice on fire but was able to build a 3-0 lead against a completely disinterested uncompetitive Sen bunch. These guys have holidays on their minds already! Looked almost as listless as Toiltlids on most nights. Almost! Hey, as Michael Freebird Hayes used to say, a win is a win is a win. These losers need all the wins they can get. Whenever they can get them! Congratulations. The losing streak is over! Maybe it is time to start a streak going the OTHER way. Please keep Pavs in net!

By Brendan

December 16, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this

Amazing. How does a poster get applause by being absent?

By Hockeyfan

December 16, 2008 10:36 PM | Link to this

Hey Mike so Reasoner is being demoted back to the 4th line…

By Steely Dan

December 16, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this

Hey, as Michael Freebird Hayes used to say, a win is a win is a win.

That explains everything, stendec is a wrestling fan. What a joke!

By Nikita

December 16, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this

Nice win. Unfortunately, I only got to hear/watch about 2/3rds of it.

*Dany Heatley misconduct late in the 3rd period. *

What was this? Roughing and smack-talking a ref?

By kracker

December 16, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this

To quote the late Skip Carey: “Win, win, win.” (talking about those horrendous Braves teams of the late 80’s following an infrequent winning game)

By Alan

December 16, 2008 10:58 PM | Link to this

Atlanta potted two (2) PPGs. For an anemic PP, it sure produced tonight.

Three PPGs.

By Alan

December 16, 2008 11:08 PM | Link to this

Nikita - He got sent to the box for roughing and unsportsmanlike. He mouthed off to the ref, so they sent him packing.

By The Pizza Line

December 16, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this

We’re still out to lunch.

By Dany Heatley

December 16, 2008 11:29 PM | Link to this

I’m still a whining b!tch.

TRADE ME NOW

By Brendan

December 16, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this

The Thrashers worked the outer perimeter, hard, before working it down low, in the corner, then finally finding the man in the slot, paying the allmighty price of that “high-rent” district, on our 3rd Power Play goal. Gerber had no chance. Excellent Power Play concept.

:)

Should empty-net goals count as PPG’s? Well, thank goodness, they do! I stand corrected. Three Power Play goals.

By nfieldr

December 17, 2008 12:20 AM | Link to this

@ sisu The reason for no TV is the contract VS has with the NHL. Tuesday is hockey night so all other games are not shown…

Not true, sisu… there are a bunch of games being b’cast tonight by local media, including Stars / Coyotes on FSN Arizona (my “local” feed here in NM).

By Nikita

December 17, 2008 12:22 AM | Link to this

Also, the PK did fine tonight. Altogether, it went fairly well.

Good: 1. Nice to see the 3rd line and special teams clicking. 2. Colby frickin’ Armstrong! 3. Tonight showed fairly balanced lines.

Not so good: 1. The team took a while to find its groove, and had too few shots in the first. 2. A few players ended up negative, and that’s just b******. 3. Still too many sloppy passes, and a better team will stuff them down our throats.

In the immortal words of AC/DC, it’s a long way to the top if you want to rock & roll. The win tonight was nice, mostly clean, and totally repeatable/textbook. It also got us halfway to unseating the next team up the standings. 3/4ths of a season remain.

Also, Atlanta needs to go all out with the effort every night, not just tonight. A really good team can and should choose to play the scrubs or hold up when they’re against a team that can’t hang — but we’re not a really good team, and we can’t afford that discretion/laziness. I’m getting annoyed with Atlanta playing like gentlement, amassing small leads and concentrating on preserving them instead of running up the board. We can do that later — but now we should concentrate on winning out of the gate and putting enough points up to make a comeback difficult.

By nfieldr

December 17, 2008 12:23 AM | Link to this

Someone earlier, Brenden maybe, said that the turning point of the game was the hit on Little. I actually thought that the Thrashers played a fairly solid 1st period. I do think that hit on Little probably helped the team retain their focus a little more than usual.

By nfieldr

December 17, 2008 12:24 AM | Link to this

Sorry Brendan… misspelled your name in my other post

By Brendan

December 17, 2008 1:06 AM | Link to this

No worries, Nfieldr. It was important, in that 1st period, to get the first goal. Mission accomplished. Dave Reid, of “On the Fly,” didn’t crucify the Thrashers as much as usual. He got in a few jabs about Atlanta being 29th defensively and averaging 4 goals a game over the last 13. They just love that sort of thing at “On the Fly.” Reid mostly targeted Jason Spezza for his criticism, claiming Spezza doesn’t shoot the puck enough. And that when playing a team as bad as Atlanta, you’ve got to pepper them with 40-45 shots, and you’ll get your 4 goals against them.

Hmmn. Oddly enough, Reid does, actually, have a point there. Ottawa only has 67 goals on the season. With the players they have, that’s truly surprising.

By Jim

December 17, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this

About time that we played as a TEAM. The PP looked good as players rotated positions freely and used a little imagination. Kovy is the best passer on the team.(Stendec- you obviously didn’t see the game). Why is Army on the power play all the time stationed ala Holmstrom right in front of the goalie? The guy appears to be fearless there. No wheels/Bonehead X didn’t do us too much damage tonight. Good win.

By Rockem Sockem Thrasher

December 17, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this

Wow what a game. I have to say that I really enjoyed watching last night’s game.

I realize that it was against a struggling team but I saw something different about last night’s game. Once the 2nd period started I kept waiting for the Thrash to collapse., but it didn’t happen. I kept waiting for the mood to visibly change from one of cautious optimism to one accepted defeat, but it didn’t happen.

The team kept the pressure up, responded to a increased energy from the Sens and defended fellow teammates.

This is the kind of team I think Coach Anderson is trying to develop. I hope it carries over.

Go Thrash!

By Sara

December 17, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

stendec you just cannot let a game go by without finding something to complain about can you? Ilya “Bags Are Packed” Kovalchuk had two assists on the night and a couple of fantastic defensive plays in the third period, including lifting Spezza’s stick at the last moment before he took a point-blank shot from just outside the circle.

nfieldr Sisu is most likely correct about the VS contract. Before the season begins, VS goes through all the Tues night games and picks a couple each Tues night that they might want to broadcast. Considering OTT is usually a very good team, it’s quite likely they had originally optioned this game. Once VS options the game, no one in the US gets to air the game - which is why we got a Canadian feed but no local feed. It’s also why some games get broadcast locally and others don’t. It happened several times to the Thrashers last year. That said, SportsSouth only broadcasts I think it’s 61 games a year, and they typically back-load the broadcast schedule (which makes sense….if your team is actually competing for a play-off spot - the end of the season usually matters more to you than the beginning).

It was a good game and a good effort. I can’t really find it in me to laugh at Ottawa’s woes (surprisingly) since the faces on their bench last night looked a lot like the ones we’ve seen on the Thrasher bench lately.

Funny - they looked a LOT like the Thrashers last night all the way around and that team is loaded with talent on the front and back-ends. Unquestionable top-line talent even. Huh, it’s almost as if winning really isn’t all about talent alone.

By B. Thenet

December 17, 2008 8:25 AM | Link to this

After the Boston debacle, it was a very strong effort in all facets of the game.

Lets see how much carry over they get on Thursday.

By Rockem Sockem Thrasher

December 17, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this

Sara very good point about talent. I think the Thrash have been under preforming this year.

Paves’ save against Heatlety in the middle of the 2nd period was amazing.

This is the only time I will ever mention Stendec. I understand this is an open forum for discussion of the Atlanta Thrashers. As a fan of the Thrash I come here to talk about my hockey team. Negative comments come with the territory (especially considering how the Thrash are doing). I find that Stendec of little to offer. I bet that Stendec enjoys the response more than the team. The more outrageous the comment the more responses he gets. JUST IGNORE HIM

By george

December 17, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this

I would love to see Little back on that first line on the wing!