AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 29
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Words you never thought you’d hear: Sutton saves the day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When the Thrashers finally clinch this too-long-in-coming playoff berth, even if it is by a single point, we will have Andy Sutton to thank. Especially if it’s by a single point.
Believe it or not.
For all the abuse the guy has taken here and elsewhere — some of it justified, some of it excessive — he made two of the biggest plays in one of the biggest games of the season. Not only did he take the shot that Slava Kozlov deflected in for a crucial goal, but Sutton had his goalie’s back at the exact moment we needed it most.
With Johan Hedberg woefully out of position after a save and a scramble, the puck came around the back of the net (was it Sundin?) and was surely headed for an easy wraparound goal. But Sutton flashed through the crease and got his stick in the way, knocking the puck aside right at the goal line.
Without that play, this game isn’t tied after regulation … it’s a loss. And this team would be sitting in the dressing room right now scratching their heads and wondering just how fast a ship can sink.
Instead, Kozlov plays the hero — AGAIN — in overtime for the two points that should virtually do it for us. At 91 points, six up on the ninth-place Leafs … we should feel a lot better about things than we would have otherwise.
Sutton was the hero of the moment, but Kozlov is fast becoming the hero of the season. For their superior numbers and far superior skills, Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa have not even combined for the number of absolute clutch goals Kozlov has scored this season — not only in regulation, but in shootouts. His poise is among the top three reasons this team is in the position it’s in. (I couldn’t tell you the other two without thinking about it for a minute, but I’m sure there have to be two other good reasons.)
The power play actually played with some purpose tonight, moving the puck well and getting off good shots. The physicality was tremendous, with bodies flying and Leafs hitting the ice with regularity. And Ilya really laid a lick on the door frame at the Thrashers benche. Ouch. That friggin’ hurts, dude, running into a door frame. One aspect of Ilya’s game that has been very, very underappreciated is his toughness. He is not a pansy sniper by any means. Since he hasn’t been scoring, I was happy to see him looking for other ways to contribute tonight.
Before I let you guys take the floor, I just want to give a shout out to the dude who kept standing up with his cellphone and waving to the TV cameras: Yeah, we see you, Dillhole. We see you! We see you! We see you! What are you … f’ing 3 years old?! We see you for Christsakes. You’re at the hockey game and you’ve got a cellphone. That’s tremendous. Guess you can die now. In fact, feel free.
