AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > April > 18
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Socks and underwear
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, guys, we got socks and underwear for Christmas.
All the waiting, all the dreams, all the expectations. Finally get to open that big, shiny box.
Socks and underwear.
Thanks?
Talk about anti-climactic. This isn’t how I envisioned things going down. And the sad thing is, we can’t even blame it on inexperience. The inexperience was in the franchise, not in the personnel. We had seasoned veterans, Cup winners, pros.
I’m not going to pore over the details. We know the score. Hossa. Lehtonen. Hartley. We’ve dissected them to death over the past week. The team picked a poor time to come out of its shell. Too little, too late. They played well tonight, but it was too late.
I’m not going to lambaste anybody here. Nor am I going to give a too-quick sentimental ‘thanks for the memories.’ This will burn in overnight. The sudden withdrawal of playoff fever. Maybe the guys deserve a pat on the back, maybe now more than ever. But I’m just going to wait. Give ‘em a pat in a day or two.
We’ve got plenty of time to hash it out, beginning with your comments below and continuing until September. We’ll have what-ifs until the thunder stops. A bottomless cup of should-haves.
For now, I’ll just remember the old days when we used to say, “I just wish we’d make the playoffs.”
But next year, I want more than socks and underwear.
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In-game blog …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
END OF SECOND
Well, we had the mo’ and then we lost the mo’. This game could still go in any direction, but the Thrashers can never build on anything. Our goal was one of perseverence; Lundqvist made two great saves, but the puck popped out to de Vries, and I have no idea how he got it through all those players, but he did.
Moose should have had the Shanahan goal, but I’m not going to get down on him because he has played amazing again. A few stellar saves right before the goal kept the Thrash in it.
The Rangers do NOT want to lose this game, and I would watch for them getting a little tense if this stays close deep into the third. I know they’re in control of the series, but they DO NOT want to come back down here. It’s three days of work they’d rather not have.
I’ll say this for the Rangers, they do pass beautifully.
END OF FIRST
Well, we led for 1:19. That’s something. Friend of mine at the Garden said Thrash looked like they were standing still in the early going. The goal rejuvenated them, I think, but Lundqvist’s save on Mellanby was a bit of a deflater.
1-1 is better than 3-0. I’ll take it.
I predicted 5-2 Thrashers just to fire up my friend up there … and he responded with an IM I can’t even paraphrase here for fear of FCC violations. New Yorkers. Who needs ‘em, right?
Make sure you check out the Schultz story on Hartley.
PREGAME
Thought I’d open up a file for you guys to vent throughout the game ….Since we’re a few hours away yet, let me offer this one thought. Now, I’m not saying this is gonna happen, but sometimes … sometimes … this is what happens in a case like this: The team trailing 0-3 plays so loosely in Game 4 that it actually wins. Guys start playing for themselves, start taking some chances, play with a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude … and suddenly a few breaks go their way.
It’s happened before, that’s all I’m saying. And from the Rangers point of view, what’s the one thing they DON’T want? They don’t want to come back to Atlanta for a Game 5, so wouldn’t that be just the kind of thing that happens, the kind of ‘ugh’ moment most teams have to experience in the playoffs.
All I’m saying is: I would not be surprised to see the Thrashers win tonight.
Of course, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these guys play in street clothes with plane tickets in their back pockets, either. …
So there you have it, my official prediction: The Thrashers may or may not win tonight.
And you can take that to the bank.
