AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 24
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Finding the Winning Formula
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two points is two points. Anyway you get ‘em is good, especially if your wearing Thrasher blue these days. It matters not that it took getting the extra point by way of the gimmick known as the shootout. Going into the Hockey Mecca of Toronto and pulling away with a win is, well, good. Here is a list of what else was good about Tuesday’s 5-4 shootout win as well as some un-good and ugly items needing to be addressed.
THE GOOD: Again, the two points of course. Also, for the first time this season the Thrashers were not, repeat, were NOT out-shot, (36-36 including overtime). In fact, the shots favored Atlanta in the first, third and OT.
Enstrom, with his first goal is also el-goodo. Not to be overlooked was his game-high 28:05 TOI and a +2. Perrin with a goal, two helpers and a +2 is way good as is White’s two-point night. Sterling teaming up with Haydar with the assists on Perrin’s goal was good to see. Our young-uns, (sob), they are growing up so fast. Winning face-offs 36-27 is also a good thing.
But the biggest “good” star is for Kovalchuk, (goal, two assists and the winning shootout tally to go with his +2 rating). Kovy continues to play at an unbelievable level. The difference tonight was that he wasn’t alone out there.
OK, sorry, but I have to…
THE UN-GOOD: While it’s nice that we held three separate leads, it’s un-good that we could not hold any of them. It didn’t come back to haunt us this time but normally it will. Getting out-shot 17-7 in the second and going 0-5 on the power play is also un-good.
I was going to put Slava Kozlov in this section, (-1), but look who showed up for the shootout, (as he normally does). Here is hoping that gives him a jump-start.
THE UGLY: Giving up a goal 13 ticks into the game on the wrap-around by Sundin is ugly, (oh, THAT’S what a top-line center can do). Allowing one just a minute-twelve into the second is also aesthetically challenged. But giving up the game-tying goal with 9.3 seconds left on the clock is the most-est ugly. (New Jersey Devils flashbacks anyone)?
This seemingly unshakable habit of allowing scores at the very beginning AND the end of periods is ugly, no… butt-ugly. Gotta get a grip on that.
There were much more good things then un-good and ugly in Toronto Tuesday night. Not surprisingly, it led to a win.
So, I guess the formula to success is G>U+U = 2 points.
