AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 31
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Off The Air But Right On Target
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Thrashers hit the ice with a jump in their skates more lively then the ricochet action of the new dasher boards in The Bell Centre. The Thrashers actually out shot Montreal 13-2, (not a typo), in the first period and out shot The Canadiens 33-29 in regulation. After falling behind on Kovalev’s power play goal at 8:10 of the second on just Montreal’s fifth shot, the team could have hung their collective heads. Instead, they just kept attacking, keeping the shots coming like bad pick-up lines at a singles bar.
Once Eric Perrin tied the score at the 16:16 mark of the second, Slava Kozlov followed it up 57 seconds later. After stealing an errant pass in Montreal’s zone he slashed between the circles and beat Carey Price like a bowl of egg whites.
Finally, after allowing a power play goal with under two minutes to tie the game, the deal was sealed in the shootout with goals by Ilya Kovalchuk and Little.
So now the Thrashers are now 3-0-0 in games not aired locally in Atlanta.
Too bad, because unless you have the Center Ice Package, you missed a well played game Tuesday night that ended with the Thrashers sitting at 3-2 on The Great Trip-A-Paloosa of ’07 and 4-2 since Don Waddell stepped behind the bench. It also lifted Atlanta out of the Eastern Conference cellar, (again, not a typo), and a scant three points out the eighth playoff position, (wait, let me check that,….nope, not a typo).
Atlanta now rolls into Ottawa on a two game win streak and winners of 3 of the last 4. Equally as impressive is the fact that they have not allowed an equal strength goal in the past two games.
Other items of note:
The Thrashers are undefeated in Canada so far this year. They will put that on the line Thursday.
They are also undefeated in shootouts thus far.
Better then that however, they are now 3-0-0 in games preceded by a Puckjunque prayer.
Kozy has 3 goals in the last two games as well as last week’s shootout goal. Nice to have him up to speed.
Great goaltending on both ends of the ice, Tuesday. That could have been a 5-4 game easily.
Klee and XLB, who have been the subject of great wailing and gnashing of teeth in these parts, both had strong games. Niclas Havelid, while not stellar, was a +2.
I thought Hossa played well. He had eight shots on net, was a +1, and took over on the 5-3 penalty kills.
Tobias Enstrom, (excuse me, to-BEE-us Enstrom, as the TSN announcer called him), again logged the most ice time with 27:33. Just wind this kid up and watch him go.
On to Ottawa now for the Thrashers before a pit stop back home to collect some fresh underwear on the way to Tampa. Of course, if they keep winning, maybe they shouldn’t change anything.
OK, guys,…after an EEE-GREEE-GEOUS typo on my part was pointed out, I’ve revised the post to correctly credit Little with the shootout goal. I was just making sure everyone was awake out there :o)
