AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 07
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Bring Out Your Dead (CLANG)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD…(CLANG)!
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD…(CLANG)!
I’m sure your all familiar with this scene from Monty Python’s Holy Grail. The one where the Cart Master is collecting the dead during the Black Plague and a “customer” looks to take advantage of the situation, ridding himself of an old man. Only thing is that he isn’t quite dead yet and doesn’t want to go.
“Here’s one”, says the customer. “Nine pence”, replies the Cart Master. “I’m not dead yet”, begs the old man.
If you haven’t seen this, it’s a classic. Hysterical.
“Ere, he says he’s not dead”, objects the Cart Master. “Yes he is”, responds the customer. “I’m not”, cries the old man. Cart Master, “He isn’t”? Customer, “Well, he will be soon. He’s very ill”.
Then the old man insists, “I’m getting better”!
“I’m getting better”. The Atlanta Thrashers, who began the year winless in their first six, can sympathize with the old man in the second scene of this very funny flick, lying across the shoulders of one who can’t wait to toss him on the death wagon and have him carted away. There were so many who seemed ready to bury the Thrashers after those six games. Division foes, northeastern hockey elitists, writers, and even a handful of bloggers had the team draped over their backs and ready to give ‘em the heave-ho.
The customer then goes on, “No your not! You’ll be stone dead in a moment”. The Cart Master protests, “Oh, I can’t take him like that. It’s against regulations”. Old man, “I don’t want to go on the cart”.
Apparently, the Thrashers weren’t ready to go on the cart either. But after winning their first game of the season they reverted to form by getting drilled in Tampa 6-2 to start the road trip. At that point the standard consensus was that this team had, indeed “assumed room temperature”.
Yes, some were of the mind that the Thrashers had, to paraphrase another Monty Python scene, passed on! This team is no more! It has ceased to be! It has expired and gone to meet its maker! It is stiff! Bereft of life, they rest in peace! … Pushing up the daisies! Its metabolic processes are now history! It’s off the twig! The team had kicked the bucket, its shuffled off it’s mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible! This is an ex-parrot…or ex-contending team…or…oh, you get the point.
But unlike the parrot in that skit which had “kicked the oxygen habit”, the Thrasher are indeed alive. Fresh off two stunning come from behind efforts in Ottawa and Tampa, the team returned to the comfy confines of Blueland and worked a 2-1 overtime victory against the Capitols. It took another goal from Kovy, (7 in the past 3 games). But when he went down in the second the defense and goaltending took over the show from there. The Caps had taken 16 shots in the first period but managed only that same number in the last two periods, none in OT. The Thrashers launched 23 shots after the first and won the game via White’s goal on the second shot of extra time. (Rstroz then promptly fainted in section 210).
Where life was breathed into this team last week with offense, it was continued last night by way of a defensive stand, and it could not have come at a better time. They have now vaulted from the cellar to third place in the division and tied for 11th in the conference, a scant 3 points out of the 8th position.
The Thrashers are now 6-9-0, winners of 4 of it’s last 5 and 6 of it’s last 9.
Sparking life into the team is none other then the afore mentioned Ilya Kovalchuk. The Russian Rocket had tallied hat tricks in the two straight games to end the road trip and has 13 goals and 20 points on the season. The A on his jersey has come to stand for “Astounding” or “Awesome” or “Absolutely wonder-fantabulous”!
The power play no longer resembles a four corners prevent offense. It drives the puck to the net and actually gets off shots. Where the Thrashers once sat toward the bottom of the league in production with the man advantage at 9%, it now is more respectable, 14.8% going into Tuesday’s game.
The Chicago Connection continues to contribute in big ways. The goaltending has solidified, (thanks in large part to one Mr. Pavelec). The defense, while still bending, is not breaking so much. The effort is far more acceptable then in the first two weeks of the season. The “team speed” is finally starting to pay dividends. When facing a deficit the team responds more like a spring coil, bouncing back, rather then a lawn chair folding up.
So, if the NHL Cart Master is indeed rolling through the streets of the league looking for teams that have already “circled the drain” and gone “Tango Uniform” in regards to this season, then he can pass right by and roll right down the road. He might find the carcass of a bird next door at the dome, but there isn’t one to be found at Philips.
The Thrashers are indeed, “getting better”!
