AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 09
Friday, November 9, 2007
More of The Good, The Un-Good and the Ugly
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As the Thrashers continue their current eight-game stretch against Southeast Division foes with games in Florida and home against Carolina this weekend, it’s time for another rendition of The Good, The Un-good and The Ugly.
THE GOOD:
Very Offensive: Since the end of the second period of the Ottawa game last Thursday, the Thrashers have out scored their opponents to the tune of 12-6. For those of you from Livonia, Michigan, that would be scoring twice as many as the other team.
Putting in the Overtime: The Thrashers are 3-0 in overtime games this year. Can’t get much gooder then that.
Doing the Math: The 6 wins in the past 9 games are good indeed. How good? Well, if continued on that pace for the rest of the season it would land the Thrashers at 101 points. I’d take that.
Up ‘Chuk: Ilya Kovalchuk is absolutely unconscious! Seven goals and eight points in the past three games as well as the winning shootout goal in Montreal 4 games ago will land him in the “Good” category. But that’s only because there isn’t one for Super-wonder-splindifferous. Blueland held it’s collective breath Tuesday night when he tweaked his back on a slap shot but it looks like he is good to go against the Panthers. Good, but crossing fingers.
Opie!: Ondrej Pavelec, (or Opie as he will be called here), is 2-0-0 in career starts. In those games he has faced 64 shots, stopping 59 of ‘em. He is currently boasting a 2.49 GAA and .913 SV%. I know Todd White’s game-winner in OT earning him the games first star is justified, but let’s be honest, without OP’s net-minding Tuesday night, there would not have been an overtime.
Playing the Full 20 Minutes: The Thrashers seem to have gotten a grip on that “allowing a goal early in a period and seconds before the intermission” problem. As I stated a few days ago, it is always a good thing when TV breaks for the first commercial before we give up the first goal.
Reason for the Recent Rise?: In case you were wondering, the Thrashers are 4-1 since I broke down and washed the lucky jersey, (you are welcome), and 5-1 after pre-game prayers posted by Puckjunque, (take a bow, PJ). Hey, these stats just don’t lie.
THE UN-GOOD:
Still Being Out Shot: The Thrashers still are yet to outshoot an opponent in a game. However, it’s no longer by such E-GREE-GEOUS margins as in the earlier games. Tuesday night’s OT win saw Atlanta launch 31 SOG to Washington’s 32.
When Your #2 You Have to Try Harder: Steve McCarthy’s -12 rating still tops the team, but sitting in the No. 2 spot for this dubious honor is Alexei Zhitnik with a -9. Un-good when your logging only 16 or so minutes or so a game as has been the case the past several games.
The Revolution is Will Not Be Televised: The Thrashers are 4-0 in games not televised locally. While any winning record in a given circumstance should be considered a good thing, I chose to place it with the rest of the un-good items. Now, I know the TV suits didn’t plan it this way, but they set themselves up for just such a scenario by choosing to air only three games in a ten game span. Including Friday’s game in Florida the next three are off-air as well, so I hope the streak continues. But fans not being able to watch the team on TV as their play improves, (at least the road games), is un-good.
THE UGLY:
Kovy’s Back: Not going to dwell much on this here but just the thought of Kovalchuk having back issues, especially if it becomes reoccurring, is ugly…ugly with a capitol UGH!
