AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 08
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Thrasher Get Into The Christmas Spirit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are 16 more shopping days until Christmas and the Thrashers got into the giving spirit while visiting Washington D.C. Saturday night. The Capitals received gift-wrapped opportunities packaged as bad clearing passes off of Atlanta defenders sticks as well as Kari Lehtonen’s. There were even stocking stuffers in the form of Ken Klee screening Kari on a shot that ended up in the net and even one that saw Jim Slater barreling over Lehtonen on another. I’m sure the Caps won’t be rushing to return all of those gifts!
In all honesty, that was just an un-good game played by the Thrashers all around, and credit the Capitals for…well…capitalizing on chances afforded them. But what does stand out is the fact that Kari let in 6 goals in a game that the defense allowed only 27 shots to get through to him. (In fact, the sixth goal was scored on Washington’s 22nd shot of the game). It’s a shame to waste a game that sees the Thrashers give up fewer than 30 shots since they are as rare as straight talk and honesty in the nation’s capital.
In my viewpoint, the last two goals surrendered were the one’s of most concern. The last goal of the second originated from the Atlanta net-minder’s poor attempt at clearing the zone and the last goal, scored in the final period, was clearly due to a focusing faux-pas as he looked outmatch by a shot from his left. Given the late game goals by the Thrashers, the final few minutes could have been somewhat more exciting if those did not occur.
But then again, as my grandpa would say, “Were ifs and buts candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas”.
If you’re trying to keep thing in perspective, however, the team is 3-1-1 in the first 5 of December’s 16 games. If that pace were to continue it would put the Thrashers at 21 points for the month going into the game on New Year’s Eve. Also, lost in Saturday night’s pounding on the Potomac were Todd White’s 2-goal performance and Ilya Kovalchuk’s 2 assists. Kovy’s points are his 39th and 40th of the season putting him on a pace for 113. White’s goals tie him with Slava Kozlov for third most on the team at eight.
Atlanta will enjoy three days off before playing 7 games in 12 days leading into Christmas. Let’s hope their seasonal generosity has ended and the defense starts looking more like Ebenezer Scrooge and the goaltending returns to a more Grinch-like demeanor.
Wave THAT Off, Ref!!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When Slava Kozlov rocketed a shot from just beyond the left circle that zipped over the shoulder of Stephen Valiquette I, along with the rest of the throng at Blueland, leapt to my feet in jubilation. But before I landed the following words flew out of my mouth:
“WAVE THAT OFF YOU MORON REF”!!
Something tells me Slava and the rest of the Thrasher bench at least thought the same thing after Marian Hossa’s goal mid way through the 3rd period was waved off by the official. Apparently he had deemed that the Ranger goalie had covered the puck and, thus, blew the play dead. The crowd, ever so politely and softly expressed their disagreement with the refs decision with a chant of “We Respectfully Disagree…. We Respectfully Disagree…We Respectfully Disagree…”!!
Yeah, RIGHT!! The reaction was similar to a few weeks ago when the refs made an atrocious call against Hossa, one that seemed to light a spark in the team as it then went on to win in come-from-behind fashion. I guess sometimes it just takes a good ticking off by the refs to get the team going!
What was extra-special about the 4-2 win were the contributions coming from the lower lines. Eric Boulton took a through pass from Jimmy Slater for the game’s opening goal. Pascal You-Me-And Dupuis ties the game in the second at 2-2 with his second goal in as many games. Slates finished with two assist and of course Kozy’s winner with assists from Bobby Holik and Chris Thorburn. Thank goodness they stepped up tonight because that slacker Ilya Kovalchuk… I mean geez…he’s gone, what, a WHOLE GAME without a goal? Someone’s gonna have to take him aside and wake him up!
The win put Atlanta back into second place in the Southeast division and, coupled with an Islanders loss, placed them in the 10th spot in the conference just a point shy of Toronto and Pittsburgh. A win tomorrow combined with losses by those two teams would catapult the Thrashers back above the post-season cutoff line in the 8th slot in the conference standings. However, and more importantly, a win and a Carolina loss on Saturday would put the Boys of Blueland…. brace yourself…two points off the division lead with a game in hand.
I’ll pause for a moment to let that sink in.
(Cheesy Intermission Music)…
Ok, you back with me here? Good.
The Thrashers are indeed on a roll right now having earned 7 of a possible 8 points in the month of December as they jet off to D.C. with an appointment with the Capitals who are dead last in the conference…strike that…dead last in the league. In fact, coming into the game, the Cap’s point total of 20 is lower then the approval ratings of Congress, (22.5% according to realclearpolitics.com’s average of all such polls). If you’re doing worse the politicians in Washington these days, things are not going well at all! So, there are two big, fat juicy points hanging low on the point tree just waiting to be picked!
Great game last night…made even better by meeting the likes of JSmooth, Rone, FormerIslesFan and Buzilla, (with fiancee along-side). Zilla…. I’m telling you, you are marrying WAY over your head! But then again, all of us of the male persuasion can say that!
