AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > December > 27 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThrashers Get Lump of Coal from Columbus
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m Getting’ Nuttin’ For Christmas
OK, so it wasn’t on Christmas, but the day after, that the Atlanta Thrashers got nothing in Columbus as they lost to the Blue Jackets 2-0. It was the seventh time Atlanta has laid a goose egg on the scoreboard this season so far. On the other side of the ice, it was the seventh time Pascal Leclaire has posted a shut out. Both stats lead the NHL.
Columbus’ defense did a great job playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, locking down the Thrashers offense, and then sending them away with a lump of coal in their blue stockings. There were no breakaways for Atlanta all night and they were able to only get away 21 shots on goal. Ilya Kovalchuk was held without a shot for the first 43-1/2 minutes, finishing with only 2. To properly illustrate how well the Blue Jackets shut down our attack, tied with Marian Hossa for most SOGs for the visiting Thrashers with 4 was none other than Alexei Zhitnik. Folks, he has played much better defense of late, but when #77 takes 38% of your shots, things are just un-good!
Really about the only highlight the Thrashers provided for us Bluelanders came half way through the second period. Jari Novotny was attempting a pass during a breakaway as he skated through center ice when his stick crumbled much like I did attempting to ask Debbie Hesslefielder out on a date in the 11th grade. Only seconds before that same stick had been used to block a Kovalchuck shot from the point and it was severely damaged. Interesting way to stop a fast break, eh?.
It would be a stretch to pin this loss of Kari Lehtonen as he stopped 26 of 28 shots he faced, (a .929 SV%). After all, it was his fifth straight game that he let up only 2 goals. How can he be praised for playing great during a 6-2 win, called “outstanding” in four consecutive 3-2 wins, but be lambasted for a 2-0 loss. If Kari posts a 2.00 GA/A from this point on, we will be in the playoffs. If not, it won’t be his fault.
The loss in Columbus was due to the Blue Jackets’ playing great team defense and our offense not being able to do anything about it. Period.
Time to move on…
Panther Swing Into Philips
Tonight the Florida Panthers invade Philips. The winner will be a scant 2 points off the pace behind division front-runner Carolina, (a 4-2 loser to the Rangers last night). Now, there really isn’t anything spectacular about Florida…average amount of goals allowed, 22nd in the league in goals scored per game, penalty kill is midland, their power play is good at 20.6%, and it come as little surprise that their leading scorer is Olli Jokinen who’s 19 goals and 37 points has him at 21st in the league. But the Panthers are one of those teams that seem to just hang around in the standing. Let ‘em do so long enough and it could be troublesome.
Tough to call any game a “swing” game in late December, however, as I stated above, the winner tonight will sit in sole possession of second in the division and, depending how other games result, could be in a tie with Buffalo for 7th place in the conference. Conversely, the loser will find themselves with two teams to climb over for the division lead and possibly in 13th place in the conference should the Flyers beat Toronto.
That’s a bit of a swing I would say.
Seeing Double
If you take a gander at the up-coming schedule, you’ll be seeing double. And that’s BEFORE your first New Years Eve cocktail. A game Saturday night against the Boston Bruins is followed up Monday afternoon with one in Boston. Then there is a game on the second day of January in Carolina followed up two nights later with the Hurricanes in Philips. Fast-forward a couple of weeks and you’ll see two straight games against the Rangers in MSG just prior to the All-Star break.
Umm…seriously Occifer…I haven’t been drinking…hic…I was just looking at the Thrashers sche…burp….uh, schedule.
Post-Post Edit: Zhitnik’s four shots on goal amount to about 19% of the team total. 38% would be counting Hossa’s as well.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By J
December 27, 2007 9:53 AM | Link to this
Starting today the Thrashers play every other night for the next 17 days. With 7 of those 9 games at home. There is no reason we cannot come out of this 6-2-1…at worst.
Is Moose gonna get the start tonight?
By Russian
December 27, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this
I think Kari will start again today. It was not his fault yesturday. He was playing OK. Today game is MUST win. But it will be very difficult, because we got game last night and Florida got rest after Christmas Coctail. If we are going to win it will be OT or SO, Score will be 3:2. If we are goign to lose it will be another Goose Egg. :-(
By Debbie Hesslefielder
December 27, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this
OOohhhh Rawhide, I knew it was only a matter of time before you stopped talking about about the Thrashers and Knights and moved on to the old Flames.
By tom p
December 27, 2007 11:35 AM | Link to this
4 shots out out of 21 is about 19%
By tom p
December 27, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this
4 shots out of 21 is about 19%
By Thrasher Ryan
December 27, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this
By Thrasher Ryan
December 24, 2007 3:26 AM | Link to this
Be careful of Columbus game. Some would call it a “trap game”. Columbus has not been playing very well as of late… The boys of blueland better not get caught sleeping.
Well now, I tried to warn you…
By Brian
December 27, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this
Thrasher Ryan - I was thinking that last night (of course after seeing the results, not before hand). I was going to put some quirky comment like “I thought the trap was dead” but I see you did something before hand. Kudos…
By Thrasher Ryan
December 27, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this
Brian-Yeah we’ll see if my Slater goal prediction for tonight pans out…
Also, what did you think of the line of Kovalchuk-Slater-Thorburn that DW put out there for a shift in the 3rd? Even Kamal on the radio broadcast kind of giggled and said “that line has some potential”!
By Thrasher Ryan
December 27, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this
Tonight, the passing will be more “crisp”. The sticks will be more accurate. The goaltender Lehtonen will be more focused. This is “our house”. We don’t wave the white flag in “our house”. Looking forward to an action-packed evening concluding with a 4-3 Thrashers win!
By puckjunque
December 27, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this
Okay Everyone, we need the Amens today!!
Bow your heads, hands joined on keyboards
Oh Heavenly Father, Thank you for listening to our prayers and for the many ways you have helped the Thrashers. Please help them stay focused and driven to win tonight. Please give them the engery and confidence to score early and hold the lead so they can kick the panthers a$$! AMEN!!
By Thrasher Ryan
December 27, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this
Amen that! Score early and hold it!
By Nix
December 27, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this
Amen, PJ!
Let’s go, Thrashers!
By Brian
December 27, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this
Thrasher Ryan - after watching Slater on the 4th, I would like to see him become a Matthew Barnaby type (back in his Sabre days when he was at his peak), not going to score a lot but can totally get under anyone’s skin, and make the occasional big goal when no one expects it. He’s not going to do that with Kovy though. Who knows, maybe all his fast skating & passing and lack of goals can be a fit for Kovy, but I have my doubts.
By Rawhide
December 27, 2007 2:36 PM | Link to this
A-FREAKIN’-MEN!!! Thanks, PJ!!!!
Now let’s PUMMELL the Pant-turds!
TOM P - Your math is correct. 38% would be with his shots and Hossa’s combined. My error, thanks for bringing it to light! I’ve made a notation above.
By Jsmooth
December 27, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this
TRyan, I hope you are right. I am broke after the holidays and can’t spend much money before payday. Thus, I would appreciate it if Le Thrash would be kind enough to provide some excitement in my living room tonite! I would prefer to not doze off during the second period.
My prediction: IF, a big if I know, we get more than 27 shots, we will win this game. 30 would be nice but I’m trying to be realistic AND positive. Keep Kari between pipes too…build that confidence!
By Rawhide
December 27, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this
JSmooooooth - Taking 30 shots would be nice. However, it should be noted that in 3 of the last 4 games, the Thrashers have held their opponents to 30 shots or less.
If this trend continues, the outcome will be favorable more nights then not.
By Shannon
December 27, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this
Go Thrashers!
By J
December 27, 2007 4:16 PM | Link to this
I think Kari has the confidence after last week. Let moose get a game. Kari can play in the next 8 - they’ve all got a day off in between em. Maybe they’ll give Kari Jan 2 off, he’ll probably still be hungover from the Peachtree Tavern.
By fanfan
December 27, 2007 4:58 PM | Link to this
Let’s face it. Average, maybe better than average. Maybe pass 1st playoff round.
By Jsmooth
December 27, 2007 10:42 PM | Link to this
RH — big ooops on the predictions! Damn statistics…damn lies and mendacity!!
On the 3rd day of Christmas, my true Blue gave to me…another losing streak of 1, 2, three??
On Sat, a win is a must…please someone summon Johan Christian Hedberg…we need a turnicate!
By Rawhide
December 27, 2007 11:02 PM | Link to this
Actually, Smoothie, the tourniquet to stop the bleeding is finding a way to score before the 3rd period.
It took 29 shots to finally get through Vokoun, then we scored 2 more on the next 11.
But read between the lines there….we took 41 shots! Hossa had 7 of ‘em…not trying to cite “moral victories” as there really are no such things in this league, but that is encouraging.
Kari,….first sub-par game since the Toronto loss, but even at that, only the second was truely aweful!
That being said, your observation that Saturday is a BIG game is spot-on!!!
By Smoothie
December 27, 2007 11:23 PM | Link to this
RH — thanks for the spelling correction…I should know that one as I studied French in high school! Oh wait, I went to public school.
There were definitely some signs of life in the 2nd and 3rd but another “sleepy” start doomed us again. Does this team not realize they are much better with the lead at the end of one period???
When is Hossa going to start finding the back of the net frequently?? He is getting a ton of good looks but they just won’t go in for him. If he can catch fire at the same time as Kovy, perhaps we can actually win 6 or 7 straight.
Nah, what substance have I been inhaling to make me think that??
G’night!
By stendec
December 28, 2007 12:01 AM | Link to this
From the mouth of Sori Letemin: “I think all of (the four goals) hit somewhere.” (You think? How about in back of the damn net behind you!). Some Thrasher fans may take solace from “moral” victories but not this one. The starting netminder allowed one legit goal and three soft ones (sorry, Rawhide). Every time home team mounted comeback KL allowed whoops tallies! Thrasher goalie surrendered goal every seven shots. EVERY SEVEN SHOTS! Believe Florida netminder allowed goal every 14 or so shots. BIG DAMN DIFFERENCE! Thrashers were thwarted on breakaways, odd-man rushes and point blank blasts. KL cries about deflections? What is wromg with THIS picture. Just admit you went bellyup KL! Many more nights like this to come will make ir painfully obvious. Oh yeah, I believe one goal DID deflect in off DeA++hole Hall who was out of position. AGAIN!
By Pucksdeep
December 28, 2007 12:31 AM | Link to this
I have to agree with Stendac. Kari was just sorry tonight. 3 of those goals were absolute garbage. Moose was penciled and apparently scratched last minute as he was the one anounced in during pre-game. Guess DW would like to make that call over again. Then again, who could have predicted that Kari would go belly up tonight after a few relative stellar performances of late? Let’s face it, we knew it would happen b/c that’s just Kari, we just didn’t know when. Florida didn’t appear to do anything too flashy (outside of goaltending, of course) but Kari simply did not keep us in the game, period. It doesn’t help that again we wait until the 3rd to kick it up a notch or two. WTH?
If Ilya could have played between the pipes, as well as school everyone out there on how to score a breakaway goal, he would’ve. That man is unbelievable. Too me there may be nothing more exciting than a shorthanded goal and that one was stunning. It was a one man show tonight. Nice work, Ilya.
G’night Blueland.
By mr.mike
December 28, 2007 9:40 AM | Link to this
Good morning all. LONG time hockey fan(since Flyers in ‘87-88) and LONG time blog-reader; but no prior posting history. I’ve greatly enjoyed contributions from Rawhide, Ranallo, GaVaHokie, Brendan(kudos on the Montreal & Quebec City posts), Brian, various Bobs, Stendec, et.al. A couple of almost mid-year observations: -Lehtonen is just truly dismal between the pipes. The team seems(like last night) to visibly de-moralize after Kovy’s 29th & the Kari lets in another soft one. This has happened over & over this season. Clearly; Moose should have been put in after the soft Panther goal following Kovy’s 29th. Kari’s “let-in” goal to Stael(sp?) was pathetic also. -Recchi’s positioning on the power play has been a thing of beauty; hope others(Hoss & Kozlov) pay a bit of attention. I guess with 1300 or so games under his belt, he knows something about this game; but Recchi just seems to always be in the right spot on the ice. -Kovy has got to be in the top 2-3 offensive spots in the NHL. What a joy to watch his effort & maturity/growth this season. -Much better recent effort by Havelid & Zhit. If Hoss has to go; we still need a legit #1 blue-liner; but things seem to be improving(although the 2nd goal in the Columbus game was strictly Klee’s fault; can’t knock Kari for that one). Sorry for the long “first-time” post; I’ll do better next time, I promise. Let’s take 2 from the Bruins!!
By Brian
December 28, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this
mr.mike - I completely agree wtih you that it was disappointing to let in that goal right when we pulled within one. However, especially given the Col Blue Jax game the night earlier, I thought Kari did pretty well over this stretch. I have called off my plea for Pavelec for the time being.
Great observations on Recchi. All very true. One comment that I completely disagree with you on though - let’s take 4 from the Bruins, it’s a home-and-home series…
By Rawhide
December 28, 2007 10:14 AM | Link to this
Mr. Mike - Hey there, and welcome! Thanks for stepped out of the shadows and joining the bloggers!!! I’m glad you enjoy this blog and hope that you contribute more!
BTW, I think I saw a Shannon chime in yesterday with a “Go Thrashers”….if she is a first time poster, welcome to her as well.
Now, that being said, I think you…and many others in here…are not going to take my next post very well, but I simply ask that you consider the reasons regardless if you agree of disagree with it.
Again, welcome to the show!
And with that…
By Brian
December 28, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this
Rawhide - you referred to your next blog and ended your post with “and with that”, but I don’t see any new blog yet
By Rawhide
December 28, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this
Try again now, Brian…
By John
December 28, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this
I’m not going to jump on the beat up Kari bandwagon today. He made some phenominal saves last night.
The 2 that got by him in the first would never have happened if the ref hadn’t been out of position and if the review judges made the correct call. I have a 56” TV and never once on any replay saw where the puck was conclusivley over the goal line. You can assume that the puck might have gone over underneath or in Kari’s glove, but the call on the ice was no goal so you have to have conclusive proof that the call on the ice was incorrect and I just didn’t see it from what we were shown on TV.
The 2 he gave up in the third I’m willing to give him a pass on because they both were deflected late, just plain bad luck. There is no stopping those unless you are able to see into the future and know where they are going to go before the shot is even taken.
Overall, the game was a loss I can live with because 9 times out of 10 when they play a game with that kind of heart and intensity, they win. The key is keeping that level of play up each game.