AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January > 23
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Everything Old Is New Again
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bob Hartley, (remember him)? He was the fellow that drove into the Atlanta Thrashers practice area in Duluth, Georgia on the morning of October 17 to begin his day at work. His boss, the general manager of the team, called him into his office and relieved him of his duties. It really came as little surprise to many who follow the team as it happened the day after a 4-0 loss in Philadelphia and dropped the team to 0-6-0 for the season. The Thrashers were out shot that night 33-31.
It was the second consecutive shutout on the road as the week before Atlanta had been embarrassed 6-0 in Buffalo. That night the goalies faced a total of 28 shots while the Thrasher’s offense took 20 of their own.
The team had been outscored 10-0 in two straight road games being out shot 61-51 in the process.
Bob Hartley…the man who coached this team to it’s first ever playoff birth by way of a Southeast Division championship…the man who stood behind the bench at the highest point in the teams history….was told he was no longer required to fill out his contractual obligations as head coach because, among other things, the team was not playing up to the level that was expected.
I, along with so many of you, said “good-bye”, to Coach Bob. “Good luck and God bless”.
Since that time, the Thrasher won their first game of the 2007-‘08 season and even got to the break-even point by Thanksgiving. They then plugged their way back into playoff viability by New Years and started creeping up on division leading Carolina. Then, last Tuesday they notched a 5-1 win in Detroit…a game that all but matched the elation felt last April 6 when a 4-1 win against the Hurricanes gave Atlanta the division crown.
However…
The Thrashers in the past eight games are 2-4-2 including 0-3-1 in their past four. While that isn’t exactly 0-6-0 it comes mighty close. And it’s not just THAT they have lost in a much as HOW they lost. No fight, no passion, no rhythm, no fire, no desire, no __ (fill in needed item to compete in a hockey game).
There’s more…
In Hartley’s last three road games as coach of the Thrashers the team was out scored 15-2. Now, in the last TWO road games, the team has been outscored 14-1.
There’s still more…
Not only is Atlanta 0-2-0 in their past two road games, outscored 14-1…in doing so they have been out shot, (hold on to your seat here)…88-38. That is correct, the Thrashers have been out shot by 50 in the past two road games.
Not done yet…
Tuesday night in New York the Thrashers were out shot 39-14. That’s right…14 shots on goals.
What? Are you kidding me? An NHL franchise in the post-lockout era took four-FREAKIN’-teen shots on goal!?!? The Rangers took 14 shots in the second period alone….after they had taken 16 in the first. They had 30 SOG in 40 minutes, more then double what Atlanta could muster in 60!
Did that ever happen to a Bob Hartley Thrashers team??
Had ANY Thrashers team let up 49 shots to anyone prior to last Friday night???
I didn’t think so.
Last October following Bob Hartley’s firing, I indicated that I would hold off judgment as to whether or not it was the right thing to do after seeing who his replacement would be. Tomorrow it will be 100 days and I’m still waiting to make that call.
But, if Coach Bob was shown the door for the way the team was playing THEN…well, someone needs to be held accountable for the way this team is playing NOW!
