AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January
January 2008
Thank You Sir! May I Have Another?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you were wondering what the rest of the Atlanta Thrashers were doing during the All-Star break, I think I know the answer. They were finding that killer instinct that has eluded them for the better part of four months! Let me be the first to order up another batch of it in time for tomorrow’s Sabres game. Because if Wednesday night’s 4-1 walloping of the Pittsburgh Penguins is any indication of what the post-All Star break Thrashers are all about…I’ll be more than happy to take much more of it, thank you very much indeed!
It’s not just that the Thrashers put a beat-down on a team attempting to take over first place in their division, but they did so playing short-handed on the bench by two men for much of the game. Three minutes into the second period Jarkko Ruutu flew knee-first into Ilya Kovalchuk … aiming for his knee…along the boards. Kovy tried to return but was unable. Steve McCarthy took exception to Jerk-o’s deliberate attempt to hurt Ilya and took 17 minutes in penalty time for doing the right thing. The Pittsburgh winger was shown the gate for his actions.
Ruutu attempted to explain his assault on the high-scoring Russian by saying, “I barely hit him. I didn’t change direction. I just went in for a hit”. Oh, really? You’re just finishing off a check…leading with your knee?
He then complained that he got penalized for fighting but he didn’t even throw a punch. Yeah, that’s because Steve-O put you on your butt faster than you could blink!
The team as a whole responded well after the hit. Fired up, they were all over Pens keeper Ty Conklin like a pants suit on Hillary Clinton. To his credit, Conklin turned away all 10 shots he faced in the middle frame, but he didn’t make it past 4 minutes of the third as he was pulled following the Thrasher’s fourth goal.
I don’t know what the league will do to the cretin for the attack, but if Ruutu sees the ice again before Valentines Day then the NHL front office owes Kovy an apology…especially if Kovalchuk misses any games due to the injury.
Regardless, Big Mac showed what a teammate is supposed to do when the team’s leading scorer is targeted as such. The 37 of the back of Jerk-o’s jersey should resemble a bulls-eye on March 2nd and he needs to be pulling his nary-butt off the ice until he can’t do so on his own.
Accountability and responsibility, you know.
And now, some quick shots:
Very Special, Indeed
Atlanta’s special teams were in great form as they scored 2 goals on power plays of their own and another on one of Pittsburgh’s.
Playing Lehts Out
Kari Lehtonen came into Wednesday’s game sporting a 5-1-0 record against Pittsburgh with a 2.77 GAA and .917 SV%. He improved on those numbers by stopping 29 of 30 shots and not allowing Pittsburgh to score until his team had built a 4-0 lead.
Slates Off The Schnide
The fourth goal tallied by the Thrashers came from Jimmy Slater, his first of the season. Who won the “Guess Day of Slater’s First Goal” contest?
Uh, Nate…You’ll Have To Give Back The Puck
Pittsburgh’s Nathan Smith scored what he thought was the first goal of his NHL career in the second period. But replay showed he had kicked the puck into the net. If it had counted, it would have cut the Thrasher lead to 2-1 with half a game to play. Combine that with Kovy being out and McCarthy serving penalty minutes for putting a punk in his place, and it could have been a major turning point for the Penguins.
As it turned out, it was only a major let down for the kid. I almost felt bad for him.
Almost.
On Deck: Bananas and Caps
The next two games will provide another character-check opportunity for the Thrashers. Blueland will once again be infested Friday night with fans wearing jerseys blazoned with flying banana peels, as the Sabres will be in town. I don’t think anyone needs to be reminded of the embarrassment the last time the two teams met. There is no excuse for not getting up for this game.
Then the team will wing their way to D.C. to take on a Capitals team that is as hot as Alyssa Milano. The Caps have won 7 of their last ten and have dug themselves out of an early season hole to contend for the division lead. Given the fact that Washington has 2 games in hand vs. the Thrashers, putting some daylight between them and us would be a very good thing right now.
Let’s Do The Time Warp
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday night the NHL restarts it’s season as twelve of the fifteen Eastern Conference teams will see action in the 11 games to be played. The Atlanta Thrashers resume play Wednesday at home vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins. Seeing that there was a 4 day respite from the action, we can gauge where the Thrashers are…and maybe where they are going.
If you look at the standings, each team comes out of the All Star break having played anywhere between 48 to 52 games, (Atlanta being at the top of that range). So, what I have done is taken into consideration the games played by each team and the total points they have earned in those games and projected how the standing will look after 82 games if each team remains on their current course. …. kind of like entering into a time warp and going ahead 10 weeks or so.
So, what would we find Monday morning April 7, 2008? Well, something like this…
- Ottawa = 108 points *
- Flyers = 101 points *
- Capitals = 84 points *
- Montreal = 100 points
- Devils = 99 points
- Pittsburgh = 97 points
- Boston = 92 points
- Islanders = 89 points
- Rangers = 87 points
- Carolina = 82 points
- Buffalo = 82 points
- Atlanta = 79 points
- Florida = 78 points
- Toronto = 77 points
- Lightning = 74 points
(* Denotes division winners)
What sticks out to me in the above projection, outside of the fact that the Thrashers finish out of the playoffs, is that the Washington Capitals would win the Southeast a mere two points above .500. It would also mean they would enter the playoffs as a number 3 seed but having 3 points less then the Rangers who would not make post season play.
Now…let’s do the time warp again……oops, I mean time warp BACK HERE… about 10 weeks ago to the night before last Thanksgiving. Atlanta had inflicted a 5-1 beat-down on the Caps in D.C. It was the seventh win in the past eight games for Atlanta, improving their record to 11-10-0 on the season. The loss left the Caps at 6-14-1 at the time and continued their losing streak to 5 games. That night, many of the 11,669 on hand chanted, “Fire Hanlon…Fire Hanlon”.
They got what they had asked for.
Glen Hanlon became the second coach to be canned in the NHL season, right behind…why Bob Hartley of the Thrashers.
Since Turkey Day, the Caps have gone 17-8-4 leading into the All Star festivities in Atlanta. The Thrashers…not so well…11-15-4 during the same period.
So what’s been the big difference in the two teams? Let’s see…they have a great goal-scorer in Ovechkin, we have one in Kovalchuk…. our goalies have a combined 3.15 GAA and .903 SV%, theirs sport 2.99/ .890 type numbers…. they give up more goals then they score, same with us…. Washington named an interim coach immediately after firing Hanlon and then named that person the official head coach a month later, and we………hey, wait a minute!
Anyway, there is still time for the Thrashers to change the above projections. But the time to begin is now as six of the next seven games are in Blueland before they take their act on the road for the same expanse of games. The team needs to gain an appreciation for the concept of “home ice advantage”.
Also, what does…or does not…happen between now and the trade deadline will help determine the fate of this team. Will Marian Hossa be traded? If so, for who? If he signs and stays, what then does Don Waddell do to bring in help on defense and/or at center?
No doubt, trades will be made. The question is, will they be done in the spirit of helping this team for a playoff run, or will it be seen a throwing in the towel?
Time will tell.
All Star Weekend Memories & Quick Shots
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve lived in Metro Atlanta for the better part of three decades now and have seen the likes of several big events come our way. Remaining from each are certain memories and visions.
Included are… The Olympics in ’96 where I can still see by boys, then 4 and 3, running through the fountains in Centennial Park while we were taking in the sites. Two Super Bowls, one in the midst of an ice storm. Five World Series in the ‘90s with the Braves… though I only choose to think of the one in ‘95. The Democratic National Convention in ’88, (actually, I left for Tampa while that circus came to town…but Rob Lowe was here). There was the MLB All Star game in 2000 in which Sammy Sosa launched a shot over the giant scoreboard during the home run contest, (juiced balls? Performance enhancers? Nah…couldn’t be).
And now the 2008 NHL All Star weekend, which was much awaited and anticipated, has come and gone leaving a plethora of memories. Hossa’s goal, Nash’s hat trick, the West All Stars erasing a 5-1 deficit, Enstrom playing in the Young Stars game, Kovy’s give-n-go goal with Eric Staal, and so much more.
But what will probably stick with me the most as I think about the 56th NHL All Star game is the way it was played in the third period, especially the last several minutes. Seven of the 15 goals came in the last period. Toward the end, the “friendly” match actually resembled a hockey game as the pace picked up, the score seesawed back and forth and ended with Marc Savard’s game-winner with 20.9 seconds left!
Great ending to a great game and a great weekend!
Here are some other quick shots from my viewpoint…and I look forward to reading yours.
One Big Happy Family
Going to a Thrashers game, or any pro sports game in this town, one becomes accustomed to the amount of out-of-town jerseys worn. But this weekend I didn’t have the same “there goes the enemy” feeling I normally get when seeing them.
Rangers and Bruins jersey are greeted with, “Howdy folks, how ya doing”? Flames and Blackhawks sweaters? Nice to see them all! Sharks and Maple Leafs? “Darn glad to see ya”! Sabres and Flyers…well, uh… let’s not get too carried away in the moment, OK.
SuperSkills Competition
Saturday’s SuperSkills Competition was a lot of fun to watch. It gave an opportunity to enjoy the individual players display their talents. Most of it was great and lived up to its hype. However I have a couple modifications to suggest.
First off, the speed skating competition is better in its former form. I would prefer to see the individual player doing laps rather then a 5 second sprint a third of the way down ice. It just seemed to be over with too fast. Plus, in doing laps, the skater has to corner as well as skate.
Second, I love the concept of the new break away exhibition. And having ‘Neque and Mellanby sit in as judges was fantastic! Unfortunately, with the exception of Ovechkin and possibly Kovy, the players didn’t rise to the spirit of the concept, as it more resembled the shootout. Maybe if they remove the goalie, or at least make him stay in the blue paint, the players can concentrate on being creative with stick and puck, and not just trying to beat the keeper.
Tough Crowd
Did my ears deceive me or did I heard the “Goalie Chant” ring forth from the Nasty Nest Saturday night during the Young Star game as well as Sunday’s All Star game? Good to see that the inhabitants of Section 320 were not star-struck and kept to form!
Job Well Done
The Atlanta Boys Choir sang the National Anthem prior to the All Star game and did a stellar job! Well done, gentlemen!
Well-Deserved Honor
Willie O’Ree was honored just prior to the start of the second period Sunday for his breaking of the color barrier in the NHL 50 years ago. His debut came on January 18, 1958 as a Boston Bruin against the Montreal Canadiens. O’Ree was presented with commemorative stick by the two All Star captains!
It was significant as it came during an All Star game being played in a city so steeped in civil-rights history as ours.
Kovy Shark Bitten
Twice San Jose Shark net minder Evgeni Nabokov robbed Ilya Kovalchuk in the closing seconds of the 2nd period. The first was on a one-timer from the slot that was snared by Nabokov’s glove. Then, just seconds prior to the break, the Sharks goalie stacked the pads on a break away by Kovy. Ilya’s reaction to Nabokov after the first save was priceless as he fell to his back in disbelief then publicly gave the keeper his due.
Enjoy the moments and memories, Atlanta. The NHL season resumes Tuesday and the Thrashers get back at it Wednesday…and there is much work to do.
Blueland: This Is….Jeopardy!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We Take You Now To Our Regularly Scheduled Program Already In Progress
Alex Trebek: OK, contestants…as you know the Final Jeopardy answer is “Eighteen”…what questions did you come up with? We’ll start with Puckjunque who finished Jeopardy with $28,500…
PJ: What is, “An Alice Cooper song”?
AT: Oooooh, sorry…no. That was not what we were looking for….and that will cost you…$28,499, leaving you with $1! And now, RStroz, who finished with $3…
RStroz: What is “The IQ of a Red Wings fan from Livonia, Michigan”?
AT: Sorry, no. Not even close! You guessed much too high…. and you wagered…ooooh, all three dollars, wiping you out! And now to Rawhide with $2…if you bet nothing you win….your response?
Rawhide: “Well..Alex,… IT’S HOW MANY FREAKIN’ SHOTS THE THRASHERS WERE ABLE TO TAKE AGAINST RANGER GOALIE HENRIK-FRIKKIN’-LUNDQVIST THURSDAY NIGHT!!!! BUT I SHOULDN’T BE TOO &%$#-ING UPSET ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS FOUR &%#-ING MORE THEN IT WAS LAST #$&% TUESDAY WHEN THEY COULD ONLY MUSTER UP FRIGGIN’ 14 SHOTS!!! Jumpin’-JEEZUS-ona-a-POGO-STICK!! MY BOY’S BANTAM TEAM COULDA WHACKED 18 SHOTS AT THAT RANGER DEFENSE!!! I’M SO FREAKIN’ MAD I COULD…hey…HEY, get your hands off me….what’s with the security guards, Alex…you can’t drag me off….I paid for this microphone…..don’t touch me……where’s my lawyer….do you know who I am??…
PJ: Alex, it was TOO an Alice Cooper song…Alex? How much did he wager? Alex?…..Alex?…
Moose…SHOOT THE PUCK!
I mean, why not? Johan Hedberg did everything else he could to get a win for the Thrashers, stopping 32 of 33 shots faced. As it was, the entire skating line-up of the team only took 18 more shots in the game then he did.
Did I Mention The Lack Of Shots?
In fact, the Thrashers were out shot 72-32 in New York this week. They have been out shot 121-56 in their past three road games.
Those look like lop-sided college basketball scores.
Poor Sean, No One To Play With
Was it just me, or did anyone else notice that miserable, class-less, shred-of-human-debris Sean Avery wasn’t a big part of the game last night. Maybe it was because Kovy was not playing. I’m sure the jerk was chirping at someone wearing a white jersey but he wasn’t getting anywhere with it. Maybe Ilya should take note and just learn to ignore the little cretin.
Fifty-One Minutes
That’s how long the ceremony took before the game Thursday night as the Rangers hung Brian Leetch’s #2 jersey up in the rafters of MSG.
51 minutes? - Now, Leetch definitely deserves the honor…not too many better then he was on defense. But, can we just get on with the game already? Maybe something like, “Hey, Bri…good job, yous knows. Sos, how’s abouts ya sit over there wid da rest uh da guys sos we can gets da game goin’”?
“Fuh-GIDDA-bout-it”!
Classy Ranger Fans
I sure hope Ken Klee was able to hear the applause given to him as he hobbled off the ice. He had just taken a slap shot to the face and was in a great deal of pain.
Man, that was wicked ugly to look at…I can’t even imagine how it felt.
Log Jam In The Southeast
I guess if we’re looking for a bright spot today, the point earned last night did keep us in the thick of things in the Southeast Division. Carolina continues lead with 52 points, followed by Washington with 50. Atlanta is in third, but trailing the leaders by just 2 points, and then Florida with 49.
However, only the Capitals have more points than games played. So, if the Thrashers wish to make the playoffs, as has been mentioned here before, it may very well be that they have to win the division.
To do that they are gonna have to score some more goals. To do that they are gonna have to, (say it with me boys and girls)…take some more %$#&-ing shots!
Or their season is going to be….in jeopardy.
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!
Thrashers Face Test vs. BEST TEAM IN NHL!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Several years ago, when my oldest tax exemption was in elementary school, I had a sit down with his teacher. She was good friend of ours and so we were able to speak openly and honestly about him. It seems as though she was concerned about the way he approached his work assignments. She told me that every time papers were given out for the class to complete, as she came by his desk, he would ask, “Is this a test or just class work”?
“Well”, I inquired, “What is the concern with that”?
“When it’s a test, I tell him so and he does well”, she said adding, “However, when it’s simply class work or a practice sheet…well, he just doesn’t seem to put into it the same effort and attention that he does when it’s a test. That is why his grade isn’t what it should be”.
“The answer is very simple”, I said. “You tell him it’s a test…every time you hand him a paper to do…it’s a test”!
“But…that would be lying to him”, she protested.
“Your point being…”?
She took my advice and his grades improved. You see, he has this habit of performing up to the task IF he thinks it’s important.
With that little story in mind, let’s turn our attention to the Atlanta Thrashers.
Tonight in New York, the Thrashers face a HUGE test as they face the BEST TEAM IN THE NHL.
Uh-huh, that’s right…that’s what I said. The New York Rangers…tonight…are the BEST team the league has to offer! They are hot! They are fast! They score goals by the dozen and don’t even get me started on just how tough their defense is to get through.
Detroit? Chumps in comparison to these Broadway Bullies!
Ottawa? Weak and pathetic are they in light of the Blue Shirts!
The NHL standings show them at 22-21-6 overall and 2-6-2 in their last ten.
THAT’S A %$#@& LIE!!!
In truth they are 50-3-2….and they have ONLY played 49 games! THAT’S how good they are. They are 9-0-1 in their last ten, (you know…like Pittsburgh was when we played them 10 days ago). In fact, they are SO good that if we do beat them this evening…they will STILL be 9-0-1 in their past ten when we play them again on Thursday!
Got that, Thrashers? They are GOOD!
The league stats show them as having scored 118 goals and letting up 128 so far…AGAIN, THEY LIE!!
The Rangers are so good, that they have 197 goals on the season thus far! They’ve actually scored more, but they donated 34 to charity last month just to get a tax write-off! And you would have an easier time playing “pick-up-sticks” with your butt-cheeks then slipping a puck past Henrick Lundqvist, who boasts a .054 GAA and a .998 SV%. (Don’t bother looking up the stats. They lie too).
So, in order for the Thrashers to play with these guys…it’s gonna take a full team effort! Every player is going to have to give 110%…NO…120% ….NO…. INFINITY % tonight!
I’m not just talkin’ about Ilya and Enstrom giving their normal all-out effort. Not just Marian Hossa, (when he feels like it), or Kari Lehtonen, (when his head is in it), or Bobby Holik, (when he’s peeved-off enough), or Alexei Zhitnik, (if he plays and if the mood hits him, and it’s a Wednesday on an odd numbered day of the month, and the moon is in the correct phase, and Jupiter aligns with Mars…).
I mean EVERY-FREAKIN’-BODY! Anything less and Friday night’s 10-1 thumping is going to look like a nail-biter!
Yes, Thrashers…tonight is a TEST! Thursday night will be a TEST! EVERY night is a TEST!
Oh, and next week when we play the Penguins….THEY will be THE BEST TEAM IN THE NHL!!!
Atlanta Thrashers: NHL Team of Mystery
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OK, Sick As A Dog Now
The Atlanta Thrashers continue to be as mysterious a team as there is in the NHL. How can a team go from beating Detroit on their home ice to performing as flat as they have over the past three games? Quite frankly, this past weekend has made me ill watching our team not just lose…but lose by a collective score of 14-3.
Really, about the only bright spot I could find in Sunday’s 4-2 loss to an Edmonton Oilers team that had been struggling was that recent call-up Joel Kwiatkowski was able to get a point in his first game as a Thrasher. Somebody find out what they’re serving on the Chicago-Atlanta flight because everyone who gets a call up from the Wolves seems to get on the score sheet in their first game after getting the promotion. Kiwi played as Zhitnik sat and he helped the defense hold Edmonton to 24 shots. It’s the one thing the team did well all day.
It’s Frickin’ Freezing In Here, Mr. Bigglesworth!
The only thing colder in Atlanta then the temperatures outside has been the play of the Thrashers, especially in their own arena. So far this month they have played seven of ten games in Philips Arena and have a record of 2-3-2 in them to show for it, gaining only 6 points and giving back 11 as one of those two wins took a shootout to gain the “victory”.
After slapping the Red Wings around on their home ice last Tuesday, the Thrashers have gone 0-2-1 in the three games since….being outscored 16-5, (17-5 if you count the “point” earned by Montreal in their shootout win Thursday).
If they don’t find a way to heat things back up soon, do I think that we’ll be enjoying springtime in Blueland?
How about no, Scott!
Who Does Number Two Work For?
The No. 2 two goal worked out by the Edmonton Oilers Sunday resembled a jailbreak as the Thrashers were caught in an atrocious line change. 18-year-old Oilers Rookie Sam Gagner slipped the puck into the net as Kari Lehtonen lay flat out on the ice. It was particularly crappy due to the fact that it came just 66 seconds after Slava Kozlov had tied the game at one each. It was the type of goal that brought from the crowd a series of grunts and groans.
Ouch, Baby! Very Ouch!
There is a litany of things that have hurt the Thrashers of late, one being the power play. In the last three games it has produced a single goal on fourteen attempts. Sunday, Atlanta was 0-5 on the man advantage, one being the 4-minute variety. Those numbers are particularly frustrating as the team had improved the PP to 19.0% effective, 8th best in the league, following Tuesday night’s game in Detroit…a game in which they were 3 for 4 on the man advantage.
When on the power play, they simply need to FIRE THE LASER!
Somebody Help Me. I’m Still Alive But I’m Very Badly Burned
The play of the Thrashers this weekend has placed them again under the .500 mark for the season, (23-24-3). If they were able to simply gain a point Sunday, it would have put them in a first place tie with Carolina in the Southeast Division. As it is, they are in second only 2 points better then the surging Washington Capitals who have gone 7-2-1 in their past 10 games. The Thrashers are back to the 10th spot a couple points under the playoff line.
Like a turtle pokin’ it’s head out, Atlanta held possession of first place in the division for a couple of days then returned to their shell with poor defensive play, weak passing and less-then-par goaltending.
The good news here is that we are still alive and in position to compete for the division title as well as a conference playoff spot. And as the Oilers proved a couple years ago, you really only need to get in and then you have a chance.
As The French Would Say, That Certain “I Don’t Know What”
I don’t know what has happened to Ilya Kovalchuk of late. He has gone goal-less with a single assist in the past 4 games. Sunday, he looked tired…. just didn’t have that jump he has had all season.
Honestly, it would be tough to expect him to continue on the pace he has set all season long without having some sort of slump. Let’s just hope he finds some time to recharge the batteries during the All-Star break, even though he will be a big part of it.
This Is My Happening And It Freaks Me Out!
My family and I enjoyed Sunday afternoon’s game with friends who live near us as well as the RStroz clan. It will come as no surprise that there are several children who sat nearby that will require a great deal of professional counseling from what was seen and heard.
To their parents I offer my apologies.
Honey, Don’t Let The Kids Watch!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Debacle: (noun) 1.A breaking or bursting forth; a violent rush or flood of waters which breaks down opposing barriers, and hurls forward and disperses blocks of stone and other debris… 2.An event or enterprise that ends disastrously… 3. The 10-1 beating the Atlanta Thrashers suffered at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres Friday night January 18, 2008.
It got so bad Friday night that Mrs. Rawhide told me to make sure the kids were not watching. Can’t say that I blame her, counseling to negate such exposure to brutality can be expensive.
0-2, outscored 16-1 and out shot 77-44.
Those are the un-good numbers for the Thrashers when it comes to playing in Buffalo, NY this season. The 6-0 spanking in October was followed by the 10-1 massacre Friday night.
Not a lot of good can happen when you’re down 3-0 in the first 5:37, before you even get a shot on goal yourself. Same when it’s 4-0 before 10 minutes have passed. But that was the case Friday night as Johan Hedberg and Kari Lehtonen combined allowed 10 goals on 41 shots.
(In other news, a certain regular poster to this blog was reported to have been carted off in a straight jacket screaming in an uncontrollable fashion, SOFT…SOFT…SOFT…).
Of the game in Buffalo, Don Waddell stated afterwards that the Thrashers, “…just weren’t ready for it”… Uh, ya think? Maybe a full time head coach could do something to help you out in that regard, Donny?
In scoring 10 goals, the Buffalo Sabres scored once for each of the past ten games in which they have gone win-less. Thank heavens that Edmonton has only lost 3 in a row coming into Sunday’s game in Blueland.
The two games played in Buffalo displayed some of the worst hockey Atlanta has ever played. It’s just a good thing the Thrashers didn’t get points taken away from them in the standings for the severity of the losses.
“And that’s all I have to say about that” - Forrest Gump
Shaken But Not Stirred
Twice during Thursday’s game against Montreal, Tobias Enstrom was lead down the tunnel to the locker room for some personal repairs. The first time was following a cheap hit in which he was blindsided near the net without the puck. Later in the game… and with assistance from Kostitsyn, (don’t ask me which one)… his face made impact with the glass partition while racing for a puck. He was visibly shaken after that play and required assistance leaving the ice.
The item of interest here? The 21:07 TOI he still managed to put in.
How Can That Be?
Both Enstrom and his defensive partner Nic Havelid managed to escape the Sabre’s game with a +1 rating. That alone should earn them player of the week consideration.
1 to 3 Inches
That’s the amount of frozen precipitation that’s expected to emanate from the atmosphere tonight and Saturday. I hope Kari Lehtonen doesn’t plan on driving in any of it as he may find the ice too slippery to navigate upon.
Two
As in the amount of times I will be in Philips Arena this weekend. Of course you guessed Sunday afternoon to see the Thrashers play the Edmonton Oilers…but also on Saturday night.
Yes, I will be in Philips Arena Saturday night at the Barry Manilow concert, (I know…I know).
The Divine Mrs. R is a fan and she has been great about going to hockey games and such with the boys and I. So the tax-exemptions and I will be treating her to a night in which she can enjoy one of her interests.
It will be weird entering Blueland without my jersey on, (last time was when I took the youngest son to see U2 two years ago). However, I will have a chuckle or two privately when he sings “Mandy” as I will be thinking of our favorite Islander.
Here’s Some Numbers For You, Blogland
This is blog #61 on the season. …(Thank you…thank you, …no…please, sit down)… The truly remarkable numbers are the ones that lurk below…below each of the posts, that is.
In those blogs there have been a total of 4,271 comments posted, (as of 10:46 PM Friday). That averages to 71.18 comments per blog, or…and you may want to sit down for this…284.73 comments per week on this Atlanta Thrashers Fan Blog.
I bring to light those numbers for one purpose: To point out that for a town that some question as to whether or not is a good hockey market, those are some fairly outstanding figures.
The reason for those numbers is simple. It’s because there are some really smart and bright hockey fans that frequent the site and bring to the table of discussion a knowledgeable and thought-provoking dish to add to the discussion menu each and every day!
You guys ROCK!!!
(Either that or you just have way too much free time on your hands)
Post-Post Edit: “…there are some really smart and bright hockey fans that frequent the site and bring to the table of discussion a knowledgeable and thought-provoking dish to add to the discussion menu each and every day”….Well, minus one, that is.
Montreal, Buffalo & Marian
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Le Dos bienvenu, Neiger des Oiseaux!
The Atlanta Thrashers will welcome back to the cozy confines of Blueland the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are 6 points better then Atlanta but 2 positions below us in the conference standing, (there’s some funky Thrashers Math for ya). Atlanta has won the two previous meetings 3-2 in shootouts.
Montreal is 6-2-2 in their last ten and has won 3 of their last 4. Amazingly, they fair much better away from their home. To date, they are 8-7-5 at the Bell Centre and 15-7-3 away from it.
It’s Like Deja vu All Over Again
Once again the Thrasher find themselves one game over the .500 mark. Each of the prior times they were not able to advance further. It’s kind of interesting that the first place team of a division, preparing to play game 48 of the season, has not yet been as much as two games better then break even.
Rattled Sabres
After tonight’s game with Montreal, the Thrashers will shuffle off to Buffalo to see if they can’t rattle some Sabres again. You’ll remember the last time they met up; it was in Blueland on the 6th of the month as our Thrashers came away with a 5-2 win.
The last time into the HSBC Arena the Thrashers got spanked 6-0 in the fourth game of the schedule. But these days Buffalo has hit a patch of black ice in the season, going 0-5-5 in their past 10 and have not won a game since the Saturday prior to Christmas.
Oh, if your interested in such things, the Thrashers are considered a “Silver” game in Buffalo.
Powering Up
“The Un-Good: Their power play continues to sputter at 15th best in the NHL at 18.2%. While that’s up from 16.0%, 19th in the league, that number needs to get to about 20%”.
I wrote that for the second quarter report card earlier in the month. The good news here is that it is continuing to improve…up to 19.0%, which is 10th best in the league.
Not surprisingly, with the increase in that stat has also come the improvement of goals per game. Last November, Atlanta’s offense produced 2.56 G/G, early in this month it had improved to 2.73. Now Atlanta pumps out goals at a 2.77 clip.
Should I Stay Or Should I Go
Much has been speculated regarding the comings and/or goings of Marian Hossa. If you believe some in the know, he’ll be in another jersey before the end of the month. Hossa says that his agent Ritch Winter is still discussing a deal with Don Waddell and that he “would like to stay here”.
However he also indicated that he is preparing for both staying and going.
I have gone on record saying that, all things being equal, I would like for him to stay. True he’s had a sub par 3 months by his standards, but we all know what his talents are and what they can do for this team. Plus, I don’t want the front office to simply ship him off to help a team like Detroit or, (god forbid), Pittsburgh or any other team in the east simply for the sake of not losing him to free agency and getting little in return in the deal.
But there is a lot of chatter from credible sources and sometimes where there is smoke there is fire. If he is to be dealt, I want a solid, top-flight defenseman in return…someone who can help reduce the shots our keepers are facing to more like 28-30 per game. I have used the name Adam Foote, though his age of 36 concerns me. Maybe a true #1 center…something that has been on my wish list since day one of this season.
So, given that, let me toss this out to the Blogland masses:
Come up with a deal for Marian. Who you gonna get for him, where are they going to fit in to the line-up and who fills the vacant wing position on the second line?
Mow Down In Motown
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First of all, I want to thank all those who came out to watch the game last night at the Jocks-N-Jills at The Galleria! Most I knew, some I met for the first time!! It was a good time, indeed! Great game, great food, great service, (thank you Ashley).
Now, as for the game…
Well…there, THAT wasn’t so hard, was it? You just go into The Joe, thump the Wings 5-1 and come home…ho-hum!
I mean, Detroit WHO?
If I had not seen the game and you would have told me that the Atlanta Thrashers would be out shot by the Detroit Red Wings 47-25…20-6 in the second period alone…I would have said, “Yeah, not surprising”. If you would have followed it up with the fact that the final score was 5-1, I would have muttered, “Surprising we kept it that close given the shots”.
But then you tell me that it was the Thrasher who came out of it with the win…well then…I would have told you that I hope your not driving home because it’s obvious you have had one…no twelve…too many to drink!
However, it is all true as the Bruisers of Blueland took their act to Motown and came away with the biggest margin of victory over the Red Wings anyone has achieved this season. The only time Detroit was even beaten by as much as three goals was a 6-3 loss to the Ducks on October 15. In the last three games the Wings are 0-2-1….losing as many games as they did the entire month of December!
Early on, it was Marian Hossa putting Atlanta’s offense into over-drive as he scored a hat trick in the games first 21:14. The second coming late in the first as he won the puck from Detroit defender Brett Lebda and took it in to beat Chris Osgood. Not a very nice thing to do to Lebda as the Buffalo Grove, Illinois native was celebrating his 26th birthday! How do you say, “Happy Birthday, Brett…SEE YA”, in Slovak?
I wonder if GM/Head Coach Don Waddell carries that contract around with him in his suit pocket…HHmmm??
The Thrashers offense was clicking on all cylinders early on but it was Kari Lehtonen that put his game into over-drive as he turned away 46 of 47 Red Wing shots. Kari has put in 3 solid games in a row this past week, giving up only 5 goals and making 73 saves, (a .936 SV% in that span).
Now, I’m not gonna say just who it was…but someone texted me a question regarding whether or not Detroit had ever been shut out this season…just before Niklas Kronwall scored at 13:42 of the third to deny Kari of his 3rd such blanking of the season…but YOU know who you are!!!!
Of course, it didn’t help matters that I shared the question with everyone at the table up in the loft at Jocks-N-Jills. Oh, the glares and stares I received for breeching the sacred protocol of such hockey etiquette!! BTW, on New Years Eve the St. Louis Blues beat the Wings 2-0 for their only shut out of the season. The Thrashers have been the only team to hold them to 1 goal in a loss, (Colorado did hold them to a single goal in a 1-0 loss just last week).
So, as you can see…our team beat a very, VERY good hockey team. They did it with great goal keeping and an awesome performance from Hossa!
And all is quite from our out-post in Lavonia, Michigan!
OK,….now if you haven’t done so already, treat yourself to a glance at the standings. With Tuesday’s Mauling in Motown also came Carolina’s 5-3 loss in Toronto. Bada-BOOM, bada-BING…first-place in the Southeast Division! In one night’s worth of work, the Thrashers jump from 10th to 3rd place in the conference!
Some will say that being in first is because the division is weak. Ok,…but it’s also because since the 0-6-0 start, (seems like such a long time ago, eh), the Thrashers have gone 23-16-2. That’s something like .585 hockey…which is as good as the Dallas Stars have done this season and they have the 10th best winning percentage in the league.
So, Thursday night we will welcome the, (try to say it with me if you can), Southeast Division leading Atlanta Thrashers back to Blueland.
There, that wasn’t so hard…was it?
Measuring Up In Detroit & Power Rankings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With the Atlanta Thrashers going up against the Detroit Red Wings, it’s natural to view the contest as a measuring stick to see just how the team matches up to the best team in the league to-date.
There have been a few such tests in the season thus far. There were the four games against the Ottawa Senators, the East’s leading team, in which the Thrashers went 1-3-0 scoring 11 goals while allowing 18. Then there were the three games against the Atlantic Division leading Devils, (0-2-1). And the four games so far against the Southeast leading Carolina Hurricanes in which the two squads have split four games, (one of those an OT win by the Thrashers).
Combined record verses current division leaders: 3-7-1.
They will get four more chances at Carolina, (although it is entirely possible that when they take place Le Thrash could occupy the top spot in the Southeast). They will get one more chance at New Jersey, done are they with The Big O, and they will also see the leader of the Northwest Division, whomever that may be at that time.
Atlanta is, again, at .500, which is a bit of a deceptive number given the way the NHL’s points system works. One would think that a .500 team would be right in the middle of the pact, league-wide. Not so. The Thrasher’s break even record would tie them with Edmonton for the 23rd best winning percentage in the league.
Sometimes the way divisions are divided up it can distort how well, or how poorly, an individual team is actually playing. Case in point, Carolina. They lead the Southeast…and have done so pretty much all year. But if your strip away the divisions and just stack them up against the reason of the NHL as far as winning percentage go, they would be 22nd in the league.
So where do our Thrashers rank, in my mind, right now against the rest of the league if viewed on the whole? Not really that well…but there is still plenty of time to change that.
Check it out in Rawhide’s Power Rankings:
The Top Ten Crowd
- Detroit Red Wings … 2. Ottawa Senators… 3. San Jose Sharks… 4. New Jersey Devils…5. Pittsburgh Penguins … 6. Vancouver Canucks…7. Montreal Canadiens…8. Minnesota Wild…9. Dallas Stars….10. Calgary Flames
The Crammed In The Middle Crowd
..11. Philadelphia Flyers…12. Anaheim Ducks…13. St. Louis Blues…14. Colorado Avalanche…15. New York Islanders…16. Boston Bruins…17. Phoenix Coyotes…18. Columbus Blue Jackets…19. Carolina Hurricanes…20. New York Rangers..
The Room For Improvement Crowd
..21. Nashville Predators…22. Edmonton Oilers…23. Atlanta Thrashers…24. Buffalo Sabres…25. Florida Panthers…26.Washington Capitals…27. Chicago Blackhawks…28. Toronto Maple Leafs…29. Tampa Bay Lightning…30. Los Angeles Kings.
So, how do you size up the league?
Post-Post Note: Don’t forget the Thrasher Viewing Tuesday night at the Jocks-N-Jills at The Galleria on 41. If you plan on joining us, simply state so in your post!
Penguins, Red Wings And Hot Wings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March Of The Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins marched into Philips Arena Saturday night following Philadelphia and the Panthers earlier in the week, (that’s a lot of “P”-ing at Blueland) and the two teams put on quite a performance before a pulsating populous on-hand. In the end, it was Bluelanders who were pleased with the hometown players and proud of the way they produced on the power play…(OK, enough with the “P” references). The 3-2 shoot out win before a revved-up sellout crowd of 18,545 was one of the most exciting and memorable games I have seen lately.
Early on it was the Kovy and Sid Show as the two perennial scorers tallied the games first three goals. Ilya Kovalchuk extended his lead in goals scored to 37 with a powerful blast off the post while the Thrashers were on a power play. It came at 9:31 of the opening period and tied the score at one apiece. After Crosby put Pittsburgh back on top 2-1, it was Bobby Holik coming through again on the man advantage.
But the game ended with Kari Lehtonen shutting down Crosby and Co. as he stopped all 4 shots he faced in the shoot out. Former Penguin Mark Recchi scored the only goal in the exhibition after Conklin had also stopped the first three shots he faced, one by swiping away the puck off the goal line after Marian Hossa’s shot struck iron and deflected off the net-minder.
Oh, and I still detest the shoot out as a way to determine the winner of a game…only tonight, not quite so much.
Now some other items:
Oh, How Sweet It Is!
It was a great win made even sweeter by Carolina’s loss to Colorado. The Hurricanes blew a 4-2 lead halfway through the third allowing the Avalanche to score 3 goals in a 5:34 span. Atlanta now has as many wins as the Canes, (22).
Also helping the Thrashers cause was the Panther’s 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay and Buffalo’s 3-2 shoot out loss to New Jersey. Atlanta once again finds it’s self two points off the division lead and remaining in the conference pack just a point shy of the two New York teams who are tied for the eighth and final playoff spot.
A Case Of Goalie Envy
The Pen’s goalkeeper, Ty Conklin, came into the game 9-0-0 with a .945 SV% and a 1.79 GAA. It’s not often a goalie goes through regulation and OT giving up only 2 goals and his GAA goes UP!
Atlanta’s Leaders
Counting the empty-netter against Buffalo Sunday, the last 5 goals scored by Atlanta have come from The Captain and the man wearing the superhero cape, Ilya Superchuk. Kovy leads the league in scoring and Holik is leading the team by way of backing up his words with his on-ice actions. Oh, and Holik’s introduction of Sid-the-Kid to the boards early on was pretty nice, too.
Oh, Now THERE’S a Thought!
Atlanta’s win over Pittsburgh was engineered in two main ways. First off, they found a way to get the puck on goal. Thirty eight times they forced Conklin to make a save. That is the second highest shot production of the season after the 40 they fired on Ottawa’s net last month. The other magic ingredient was the defense allowing the Pens offense very few second chances as they cleared the puck out of the defensive zone very well and limited the amount of time they spent in our end. Too many times opposing teams can file for Homestead Exemption in our defensive zone, so this was good to see, indeed.
Hopefully, these are signs of things to come.
Not Doing Their Homework
Thursday night in the shoot out, Florida scored two goals on Kari with on high shots over the blocker. Saturday the Penguins took four unsuccessful shots against Lehts. The first three they were stymied glove high and an extended right skate stopped the last shot. Nothing attempted over the blocker.
Brendan’s Blueland Blog-casts
If you’re unable able to make the games at Blueland or not able to see them on the tube…tune into the BBB, Brendan’s Blueland Blog-cast! He does a great job of in-game commentary and will keep you up-to-speed as to the happenings and goings-on during the game! Even if you watching the game, it’s always good reading!
So, catch all the action right here on this site for Thrashers hockey on the BBB!
Detroit Red Wings
Tuesday night the Thrashers wing their way northward to play the Red Wings of Detroit. The Wings sport the best record in the NHL as well as being the best home team. In fact, Thursday night’s 6-5 SO win by the Minnesota Wild was only the fifth time all year a visiting team has come out of The Joe with two points…and only three times has that been done in regulation.
Defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk as well as goalie Chris Osgood will be in Atlanta for the NHL’s All Star game. The two forwards are the second and third in total points in the Western conference going into Saturday’s action.
Speaking Of Wings
All this talk of wings has me hungry! So, seeing as Tuesday night’s game is a big test for our Thrashers…and that it is being played near the home town of our blog’s favorite pest, Pucks-N-Snot…what say we gather at an eating establishment and gnaw on some hot wings whilst viewing our Thrashers beat the “snot” out of the Red Wings, (crossing fingers). Call it The Pucks-N-Snot Open Invite, if you will!
I have a great place in mind that is located near the 75/285 interchange in Smyrna. It has an area that can accommodate 25 or so of us and we can be separated off from the rest of the place, so we can be as rowdy as we want!
So, if your “in” for some good food…good hockey…and good times, RSVP with your post below, with who many will be in your party, and I will e-mail you the info.
Congrats to Kovy and Hossa, But…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As a fan of the Atlanta Thrashers I am extremely happy to hear that two of our Blueland stars are going to be playing in the All Star Game at Philips Arena later this month. The Blue Blood Bias in me would like to see more out there, of course, but congrats to our own Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa on their selection.
Coming as no surprise is Ilya Superchuk making the squad. He only leads the league in goals, (36) and is second in overall points, (61) and is on pace to score a career high 66 goals and 111 points. Both would be career highs. To place that in context, last year Vinny Lecavalier led the league in goals with 52, the year prior it was Jonathan Cheechoo with 56. Joe Thornton led both years in assists with 92 and 96.
Kovalchuk is having an MVP type season. It is hard to even imaging the dire straights our team would be in if he were simply having an “average” season by his standards. If the Thrashers are going to make a serious push for their second consecutive division title or a playoff spot in the conference we will need him to continue on this pace.
To date he is credited with 28.3% of all goals scored by Atlanta. Of the 127 goals tallied by the team, he has been in on 48% of them by way of goal or assist. So making the All Stars is no shock. The travesty is in the fact that he is not starting. But that is the way fan voting goes.
That brings us to Marian Hossa. As I stated prior, as a Blueland resident I’m thrilled he has been selected and I look forward to watching him place his skills on exhibition in the ASG. However, being honest with you…I was very surprised to hear that the honor was bestowed upon him.
So far this season he has 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points, good enough for 40th best in the league, and is a -9. The following is a list of non-center forwards who were left off of the Eastern All Star squad and their stats:
Carolina’s Ray Whitney: 20 goals, 43 points, +3… Montreal’s Alex Kovalev: 19 goals, 41 points, +6… Carolina’s Cory Stillman: 19 goals, 41 points, +2… New Jersey’s Zach Parise: 16 goals, 40 points, +6.
To be fair, hockey plays it’s All Star game in the middle of the season, as do baseball and basketball. So picking participants isn’t 100% scientific on just half of a season’s statistics. Overall play from the end of the prior season and post-season should come into play and maybe Hossa has a case in that regards. Plus, picking All Stars to perform an exhibition for the fans can never really be expected to fall into a cut-and-dried, logical, mathematical formula. Plus, every year in every sport’s ASG there are quality players who are overlooked and one or two players that are included simply due to name recognition or just the system in general. Unfortunately, it is what it is.
So, as I view the selection of Hossa through my Blueland shaded glasses, I’m tickled pink for him! When I take them off and view it objectively, well…I just gotta squint.
Point Not So Well Taken
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t care much for the shoot-out deciding games in the NHL. It’s a gimmick. It’s akin to an NBA game being decided with players marching up to the free throw line and taking turns there until a “winner” is determined or baseball games having a home run derby or football games decided with field goal kickers in same fashion. And lest ye think I’m just spewing sour grapes, I dislike the shoot-out whether the Thrashers win them or lose them…only a little less when we win.
Yes, yes…I know. It’s a definite hit with the fans. It’s exciting and can be fun to watch. It is the vehicle in which the NHL suits have used to eliminate ties, something I guess some focus group determined the league needed to do to attract new fans. So, I know it’s something that is here to stay. However, when I’m elected King, I’m gonna change the rules to have teams play a 10-minute overtime period before getting to the exhibition-style tie breaker and no point for the loser if the game ends prior to the shoot-out. Oh, and if your in the penalty box when OT ends, you don’t get to participate in it because…your in the box!
OK, I’m off my soapbox now.
There are two ways you can look at the 3-2 shoot-out loss to the Florida Panthers. We came out of the game with a point that may come in handy down the road, or…we lost a point that we may desperately need somewhere down that same road. Yes, it brought us one point closer to Carolina who lost to the Devils…but Florida, Philadelphia, Montreal and Pittsburgh gained one on us in the conference standings.
Kari Lehtonen played well enough in the nets, stopping 38 of 40 shots. He faced 15 in the first period alone, stopping them all. If I wanted to pick on him for something, it was that early on he was giving up some rebounds, but that might have been due to having the last week off. Overall he did well.
Bobby Holik followed up the choice words for his team the other night by netting his 7th goal of the season via a nifty through pass from the left wing by Slava Kozlov. I though the captains words following the Philadelphia loss were on target so it was good to see him follow tem with action…one goal and no penalties.
Then there is that Kovalchuk kid. Another game, another goal, ho-hum! Seriously, as I have stated before, I am convinced more then ever that Superman wears Kovy PJs to bed because when he grows up and gets real good at that super-hero stuff, he wants to be as good as #17. Kovy’s wrap-around goal in the third followed a wrap-around attempt by Mark Recchi…a little ring-around-the-rosy action, if you will. He is still on a pace to score 66 on the season.
It seems as though the Thrashers have come up with a plan to counter the way they have poorly dealt with 2-goals leads of late, (Buffalo game excepted),….by not GETTING a two goal lead. Twice Atlanta could not hold 1-goal advantages as the Panthers countered both tallies the Thrashers notched. Credit Florida for hanging in there and leaving Philips with two points. But let’s be honest here, the Thrashers were playing a team that had 4 of their regular defenders out, (Mezei with an injury to a hand, Van Ryan, Murphy… and Welch who will miss the remainder of the year), but were still only able to get off 26 shots on goal in regulation and 2 in overtime.
So, we pick up a point…good for us. But that extra one the Panthers walked away with was one we really needed and should have had.
Thrashers Do A Good Elvis Impersonation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Thrashers spent Tuesday night celebrating the 72nd anniversary of Elvis Aaron Presley’s birth by turning Blueland into the Heartbreak Hotel and left their fans feeling Indescribably Blue. In the second period the Boys of Blueland did a perfect Elvis impersonation … by pretending to be dead!
I know, I know…your saying, “Rawhide…Don’t Be Cruel”. But hey, Walk A Mile In My Shoes and you’ll know how I feel about it! I mean, I really thought the Thrashers would follow up Sunday’s 5-2 win over Buffalo energized and pumped, but I guess I Got Stung for believing so.
The way they played in the middle period was on the Edge Of Reality as they surrendered four goals to the Flyers, 2 by Jeff Carter in a span of 13 second. One just knew there was Trouble beginning when Philly tied the score at 1-1 just 32 seconds into the period. Then Carter’s goals made a Thrasher win seem like an Impossible Dream. But it was the short-handed breakaway goal by Scott Hartnell with 0.9 seconds left before the second intermission that left me shouting, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord…Help Me Make It Through The Night”!!!
The evening started well as the Big Boss Man Kovalchuk notched his 35th goal of the season that had Flyer keeper Antero Nittymaki looking All Shook Up. If it were simply on the play of Kovy, the Thrashers would make t back to The Promised Land of the playoffs. I know it may seem foolish, but Just Pretend how good this team would be if the entire team could just match his drive and desire to win this year…go ahead, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright to imagine it.
Unfortunately, after the first intermission, good hockey and the Thrashers went Separate Ways. To be honest, I Can’t Help Believin’ that the water boy is slipping a Mickey into their Gatorade during the break as many times as the team seems to Rip It Up in the first period, then Hound Dog it for the next two. You don’t have to have Suspicious Minds to think so too.
If the team is thinking they can play well for 20 minutes then turn to Lady Luck and say “I’m Countin’ On You” the rest of the way, well Reconsider Baby ‘cause it don’t work that way!
Now, It Hurts me to point out that I stated that I would have started Kari Lehtonen instead of Johan Hedberg on Such A Night as this, but, Child, I don’t know if that would have changed the outcome. To be frank, Moose did save our bacon multiple times in the first as he Saved three short-handed break-aways that were caused by sloppy puck handling and Too Much Monkey Business in the Thrasher’s attacking end and must have left him thinking, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”. However, I’m sure Kari will be thinking “I’ll Be Back” to the nets Thursday against Florida. If so, this goalie change will bring with it A Little Less Conversation.
So, Atlanta finds it’s self once again trying to climb back to .500 when the Panthers pay Blueland a visit. It seems like we’ve been stuck in this position Forever, doesn’t it? They had better find a way to not just get to it once more, but to Shake, Rattle And Roll their way beyond it for good or they’ll be In The Ghetto of the standings with the rest of the conference singing “Softly As I Leave You” and all our hopes of post-season play will just be Memories.
But Don’t Leave Me Now thinking that I have given up hope on our team. I know that it’s not quite time to declare Its Now Or Never. It’s just that after Tuesday night’s game I’m just a Mess Of Blues and Way Down, so, …Treat Me Nice.
Post-Post Edit: Elvis Prestley was born January 8, 1935 and, as has been pointed out, would have been 73 years of age yesterday and not 72. I failed to take into account that we are indeed in the year 2008! It will probably come as no surprise that I have twice incorrectly written 2007 on checks so far this year.
Many thanks to our friend from the U.K. for pointing out the mistake and congratulations for living in a country where no such mistakes are ever made.
Thrashers Are A Good Team - Unfortunately
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The 2007-08 version of the Atlanta Thrashers are a good hockey team. They are exciting to watch, sport the league’s top goal scorer and are keeping things interesting in the Eastern Conference standings. That’s right, the Thrashers are a good team.
But that’s the problem…they’re good. Not Great…good. Not very good…just good.
Here is why that is a problem. Take the Ottawa Senators, the best in the Eastern Conference, and the Detroit Red Wings who in the west reign supreme. Both will vie for, and probably succeed, in capturing their respective conference’s title. These are examples of “great” teams in the NHL today.
After that, in the east you have four “very good” teams, New Jersey, Montreal, Pittsburgh and Carolina, (who qualify for this category based more on their status as division leaders then points earned). These teams will contend for their division titles and, barring some unforeseen circumstance, will end up with some sort of spot at the playoff banquette table come April.
Then you have several “good” teams in the east…Atlanta, Florida, New York Islanders, Philadelphia, Boston, New York Rangers, and Buffalo. All of these teams are good enough to keep themselves in playoff contention and keep their fans interested all season long. They are all bunched up within a few points of one another and each are good enough to wind up in the playoffs.
However, if you do the math, once you account for the “great” and “very good” teams, there are only 3 playoff spots left to go around for the 7 or so “good” teams. So, four of them will be left out in the cold, (or the “warm”…seeing as it will be spring time then).
The Thrashers did a very good job recovering from their abysmal start to begin the year and right the ship by Thanksgiving. We were all amazed that after going 0-6-0 to start things off, they had worked their way to the .500 mark by that time. However, over the course of the past 6 weeks or so, they have been stuck right on the break-even point, one game over, one game under, pretty much since that time. They have put together some good runs during that time, but have yet to play well enough to push themselves up and over the other teams lumped together in that “good” batch.
Also, the standings can sometimes be deceptive given that throughout the course of the season teams play differing amounts of games at given times.
Case in point: If you take a quick gander at the standings this morning, you will see the Thrashers are in the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference, a mere one point behind the Islanders and Philadelphia who are tied for the 8th and final playoff spot. They are two points behind the Rangers who occupy the seventh spot and three behind sixth-place Boston. So, if you simply look at points, only three separate those five teams.
Pretty tight, eh? Well, not so fast.
Factor in the amount of games played against the amount of points earned in those games…at type of +/- ratio in the standings, if you will… and you will see a little steeper hill for the Thrashers to climb. Doing so, you will find the Eastern Conference standings looking more like this:
- *OTT: 58 PTS - 41 GP = +17
- *NJD: 49 PTS - 41 GP = +8
- *CAR: 46 PTS - 44 GP = +2
- PITT: 48 PTS - 41 GP = +7
- MON: 48 PTS - 41 GP = +7
- BOS: 46 PTS - 41 GP = +5
- PHIL: 44 PTS - 39 GP = +5
- NYI: 44 PTS - 41 GP = +3
- NYR: 45 PTS - 42 GP = +3
- BUF: 41 PTS - 40 GP = +1
- ATL: 43 PTS - 43 GP = 0
- FLA: 41 PTS - 42 GP = -1
- TOR: 40 PTS - 42 GP = -2
- WAS: 39 PTS - 42 GP = -3
- TBL: 35 PTS - 42 GP = -7
(* Denotes division leader).
Last year the Islanders captured the last spot in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. They were a +10.
The good news in the above scenario is the fact that the Hurricanes are only +2 ahead of Atlanta. We have been fortunate enough that they have not played at the level of, say, New Jersey. However, the Thrashers had two cracks at them last week and actually lost a point in the standings during those games. In the eight games played against them, we have gained 4 points to their 5.
So, as you can see, the longer our Blueland Bruisers hang around the “zero” mark, the less likely April hockey will last for more then the last 2 regular season games. It’s time for them to get above the .500 hump and then put some distance between themselves and that mark…for good!
The Good, The Un-Good And The Ugly
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The 5-2 win over Buffalo was just what the doctor ordered for the Thrashers given the let-down that was Friday night’s aggravating loss to Carolina. The win brings Atlanta to .500, again, placed Atlanta in sole possession of second place in the division, (3 behind Carolina), and a single point behind Philadelphia and the New York Islanders who are tied for the eighth spot in the conference. The Flyers pay Blueland a visit Tuesday night.
So with that, we delve into another segment of The Good, The Un-Good and the Ugly within Blueland.
THE GOOD
Marian Answers The Call
Jeff Schultz called out Marian Hossa in his recent article. The basic point of the piece was that the Thrashers are an average team…and so was the forward’s play. It was a fairly candid write-up on the man who many called to have the captaincy placed upon his shoulders prior to the season. So, how did Hoss respond? Why, with 2 goals on 9 shots and a +2 against the Sabres, that’s how. That’s a good, …actually… outstanding effort…the kind that needs to be on display more often.
Jeff, feel free to call out anyone else!
What Was That Blur?
Was it just me, or did it almost look like there was a cape flapping on the back of Colin Stuart as he blew through center ice and past the Buffalo players on his way to that coast-to-coast goal in the third period? I think the only ones more in awe of his speed then those watching the game were the Sabres he left flat-footed on the blue line…BOTH of the blue lines!
In four games, the kid has 2 goals and 2 assists and is a +6. There were a lot of people, yours truly included, that were scratching their heads when he was called up to replace the ailing Jim Slater.
Now the only ones left scratching their noggins are the Sabres who only saw a blue blur just before the red light went on.
Stuart, Perrin, Hossa - I’m A Fan!
Gotta love that line Don Waddell put together by moving Stuart up with Eric Perrin and Hossa. The reason given for the switch by the Executive Vice President/ General Manager/ Head Coach/Ticket Taker/Popcorn Seller/Water Boy/Usher, (what else does he do)?…was that he wanted his forechecking skills on that line. Well, his speed doesn’t hurt either.
The line accounted for three of the four goals in which a Buffalo goalie was involved.
Hard Work Paid Off
It was a solid 60 minutes of hard work and hustle by the Thrashers Sunday. It brings to mind a quote by Thomas Jefferson, “I’m a firm believer in luck. And the harder I work, the more of it I seem to have”.
Sneak In To Sneakers
I always like to give props to great eating establishments when I run across them. Last Friday night, while in Jacksonville, Florida, I took the tax exemptions to a place called Sneakers off of Bay Meadows Drive. They put us in a nice corner area with multiple viewpoints of the Thrashers game vs. Carolina. They even made sure that we were able to catch the last minutes of Sweden’s 2-1 win over Russia in the Junior’s, knowing we were hockey fans.
So, if you’re ever in the area and need to find a place to catch the game and chew on some good food that is served up by good people, sneak on into to Sneakers! Ask for Kristi…she’ll take good care of you!
THE UN-GOOD
Up By 2 And Not Feeling So Good
Speaking of Stuart’s goal, it put the Thrashers ahead 3-1 one at the time. Raise your hand if, after you settled back into your seats, you noticed the two goal lead that Atlanta possessed and got a cold chill down your spines! Uh-huh…. I knew it!
We’ve seen that movie all too often the past four games. Starting in Boston last Monday and every game since, the Thrashers have at some point in the game built up, and then blown a two-goal lead. Two of those games ended in losses, Wednesday’s took overtime to ultimately provide a win.
Monday’s loss to the Bruins bugged me the most. Here we have a team that was on a slide…a team we had throttled 5-0 less than 48 hour prior…had them down 2-0 after the first period….we had the Thrashers playing 4 consecutive solid periods…..and then…PLOP! We get flushed like a logo on an Islander jersey!
So, as Yogi Berra once quipped, “It was like deja vous all over again”. Only this time, Atlanta kept playing hard and was rewarded later with Hossa’s second goal of the game.
Here’s hoping that ends the un-good trend.
Getting No Help From The Zebras
Over the past three games, the Boys of Blueland have been on the power play a total of 6 times while having to kill off nineteen. In fact, of the three man advantages Atlanta had Friday night, one was abbreviated after a 4-4 and the third was with 11 seconds left in the game.
So, the Thrashers have returned to their bad habit of taking some un-good penalties at inopportune times, (see Klee’s 4-minute slash followed by Holik’s clear over the glass that lead to Carolina’s game winner Friday). Regardless, 19-6 is quite the un-good stat.
THE UGLY
Lastly, it was just pointed out to me by the divine Mrs. R upon the return from our trip to her mom’s house, that the Thrashers had a winning record…going 2-1…while visiting my in-laws. She followed the observation quickly with, “So, seeing how superstitious you are, maybe we should visit mom more often during the season”!
Cue: Creepy ‘Psycho’ music
AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaugggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
Thrashers Second Quarter Report Card
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First of all, a big thank you to Cousin Cletus for filling in for me the other night. He had a good time with it and I hope ya’ll did too.
The Thrashers return home tonight for the tail end of the home and home series against the Carolina Hurricanes. Wednesday’s 5-4 overtime win brought the Boys of Blueland to within 3 points of the division leaders and kept them within striking distance of a playoff spot in the conference.
As we sit at the halfway point in the season, the Thrashers have amassed 41 points. Double that you only have 82, which won’t get ya to the playoffs. So there is some ground to gain. The way I see it, we should be somewhere in the mid to high 60’s after the next 20 or so games. That would mean gaining at least 25 or so points in the third quarter.
Of course, playing in the Southeast Division isn’t hurting our chances either seeing that no one is really running away with it. As we sit today, 90 points could win this thing!
So, with that said, it’s mid-season report card time for the Thrashers! Let me know what you think & how you would grade them in these categories, or if you can think of other areas…list them as well.
I’ll be back Sunday to discuss tonight’s game as well as the Buffalo as well, (I wonder if those boys are thawed out yet from New Years Day)…
OFFENSE
The Good: Ilya Kovalchuk. How many Thrashers does it take to screw in a light bulb? Well, I dunno, but once in place, Atlanta only needs one player to light the lamp…#17. He still leads the league in goals with 33 to go with his 57 overall points. On pace to score 66 and tally 114 points, Ilya is the NHL’s MVP to-date. Marian Hossa has continued to play well, but not yet up to what is normally expected from an all-star caliber forward. He currently sits with 14 goals and 22 assists in the 38 games he has played. Mark Recchi has been a Godsend since arriving in Blueland delivering 6 goals and 12 points in his 12 games. Eric Perrin’s play of late has been very good and Bobby Holik has started to contribute with a goal in each of the last 3 games. When Todd White is “ON”, he is very good, but those times come and go too often.
Also, on their last report card, the Thrashers G/G was an abysmal 2.56, 22nd in the NHL. Today it is improved to 2.73, which is 15th best in the league. And they have only been shut out twice in the second quarter of the season. First quarter they were blanked an unacceptable 5 times. Both are improvements, but could be better still.
The Un-Good: Their power play continues to sputter at 15th best in the NHL at 18.2%. While that’s up from 16.0%, 19th in the league, that number needs to get to about 20%. The shots on goal average has not shown significant improvement either, currently 26.1 per game up from 25.7 previously. That is still only 25th best. Jim Slater is still seeking his first goal, though he has been sidelined for the past week.
The Summary: All in all, today the offense looks better then it did six weeks ago. Kovy’s play still is a big part of that. But the addition of Recchi, which now gives the team two solid scoring lines, has helped the overall goal production. Power play and shots on goal still must improve. If the grading were solely regarding Kovy’s play, it would be an A+.
The Grade: B-, (Up from a C-)
DEFENSE
The Good: Tobias Enstrom continues to lead the team with 24.03 TOI. He has thrown in 3 goals and 21 assists as well. The D pairings of late have seemed to play better, especially in the past 2-3 weeks. Alexei Zhitnik has been more like the player he was last March, though still too slow. The Thrashers as a whole have seemed to cut down on the amount of time spend in the sin-bin, even considering Wednesday’s game.
The Un-Good: The 3.29 GAA again is second worst in the NHL to Tampa Bay, (it was 3.39 last Thanksgiving), and the 32.1 SA/G is only 1/10 a point better then it was on the last report card.. Penalty killing has gone from a league worst of 72.6% to 77.3% but is still better then only Carolina. To be honest, I was a bit surprised that these numbers were still as bad as they are given the play of late, but a couple games, (Ottawa on the 15th of December and Boston last Monday), have a tendency to skew the stats. But, it is what it is.
The Summary: The team defense was awful in the first quarter. Statistically it isn’t much better now. However, it has shown stretches of better play recently, (giving up 2 or less goals in 6 out of 7 games at the end of December), but we still need to cut down on the shots that get through to our net-minder. Having to score 4 goals a game on average to win games is a tall order.
The Grade: C-, (Up from a D)
GOALKEEPING
The Good: Kari Lehtonen returned from his injury in early December by blanking the Islanders and has taken over the starting role. Since his return, he has a 7-5-0 record and has lowered his GAA from 4.49 to a semi-respectable 3.10. His save percentage has risen to a .904 from .879. His stretch of games from Dec. 18th to the day after Christmas saw him give up only 2 goals per game and then he returned from a bad outing to shut out the Bruins in his next start.
The Un-Good: As strong as Johan Hedberg has been in his back-up role, his record since the last grading is 2-3-1 and his 2.96 GAA has increased to 3.19 and he has a .879 SV%. This isn’t a criticism of Moose because he’s great to have in a support role, but the numbers need to improve when called upon.
The Summary: Don Waddell has pretty much made it clear that Kari Lehtonen is the #1 net-minder. Lately, he has played like the role fits him more times then not. This is good, but can he do it starting 30+ games over the next 41? Well, that’s the question. We have the luxury of a solid back-up guy in Moose as well as Opie in Chicago if need be, but folks…how Kari does over the next 12 weeks will determine whether or not we play more then 2 games in April.
The Grade: B-, (Up from C+)
ROOKIES
The Good: Again, Tobias Enstrom. As noted prior, his 24.03 TOI leads the team and he has become such a fixture on the blue line that it’s tough to continue viewing him as a rookie. His 3 goals and 21 assists place him as the Thrasher’s #3 scorer, tied with White. Colin Stuart has played well in his three games with a goal and assist.
The Un-Good: Popovic going down was not pleasant, but Steve McCarthy has helped fill the void only going -5 in that span, (I know…).
The Summary: Enstrom’s play continues to impress, and Stuart as done well in the few games since being called up, but gone are the likes of Sterling, Hadar, and Little to Chicago and Popovic has yet to return to the line up since he went down. With Eric Boulton’s injury, Kevin Doell will get a call up, so we’ll see how he does. If the grade were only for the two remaining, it would be an A again.
The Grade: B, (Down from an A).
EXTRA CREDIT
The Thrashers are 9-1 in overtime so far this season, the only loss coming via the shoot out in New Jersey. If the Thrashers gone only 5-5 in those 10 overtime games, they would only have 37 points and be as low as 4th place in the division and 14th in the conference. Also, they would be 8 points off the lead in the Southeast Division had one of those losses been on Wednesday night to the Hurricane. Those are HUGE points!
For this, they earn an A+ for the project.
OVERALL GRADE
B-, (Up from a C).
Note: Stats are through Wednesday’s games.
Cuzin’ Cletus Reportin’ For Rawhide
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hey ya’ll…I have to tell ya… When Cuzin’ Rawhide aksed me to be guest-bloggin’ this week while he wuz down in Florida…I ‘bout plum came outa my huntin’ boots. I haven’t had nuthin’ like this happen to me since I won the squirrel skinnin’ contest of aut-3 at the County Fair. High honor, that’s for sure. Now, I live out in Alabamastan, (ain’t gonna tell you exactly where ‘cuz I know how this kinda fame and fortune can attract certain people and I don’t want any “groupies” showin’ up on my front porch…I DON’T NEED IT)…but I promised him I would look at that Thrashers game on the big satellite dish out on the front porch and be able to deliver a well thought out write-up about what I seen.
Now, lessen you think I’m all nervous ‘bout communicatin’ to an audience that must number in the dozens, I do have experience writin’ for the Alabamastan Monthly Inquirer in my column, “Possums: Hunting and Recipes” as seen on page 5 of that fine paper. I took it over last year from my brother, Randall, after he had an unfortunate accident when he relieved himself on farmer Jenkins’ ‘lectric fence. Darn near took two hours of shoveling dirt on him to stop the smolderin’. Needless to say, he just ain’t been right since.
Anyway, about that game up in Carolina …Whoo-Doggie! I gotta tell you, I ain’t seen so many grown men bumpin’ into each other since Grandma Martha fired up her white-lightnin’ still and we all had us a swig. My girlfriend, Loretta-Lynn Carter, was over watchin’ with me and aksed me what those five big circles was all about out there on the ice. Golly, she can be so silly! I said to her “Loretta-Lynn, them there are targets showing where they can drill holes for ice-fishin’ after the game”. She really is a great gal….she’s typin’ this here up fer me ‘cuz she’s a much better typer then me seeing as though she wuz born with 11 fingers and all.
As for what I thunk about the game? Well, let’s start with that Ily-er Kov-AL-Chook. Man, he danced through them red-shirted Carolina fellas like Clem McMichael did when he won last years square-dancing contest. And that Slav-er Kosmonaut dude scored a right pretty goal a-spinnin’ around an whippin’ that puck into the goal, like that. I like the way that Mark Recchi jammed his goal past the goldie like the way Aunt Eunice takes a broom to the cats when she wants ‘em outa the kitchen and all. That Bobby Holik guy scored fer the third game in a row, too. But the hero was that Maryann Hosser with the one goal in over time!!! Man, that was as thrillin’ as the time I got one of my Cameros in the front yard to actually start up.
But, the one thing I did take some exception to was when those announcer guys had said that our goldie, Jo-Ann Headburger, had been a “quality number two”. Well, I don’t reckon I know all that much about this ice hockey deal, but I don’t think ‘ol Jo-Ann would cotton well to being referred to the thing like what’s on one of those Islander jerseys!
Hey, I got a question for ya’ll out there, though. I ain’t that good in math and all, but if the other team takes about three times more shots at the goal the do you, ain’t you just aksing to get yer butt whooped? Maybe, I’m thinking, them Thrashers just snuck outa Carolina countin’ there blessin’s
Anyway, I hear them boys are gonna met up again Friday night at Atlanta’s barn to do this all over again. Maybe me and Loretta-Lynn can hop into the pick-up and come on down to the big city and see one of these ice-hockey games with our own eye-balls.
Services »
