AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIsland Invasion Successful
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Our Thrashers provided us with a little early Christmas present to enjoy Tuesday night…4-2 dumping of the New York Islanders. The victory was the Thrashers’ second successful invasion of The Island this season. Back on the 6th of the moth they really piled it on ‘em 5-1.
And, if you subscribe to the NHL Center Ice package, you actually got to enjoy it with your own eyes! Seriously…if our AHL affiliate in Chicago can get all 80 of their regular season games televised then how come this organ-I-zation cannot at least get all road games aired…hmmmmmmmm?
With the win, Atlanta will enter into the Christmas break with a record of 12-18-4…winners of two of their last three and three of their previous five games.
Johan Hedberg had a very solid game ‘tween the pipes stopping 23 of the 25 shots he faced.
HOLD IT…25 shots on goal for the whole game? Last Saturday Kari Lehtonen was peppered with a massive total of 24 in the third period alone. Monday against Toronto, the Leafs let go 30 shots on Kari in just the first two periods.
Bryan Little netted a pair for Atlanta, including the game winner while Atlanta was on the…POWER PLAY! His goal coming after the IZ-lan-DUHs had wipe away a 2-0 Thrashers lead to tie the score in the third. They were goals numbers 13 and 14 on the season for Little.
Ilya Superchuk earned his 500th and 501st points of his career…first he assisted Little’s game-deciding goal and the second set up Colby Armstrong’s empty netter to finally drop the lid on the Islanders in the last minute of the game. Kovy reached the 500-point milestone in career game number 500 for him.
Nice win for Atlanta…but these are the Islanders. A loss to them woulda really stunk!
Shots Down
So, what do you make of the fact that the Thrashers have held their opponents to under 30 shots on goal in five of the last seven games? Of course, the other two games saw Tampa Bay crack off 39 and Toronto drop 38 on us…and those were the two that Kari started.
Even though this is an encouraging sign in a stat that the Thrashers have struggled with over the years…still, they are just 2-3-0 in those five games in which the defense played solidly.
Happy Holidays Blueland
Atlanta will be idle until Friday night…and so will I. I wish you all a very peaceful and wonderful holiday season. I hope you enjoy the time off, the time with family friends and loved ones.
Merry Christmas…I wish you all the blessings of this season.
Happy Hanukkah…may love and light fill your homes.
And a Wondrous Festivus for the Rest of Us…May you find satisfaction in the Airing of Grievances and may your Festivus Pole have a great strength-to-weight ratio.
See you all Friday on the other side of Christmas!
Comments
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By R. Stroz
December 24, 2008 12:25 AM | Link to this
Merry Christmas Everyone
FIRE WADDELL
By Alan
December 24, 2008 12:38 AM | Link to this
A merry Christmas would include a right good roasting of Waddell on a pike somewhere.
Wait, we’re not talking about that kind of fire, are we?
… fire him anyway! FIRE WADDELL and a Merry Christmas to all in Blueland!
By Barry
December 24, 2008 1:46 AM | Link to this
You bring up an interesting point Rawhide. I haven’t looked up stats or anything, but it just seems to me when Kari plays in goal the team seems to play more loose defensively rather than when Moose is in goal. Maybe the team puts too much faith and trust in Kari to stop everything that comes his way. How many games have we witnessed where Kari faces 40-50 shots a night? Compare to Moose starts and it seems he’s faced with around 30-35 usually.
By ranallo10 (in AT)
December 24, 2008 5:05 AM | Link to this
Frohe Weihnachten
By PUTTING ON THE FOIL
December 24, 2008 8:18 AM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By Bob
December 24, 2008 8:39 AM | Link to this
Someone clue me on what Waddell said on the radio interview, I was watching Billy Jaffe on the Isle feed.
By Scotty
December 24, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL!!
Rawhide is RIGHT when he’s said previously that we HAVE to FIRE WADDELL to have any chance to sign Kovy, our lone superstar!!! If there IS a chance.
Congrats to “Superchuk” for 500 points in 500 games. Actually, 501 points as it turns out.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
FIRE WADDELL!!
By sisu
December 24, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
Hauskaa Joulua! (Merry Christmas)
Here is what I caught of DW interview
So DW thinks that the team is doing ok and would be right in the thick of the playoff race (at least that is what it sounded like he was referring to) if the team would only play 60 minutes each game. So everything is fine and he is looking for players that would be waived due to salary cap…courtesy of the game broadcast on 680.
By HookyBob
December 24, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
Why does anyone care what Waddell says? It isn’t worth the paper it could be written on.
At least those were my thoughts last night when he also said that there is no potential deal with the Wild. So what is the take away from that?
Someone blogged awhile back…How do you know when DW is lying? The answer of course is “Whenever his lips are moving?” We may have found Stendec’s waste of oxygen (whenever DWs lips are moving).
By krust
December 24, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
So DW thinks the team is doing ok, great! Don please resign. Don you need to see a shrink. Take some paxil Santa please bring us a new GM. Let this nightmare be over.
By frosty the snowman
December 24, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this
Wadell also referred to the 5 game win streak again, saying you don’t win 5 games in a row without being a good team.
WHATEVER
By Nikita
December 24, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this
Happy hols, ya’ll.
By Rawhide
December 24, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
Wadell also referred to the 5 game win streak again, saying you don?t win 5 games in a row without being a good team.
Well, then isn’t the opposite just as true?
You don’t LOSE 6 games in a row without being a BAD team!
The team that HE put together did just that between Oct. 21 and Nov. 1 vs. Tampa Bay, Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia, NYR and New Jersey being outscored 29 to 12 in those six games.
God-Almighty! I wish that the next time he says something like that in an interview that the peson holding the mic responds with that question….
By truehockeyfan
December 24, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this
Merry christmas to all. As bad as we have played in some games, we are only 9 points out of the playoffs. Call me the dillusional optomist but I am a hockey fan and the Thrashers are my team, All I want for christmas is a 6 game win streak. I will take more though. If this team shows up to play every night they can win. On another note. If you have the NHL Network now is a chance to watch Angelo Esposito if the Junior Worlds that start tomorrow. We can judge just how good the Hossa trade was. And Yes, Merry christmas to DW and the ASG. WE need positive vibes not negative thoughts by all Thrasher fans. Please lets give it a 5 game tryout. NOTHING BUT LOVE FOR THE THRASHERS.
By Alan
December 24, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this
Rawhide - Don’t hold your breath for that, or you might die of asphyxiation.
(Yes, I know you can’t die from holding your own breath; you’ll merely pass out for a moment or two)
Seriously, though, that sort of thing will never happen. They like having access to Waddell, too, so they won’t ask any hard-hitting questions. Your best bet is to get Schultz to ask those sort of questions.
God Jul, alle!
By Bob
December 24, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
So everything is fine and he is looking for players that would be waived due to salary cap
lol. Thanks for the laugh! That’s some funny stuff right there. The problem is, he probably believes it and just think, that’s the sunshine he’s blowing up the owner’s collective rears, are they dumb enough to believe it and retain him yet again?
Oh, I don’t want to think about that, it’s Christmas. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, all.
By dhj_1962
December 24, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
here is a clue about the trashers making the playoffs. 12-18-4, 28 pts, 48 games left. IF they go 28-20, 56 pts + 28 pts = 84 pts. Not gonna be enough. and who in their right mind thinks the Thrashers will win 28 more game this year?? dillusional optomist??? i am too!!!!! go Thrashes, they will win 35 of 48….woooohoooo
By Russ
December 24, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this
DW has commented on the five game winning streak as proof of this being a “good” team a few times while always choosing to ignore the losing streaks (as Rawhide points out above). As my Christmas present to DW I will give him some new material to use in these interviews. Next time he should say “In the games we have won, we are an undefeated hockey club”.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
By sisu
December 24, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
So to look at DW’s comments another way…Jussi Jokinen was available but he did not even mention this? Not saying he is a 30 goal scorer but he is young and could have been a addition to the team…
By Jason
December 24, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
Merry Christmas everyone!!!
Fire Waddell!
By frosty the snowman
December 24, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this
So we can beat the lightning and the islanders. So the one thing we will accomplish this year is giving them Tavares or Hedman.
By jcwhitingjr
December 24, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this
The trend of allowing fewer than 30 shots on goal a game is something that I think we can all hope is a sign of better things to come for the team.
Sure, we’ve been losing in spite of having fewer SOG allowed, but you’ve gotta start somewhere and SOG has always been a sore spot with this team since they entered the league. Maybe, just maybe, if the SOG is really fixed, they can start to focus on another aspect of their game and get it turned around and so on and so forth.
Maybe.
By Alan
December 24, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this
I read this story on my cellphone this morning while on the bus to work, and thought I would share. Please enjoy.
By sisu
December 24, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this
12-18-4, 28 pts, 48 games left. Following the recent trend it is more like 24-24, 48 pts + 28 pts = 76 pts so there is a gap of 18 to 20 points to qualify for the post season.
So out of the 24 losses maybe 12 of them in overtime (just bear with me:)
so that would be 76 + 12 = 84 so still no playoffs.
So what wonderful center is available in the draft? or is there a free agent that would come here.
By dhj_1962
December 24, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this
I OFTEN WONDER IF DW TALKS TO THE BETTER FREE AGENTS AND THEY SAY “NOT INTERESTED” or, he talks to them, they tell DW how much buckage it would take, then the owners say, “we aint paying that much”. on another subject, how about the pass Kovy made to Thorburn in the slot, missed the net completly, looked like one of EC’s shots.
By Smoothie
December 24, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
Merry Christmas and / or Happy Holidays to all of you atheists out there!! j/k Please be safe and responsible in your enjoyment of the Holiday season. And do your best to avoid any Thrashers telecasts until after New Year’s Day. Perhaps by then we will have a new GM and a reason to be optimistic once again. God Bless! Again, unless you’re one of those damned silly atheists! ;-)
By Barry
December 24, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this
I liked what Stulberger said during his little postgame show last night. He mentioned that 5 game win streak that Don commented on. Stully went on to say “hey that was a long time ago. They’ve also gone on 4, 5, 6 game losing streaks. The 5 game win streak is nice but this team needs some 3 and 4 game win streaks between losses.” Stully also commented on Anderson’s quotes about “losses like this happen” in regards to the Leafs game. Stully was like “they don’t happen to teams like Philly, Boston, Washington, etc. and they really shouldn’t be allowed to happen on this team. “
By Tony C.
December 24, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this
good for stully, Alan-thanks for the link-this part really caught my eye:
In a recent sermon, he spoke about how too many people in the world “only want to see you for what you used to be or what you are now. They don’t want to see you for what you can become.”
write that down and send it to the team-cuz it’s getting obvious that too many in the organization (top-down) are OK with mediocrity
By Nikita
December 24, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this
Merry Christmahannukwanzakaa! May you have a good day off, and great things awaiting you. Whatever they are and whatever you celebrate.
I actually think we need a top RW. I’m not too worried at center, unless we’re talking about getting an upgrade to replace EC.
For the holidays, if I were dreaming, I’d get a trade of Ex and EC to someone in return for a young, gritty, flexible player with upwards of a 30-goal scoring ability. I’d get Slater and Havelid to teams that can use them, and I’d bring up Mike Hoffman and a good, young, vicious 4th-line center.
By ben
December 24, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this
the T-BIRDS WON’T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!
it is delusional to think that they will. But I am delussional and I will root them on to another draft pick. Even if they do make it, will they win Le Coupe de Stanley? Nein, they will not.
*UNLESS … *
1) Little is for real.
2) Kovy ramps it up.
3) Kozy keeps it up.
4) The goalie situation gets better and then stabilizes.
5) Some, as yet unidentified soul begins score post haste.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
F I R E D O N W A D D E L L !
By Alan
December 24, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this
Tony - That part definitely stuck out to me as well. That quote should be plastered in huge letters on the door to the Thrashers’ locker room, and/or said by the coaches to the players every night.
By Steely Dan
December 24, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL NOW
Merry Christmas to all.
28 points after 34 games puts this team on pace for 67 points. Is THAT a good team Waddell? Give me a friggin’ break. I’d hate to see what he thought a bad team was!
FIRE WADDELL NOW
By Rawhide
December 24, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this
Puck Daddy is reporting that Minnee-SOH-tah is shutting down Gaborik for the two games after the Christmas break. There is speculation that a trade is near.
Yes, Atlanta and Kovalchuk are in this speculation. But not to trade Kovy…more like to bring in Gabby for Kovy’s benifit as a rental player to try and make the playoffs.
If he can get Gaborik without losing Kovy…fine, even though he injured alot. Why not try, eh.
It just depends on what we would give up for him.
By PUTTING ON THE FOIL
December 24, 2008 5:57 PM | Link to this
MERY CHRISTMAS from Sylvania, Ga. By the way FIRE WADDELL
By PUTTING ON THE FOIL
December 24, 2008 6:06 PM | Link to this
Sorry. MERRY CHRISTMAS. We do know how to spell here.
By Sage of Bluesland
December 24, 2008 9:30 PM | Link to this
Happy Holidays to all…Here’s to hoping I get one of my wishes this year:
FIRE DON WADDELL.
By ben
December 25, 2008 1:51 AM | Link to this
Gabby would be awsome but please spare little.
By Sharon
December 25, 2008 3:43 AM | Link to this
I’m hoping that for Christmas this year Waddell gets a stocking full of fired. C’mon Santa, we’re counting on you!
Happy Holidays!
By Tony C.
December 25, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
People seem to think MN is looking for a NHL-ready forward, a prospect and a pick.
Given Gaborik’s fragility and the certain knowledge that he is going to go UFA this summer (dude’s agent said so LAST summer)-Who would yall think of as “acceptable” to give MN for Gaborik (realizing that if it pans out right, you’ve just torpedoed any shot at Tavares)???
Me, i send EC (china for fine china), hopefully they’d be more interested in a skater than in Pavelec, but given their troubes getting backstrom re-signed I would think Pavelec is going to be the centerpiece Risebrough requires. I wouldn’t give anything higher than our 2nd-round pick-Gaborik is a badass when he’s healthy, but that’s increasingly infrequent AND when you factor in his UFA-ness, he’s just not worth your 1st-round pick (unless he’s the last piece in your Stanley Cup puzzle [see MTL or SJ here], and your 1st-round pick is going to be #22 or lower).
just one good ol’ boy’s two cents
GO BLUE !!!
FIRE WADDELL
By Smoothie
December 25, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this
Rawhide — first off, a very Merry Christmas to you, Mrs. T and your two growing, teenage tax exemptions.
That is a very interesting tidbit you have dug up from the internet rumour soil. Not sure how fertile some of these Gaborik trade rumours truly are, but if something were in the works between the Wild and Thrashers, I would like to see the following swap:
Minny gets: Williams, White and either EC or a draft pick (hopefully no higher than a 3rd rounder).
ATL gets: Gaborik for hire & Eric Bellanger to replace Todd White
This deal would actually make sense in several ways. One, Minny would not only received some scoring punch on the right side to replace Gabby, but Todd White has proven himself to be quite capable in their more conservative trapping system.
Secondly, we need to bolster our PK and by bringing the speedy Belly back into the fold, we might just rejuvenate the short-handed scoring flair of one Monsieur Perrin. Nothing says short-handed prowess like speedy French Canadians named Eric!
Third, Minny would get more than ample value in the sense that White has 1.5 years left on his contract. Williams might be only a temporary rental, but his scoring punch on the right side might prove worthwhile alongside more defensively responsible partners such as Pierre Marc-Bouchard and Stephane Veilleiux.
Lastly, if the Wild want to take a chance on the young EC in hopes of tapping into his potential, they would have the option. If not, give them a draft pick or let them choose a D-man such as Matt Schneider who could provide some added scoring punch from the blueline and play some effective 2nd unit PP minutes.
I would love this deal, even if we can’t re-up Gaborik, but who knows, if he were to gel with Kovy and Reasoner, he might just want to stay for a few years. And it would be much easier to attract a FA centerman to play with #17 and Gabby. As for the Little White Russian line and the loss of White, just slide Little back to C and move a hungry Crabb up to play RW.
Kovy — Marty — Gabby
Kozzy — Little — Crabb / Army
Perrin — Belly — Army / Thorby
Boults — Slater — Thor / Crabb
Bring up a couple of Wolves such as Stuart and Hoffman for depth and situational scenarios (i.e. fighting and enforcement) and you’re good to go!!
By ranallo10 (in AT)
December 25, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this
By the way, Marc-Andre Bergeron is out for “weeks”, and according to the Wild’s assistant GM “I would say 100 percent I’m not holding him out for a trade”.
By ranallo10 (in AT)
December 25, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this
Sorry, the “him” in the assistant GM quote was Gaborik.
By sisu
December 25, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
As much as I would love to see Eric Bellanger back here the biggest issue would be the fact that he did not want to sign here when he could have…just saying
By goose
December 25, 2008 10:33 PM | Link to this
Smoothie- I hear what you are saying but a Kovy Gabby line just does not work. We don’t need two top line franchise wingers on the same line. Kovy does not needed another high scorer on his line he needs somebody that can feed him the puck well. I think Gabby would work better with Kozlov because he is a good forward that can score but he also can feed the puck well. If Kozlov was a right winger he would be on a line with Kovy. But he plays left wing and center in a pinch. So the next best thing to do would be to put him with Gabby and find somebody for Kovy that can feed him the puck for that great slapper of his that has not been seen much this season. Get Gabby for the rest of the season if his injuries prove to be too much we can let him walk and not lose too much for him on the trade. If we could get him and his injuries are not too much and we could resign him that would be great. Just a Gabby Kovy line just does not work in my book.