AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2009 > January > 10
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Hopes For Two-Game Win Streak Catapulted
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday night the Atlanta Thrashers scored four goals and allowed their opposition only 29 shots in what was considered their finest game of the year so far. Saturday afternoon they again netted four goals and allowed their opponents but 29 SOG, however it was in one of the worst losses of the season…an 8-4 smacking from the paws of the Florida Panthers.
Fresh off his 29-save shutout performance…his and his team’s first of the season…Kari Lehtonen followed it up with a very disappointing outing in which 7 of 27shots got past him.
Going back to Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, Kari had gone four straight periods without allowing a goal. That all came to an end at the 9:50 mark of the first when Michael Frolik converted a penalty shot. Leht’s scoreless streak had gone 94 minutes and 9 seconds and he had stopped 53 consecutive shots on goal in that time. Lehtonen went on to give up an additional pair of goals before the first intermission…they came in the final 1:36 of the period.
The Thrashers seemed to have righted the ship in the second as Kari stopped all 8 SOG and his O-fense scored twice to tie the score at three. First, Todd White capitalized on an Atlanta power play… White finished the game with a goal, 2 assists. Then Erik Christensen finished off a great 2-1 rush with a nifty move reminiscent of his game-winning shootout goal against Vancouver. White assisted on Crusher’s goal by flipping a pass to him off the left boards, leaving Erik all alone with only Tomas Vokoun to beat.
But the comeback effort stalled in the third when the Cats put 3 shots past Kari on only 4 shots in the opening 7:05 of the period. After Ville Peltonen converted on a 3 on 2 break to make the score 8-3, Kari had let 4 goals on but 8 shots get past him…he was then given the rest of the afternoon off. Moose then saved one of Florida’s final two shots.
So, what was the more accurate depiction of this year’s Thrashers…Thursday’s 4-0 shutout win or Saturday’s 8-4 loss?
Improved PK
Although the Thrashers were whacked in Florida…they held the Panthers scoreless on 5 man advantage situations. In fact, heading back to Sidney Crosby’s power play goal in the second period of Tuesday’s game, Atlanta has successfully killed off 15 consecutive penalties.
This almost came to an end Saturday when Florida’s first goal in the third period was scored just one second after Tobias Enstrom’s holding-the-stick penalty had expired.
Regardless, this is a promising improvement of a stat that has been butt-ugly all season.
Matinee Madness
Saturday was the sixth game in which the Thrashers played an afternoon matinee. After winning the first two…they have dropped the last four by a combined score of 18-8.
Last Sunday, the Thrashers lost 4-1 to the Lightning in front of an announced crowd of…cough, cough…10,750 fans at Philips Arena. This afternoon, there was an announced crowd of 14,323 in Sunrise, Florida.
Next matinee special…a 3:00 start on Sunday February 8 when the Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia Flyers pay us a visit.
Cat’s Climbing
With the win Saturday, the Florida Panthers are now 20-16-6 and their 46 points place them only one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for second place in the Southeast Division and the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Carolina was pummeled 5-1 by the Boston Bruins Saturday afternoon.
Thrashers Pick Up Center
Saturday the Atlanta Thrashers picked up centerman Rich Peverley via the waiver wires. In 27 games for the Nashville Predators Peverley has 2 goals, 9 points with a -3 rating and 15 PIM. The 26-year old native of Guelph, Ontario has played in 73 total NHL games with 7 career goals, 20 points and has an EVEN +/- rating.
