AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2009 > January > 18
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Aliens Remain Among Us
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The extra terrestrial beings that highjacked the Atlanta Thrashers players during the first intermission of Friday night’s game did not seem to be in a hurry to leave, did they? They obviously have found the competition level on this planet far below that of the ice hockey played on theirs.
Fresh off their spectacular victory Friday night in Philips Arena…coming back from a 3-0 deficit…the Thrashers packed their banjos and traveled to Nashville the following night and continued doing the things that make a team successful. High pressure in the opponent’s zone, good back-checking, crisp passing, and a pant-load of hustle.
In much the same way as the Thrashers of old were stolen away in the night Friday and alien beings took their forms, these new Thrashers traveled to the Music City and abducted the home team’s identity. Atlanta became the “predators” in this game as they attacked Nashville all night and left hardly a shred of meat on the bony-remains of the mutated carrion that was left on the ice.
Since that first intermission close encounter in the Thrashers locker room …they have outscored their opponents 11-2 over the course of the last five periods of play plus 3:51 of overtime Friday night. By the time Jordin Tootoo scored for Nashville at the 4:49 mark of the second period, the Thrashers had rattled off 9 consecutive goals in a span of 68 minutes and 40 seconds.
Now…after a game in which your team nets seven goals by seven different players, it’s tough to point to one as “the” goal of the night. But the one that really sticks out in my mind is the third one scored by Atlanta. It all began when Colby Armstrong de-railed the “Tootoo” train at the blueline…and was followed by Rich Peverley dispensing a great break away pass to Kovalchuk that put him in one-on-one with Dan Ellis.
It was no contest…and it was also the last play of the night for Ellis who then departed with but one save on four shots in 10:48 TOI. Don’t go away mad Dan…
The Kovy-Peverley-Army line accounted for two goals after doing so for three the night before. Folks…it’s time we give this line a name! Please submit your suggestions below and my secretary Trixie will review them once she returns from her weekend ski vacation in the Swiss Alps.
For the first time since the second week of November, the Thrashers won two consecutive games in a row…doing so in back-to-back games. It was the second time this season that Atlanta won two games on consecutive night.
Some outstanding aliens…er, um…players of note:
Kari Lehtonen: 31 saves on 33 shots in Nashville. Since entering the game to begin the second period against Toronto…40 saves on 42 SOG, (.952 SV%). One of those goals was via a 5 on 3 power play.
Ilya Kovalchuk: All he did was score 3 goals to go with 2 helpers and go +5 versus the Leafs and Preds. Starting with being given a big “C” on his jersey last Sunday, one could say he’s had a pretty good week. He was the game’s first star for the second consecutive game.
Rich Peverley: After a three assist night and a +3 Saturday, he has five assists, a game-winning goal and a +5 rating for the weekend. He also has all of our attention now. Rich earned the second star of both games.
Zach Bogosian: It looked like he had scored his first ever NHL goal at 6:48 of the first period in Nashville…instead he had to settle for his first career NHL point as the puck deflected off Colby Armstrong’s stick for his 13th of the season. Not being satisfied with that…he smacked home that first goal at the start of the third. He was also a +4 against the Predators, earning the third star of that game.
Mathieu Schneider: A goal and a +4 for his night’s work Saturday.
Bryan Little: A goal in both games and a third star Friday night.
Eric Perrin: How about that pickpocket job in center ice that he parlayed into the game’s first goal?
Boris Valabik: A +2 Saturday and no penalties versus the Leafs or Predators.
Before hosting the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday back at Philips and playing Wednesday up in Philly, the Thrasher will have a couple of days off. I think our new Thrashers may use that time off to fly out to Roswell, New Mexico and visit a few old friends.
