Hedberg has Rangers' number this season

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It was not a difficult decision for the Thrashers to start goaltender Johan Hedberg against the Rangers on Thursday night.

After a 2-1 shootout win, Hedberg is 3-0 against the Rangers this season. Hedberg stopped 29 of 30 shots for the win. He also stopped 33 of 36 shots in a 5-3 win on Nov. 12 and 46 of 48 shots (both career highs) in a 3-2 shootout win on Dec. 14.

Hedberg, who said he grew up a Rangers fan, is 11-3-2 lifetime against New York.

Coach John Anderson had another reason to start Hedberg.

“I just think he’s been playing pretty good as of late,” Anderson said. “He does have the highest winning percentage of our goalies right now.”

Mired in a nine-game losing streak (0-6-3), both Anderson and Hedberg used the word "desperate" to describe the Thrashers.

“We are a really desperate team and hopefully we’ll play that way with desperation and control,” Hedberg said before the game. “We’ve got to put a string of wins together to get back on track.”

“We’ve got to take it on a game-by-game basis, but there is a desperation around us,” Anderson said. “Teams around us [in the standings] are winning. ... Nothing is getting easier and it will be a dogfight right until the end and hopefully we are right in that dogfight.

“Our goaltending has to really help us out a little bit. It was spectacular early on. It’s hard to count on your goaltending to be spectacular, but this is the situation we are in. Everyone has to play up to and past their standards.”

Popovic back at practice

Thrashers defenseman Mark Popovic took part in the team’s morning skate Thursday, his first practice with the team since breaking his foot in mid-December. Popovic said he felt good after the session.

“I had a smile on my face all day,” Popovic said. “When you take four weeks off, it’s fun to be out there with the guys.”

Popovic said after being cleared by doctors following Thursday’s practice that with more conditioning, he could be ready for game action in a week.

Popovic, along with Boris Valabik and Nik Antropov (hip) were scratched Thursday.