Inside the numbers of the Thrashers' home woes

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It’s a question for which Thrashers coaches and players simply don’t have an answer. Why does this team get winning results on the road (5-1-1) and not at home (1-4-0)?

“It’s still early in the season,” Thrashers coach John Anderson said. “It’s a bounce here, a bounce there. ... Also, when you are a fragile team thinking about this all the time, I bring this up, there is no point in burying your head in the sand. Maybe it’s gotten to them. I don’t know.”

In an effort to gain a little perspective on the issue, we delve inside the statistics to see if they can shed any light.

23

The number of goals scored by the Thrashers away from Philips Arena. They have scored 19 goals at home in two fewer games. The Thrashers also are at a disadvantage in goals against: 16 away, 20 home.

89.7

The Thrashers’ penalty-kill percentage away from home (26-for-29). They kill off man-advantages at a 76.2 percent rate (16-for-21) at home. Their power-play success rates are similar: 26.1 percent on the road, 28 percent at home.

118

The number of hits the Thrashers have when away from home. By comparison, they have only 57 at home. “I’ve said this before, we are not initiating,” Anderson said. “We let the other team dictate the type of game it’s going to be. You can’t do that, or this is what happens.”

91

The number of blocked shots the Thrashers have on the road. By comparison, they have only 63 at home.

2-5-1

The Thrashers’ record when the opposition scores first. When they score first, which has happened only once in five home games, the record is 4-0. The Thrashers are 0-3-1 when trailing after one period and 0-5-1 when trailing after two periods.

1-5

The Thrashers’ record in games decided by one goal. Four of those losses are the consecutive games the Thrashers have lost at home.

0-3

Thrashers record at home this season when wearing maroon jerseys. They have nine more Thursday home dates when they are scheduled to wear the alternate uniform.