Stewart brothers on-ice reunion put on hold

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

DENVER -- Anthony Stewart got a free steak dinner.

The Thrashers forward was to dine courtesy of his brother Chris, a forward with the Colorado Avalanche, Monday night. There will be no immediate opportunity to return the favor.

The Stewart brothers had been scheduled to have an on-ice family reunion Tuesday when the Thrashers play the Avalanche. But that was put on hold with Chris out up to six weeks with a broken right hand suffered Saturday in a fight against Minnesota. It would have been the first time the brothers had played against each other in an NHL game.

The injury won’t stop the two from dining together. Chris’ city, Chris’ tab. He will still be out when Colorado comes to Atlanta on Dec. 10 so Anthony is off the hook – for now.

“I’ll be sure to pick the most expensive steak house in Colorado and it will be on him,” Anthony said.

The Thrashers, winners of five straight, begin a six-day, three-city road trip with the Avalanche. They will also play Pittsburgh and Washington.

Despite the nomadic NHL lifestyle, the Stewart brothers are close. Growing up in a cramped house with two parents and five younger sisters will do that. Chris even called Anthony during Saturday’s game to talk about his injury.

“He’s a bit down,” Anthony said. “I guess it wasn’t meant to be for us to play in the NHL. Injuries are part of the game.”

The two send text messages or call each other nearly every day. Anthony says if one goes too long without communicating, he will hear about it.

The two squared off several times as minor leaguers, when Anthony played for AHL Rochester and Chris played for Lake Erie. But those meetings were tenuous too. Chris had given up hockey to pursue a football career, but one day when he went with Anthony to a practice, he felt the desire to play again.

“He told me if I got in shape, he could get me a tryout with [his junior team] Kingston,” said Chris, who is 2 1/2 years younger. “It snowballed from there.”

Chris made the junior team and they played together for a season before Anthony moved on.

Anthony, a first-round pick in 2003 (25th overall), made it the NHL with Florida. Chris, a first-round pick in 2006 (18th overall), broke in the league in 2008.

“It’s all about overcoming adversity,” Chris said. “He definitely instilled a hunger in me. You always remember those long bus trips [in the minors]. When you get a chance to play in the NHL, you don’t take anything for granted. You want to stay there.”

That proved an inspiration for his older brother who spent all of last season at AHL Chicago after signing with the Thrashers as a free agent.

“He had an opportunity to come back from the minors and play on the first line,” Anthony said. “He ran with it. I’m getting my opportunity and I’m trying to run with it now.”

Chris was leading the Avalanche with 11 goals and was second with 25 points before the injury. It’s been a career-year for Anthony has well. He already has career-highs in goals (6) and points (12).

“It’s tough when you don’t see each other every day,” Anthony said. “You are real happy when you do. It’s different when you are living in a 700-square-foot house with nine people. Egos and emotions can get the best of you there. Now that we’ve been apart, you appreciate the times that you do have and that’s when you lose the [sibling] rivalry.”

NHL Stars

The Thrashers nearly cornered the market on the NHL’s stars of the week.

Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec was named the league’s first star for the week ending Sunday. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien was named the second star.

“They certainly earned it,” Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay said. “I think they’ve both been brilliant. Our team has played well. Even through that, when the team plays well, someone needs to step up and be a special player and they’ve both done it throughout the homestand.”

The Thrashers won games last week over Detroit, Montreal and Boston. Pavelec stopped 97 of 99 shots in the three wins. Byfuglien had six points (two goals, four assists), including his league-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season.

Injury update

Alexander Burmistrov did not practice Monday but made the road trip with the team. The rookie forward missed most of the third period Sunday against Boston after drawing a boarding penalty. Ramsay said there was a “good chance” Burmistrov would play Tuesday. The Thrashers will call up a player to meet the team in Denver as a precaution.

Fredrik Modin, who has missed six games with a rib injury, also traveled with the team but is not expected to play in the three games.