Thrashers are behind the puck on 5-on-3s

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Thrashers held a two-goal lead over Carolina on Saturday when it happened – again.

Atlanta had to kill off a two-man disadvantage after drawing back-to-back penalties in the third period. It was a near disaster.

With a 3-1 lead, Rich Peverley was called for slashing. One minute later, Boris Valabik joined him in the penalty box on a roughing call. With just three seconds remaining in the 5-on-3, Carolina scored to pull within a goal. The Hurricanes kept the pressure on and scored seven seconds after the ensuing 5-on-4 advantage ended. The game now hung in the balance.

Ilya Kovalchuk rescued the Thrashers when he scored 42 seconds later for a much-needed victory.

Still, the numbers are working against the Thrashers.

This season Atlanta has been two men down 11 times for a collective 12 minutes and 25 seconds. On the other hand, the Thrashers have been two men up only six times for 2:37. One of the  power plays lasted 1:26, meaning the combined time of the other five was just 1:11.

The opposition has scored on four of its 11 two-man advantages. The Thrashers do not have a 5-on-3 goal.

“You want to play hard, but sometimes things happen,” Thrashers coach John Anderson said of his team's short-handed play.

How do you stop it? There's strategy involved in trying to kill a 5-on-3 power play.

“You know they are going to get shots and they are going to get good shots,” Thrashers goaltender Johan Hedberg said. “You have to realize what they are looking for, who do they want to finish the play, and take that away and force them into the play they least want to do. …

“You try to make them put it in the hands of the guy they don’t want to shoot it. Maybe it’s their passer you force into shooting.”

Anderson said the defensive strategy is about position and blocking passing lanes. With three players on the ice, one is positioned in front of the net. It’s his job to prevent cross-ice passes. The other players patrol the sides, moving up when the puck is on their side and down when it’s on the other to block shooting and passing lanes.

Anderson said there is a knack for playing two-man down. The defender must show patience, but also know when to take a calculated risk.

“Sometimes you can read the play and jump it, getting your stick in the way where you steal the puck and throw it down [the ice], which kills 15-20 seconds,” Anderson said.

The Thrashers are 16th in the NHL in penalties (240) and penalty minutes per game (13.3). Their once top-ranked penalty kill has slipped to 22nd in the NHL (79.8 percent).

Boston scored on two 5-on-3 advantages in a 6-4 victory over the Thrashers in December.

Notes

*Anderson said Todd White was scratched Saturday against Carolina because of the play of the current lines and not the center’s right leg injury. Anderson said several players have “bumps and bruises” and will be game-time decisions Monday against Florida.

*The Thrashers held an optional practice at Florida’s BankAtlantic Center on Sunday. Ron Hainsey, Pavel Kubina, Christoph Schubert, Max Afinogenov, Eric Boulton and Ondrej Pavelec did not take part in the on-ice workout. All other players, including Mark Popovic (foot) and Kari Lehtonen (back), practiced.