THRASHERS 3, CANADIENS 2, (SO)

Lehtonen stops Canadiens in shootout
Kozlov, Hossa lead streaky Thrashers' offense


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/22/07

Oh, those streaky Thrashers. Six Flags should take note, because the Thrashers thrill ride is swinging back up.

This time it was Montreal visiting Philips Arena this week and sent home a loser. It took overtime and a shootout, but the Thrashers returned to .500 with their 3-2 win over the Canadiens.

AP
Thrashers' goalie Kari Lehtonen made 32 saves in regulation and three in overtime, and stopped the two attempts he faced in the shootout.
 
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It was the Thrashers third consecutive win, all at home. The win streak follows their four-game losing streak. That was a losing streak preceded by a streak of four consecutive games in which the Thrashers earned a point. Which followed a three-game losing streak. Which followed a four-game winning streak.

Got it?

All captain Bobby Holik knows is that the 0-6 start to the season means this team can't be satisfied with its latest win streak.

"There can't be a moment where we can breathe easy," Holik said. "We put ourselves in this situation and it will follow us to the end of the season."

There's nothing streaky about the Thrashers in overtime. If they can get there, they've shown good things happen. The win against Montreal improved their record to 7-1 in overtime and shootouts.

Marian Hossa and Slava Kozlov both scored on their shootout attempts against Montreal goalie Cristobal Huet. Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen made sure Kozlov's goal wasn't needed by stopping both shots he faced in the shootout.

That made Hossa's the game-winner and extended their impressive record after regulation.

So can Lehtonen explain the team's dominance in overtime?

"We have very good [shooters] in the shootout," said the goalie, who finished the game with 37 saves in earning his third consecutive win. "They're really shootout specialists. That helps my job. I've been there this year two times in the shootout and our first two shooters have scored. That makes me feel a lot more comfortable."

If there's a shootout expert, it's Kozlov.

He noticed, when Hossa was skating in to shoot, that Huet took away the five-hole on Hossa. Hossa has shown a tendency to go there in the shootout, but beat Huet high glove side, showing he can mix up his shots.

Kozlov didn't have to. He went back to the move that's been working, one where he dekes, then patiently glides to his left and shoots high. Only New Jersey's Martin Brodeur has stopped it this season.

Huet is no Martin Brodeur.

"It works today," Kozlov said. "You never know what's going to be next. I'm going to try to random my moves."

Kozlov also scored his tenth goal of the season, continuing to click since being reunited with Hossa on the second line.

Hossa assisted on both Thrashers goals, with his second a pretty chip pass across the crease to Eric Perrin who scored to give the Thrashers a 2-1 lead.

While teams focus on Hossa, who hasn't scored since Dec. 7, he's making them pay by setting up linemates.

Perrin said he never saw the puck because of a Montreal defenseman, but he waited by Huet with confidence Hossa would find him.

"I just kept my stick on the ice, it was just an amazing play [by Hossa]. An amazing pass," Perrin said.

The Thrashers started this week facing a stretch of four games in six days and have already earned six points.

A sweaty Holik wasn't celebrating those six points after the game. Nor can this team afford to.



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