When the Thrashers lost their first preseason game 5-0 to Nashville, coach John Anderson could blame it on playing an inexperienced lineup against the Predators regulars.
Sunday at Philips Arena in their final warm-up, the Thrashers dressed most of the lineup that they'll use in Saturday's opener and got drop-kicked 5-1 by the Tampa Bay Lightning. No excuses this time.
"That was a stinker," Anderson said. "We didn't play very good at all. None of us."
Tampa Bay, the Thrashers' opening-night opponent, scored three of its goals on seven power plays. Last year, the Thrashers finished second to last in the NHL in penalty-killing percentage, but killed a decent 24 of 30 power plays in their first five preseason games.
"Certainly the penalty killing reared its ugly head again," Anderson said. "It's been very good to this point. They've got some good players out there, but so do a lot of teams and we have to shut it down."
The Thrashers were 0-for-6 on power plays. In the third period, they generated just four shots. Forward Chris Thorburn scored their only goal, in the second period.
Thrashers goalie Ondrej Pavelec played the entire game, allowing five goals on 26 shots. Pavelec is fighting for a roster spot with Johan Hedberg and pro tryout invitee Manny Legace. The Thrashers will almost certainly start the season with Kari Lehtonen, who had offseason back surgery, on injured reserve. Most likely, the team would keep two of the three while Lehtonen recovers.
Anderson said he was "not disappointed" in Pavelec's play but also said that "I don't think any roster spots were locked down tonight." Anderson said the goalkeeping logjam will be among the topics at a meeting of Thrashers brass Monday.
"Five goals is five goals, and every time, it can be better," said Pavelec, the Thrashers' 2005 second-round pick who has spent most of the past two seasons with the minor league affiliate in Chicago. "It wasn't a game I would remember."
Defenseman Boris Valabik might also choose to delete the game from his memory. Valabik failed to clear Lightning center Zenon Konopka from in front of the net, leading to Tampa Bay's first goal, and was on the ice for two of the Lightning's power play goals. He also drew a 10-minute misconduct penalty, as did Tampa Bay's Stephane Veilleux, for trading shoves before a faceoff at the end of the first period.
"Some of their guys, obviously, their job is to get under our skin," Valabik said. "At the same time, we don't want to be pushed around."
Etc.
Anderson said he was hopeful that defenseman Ron Hainsey and forward Colby Armstrong, who have been out with lower body injuries, will be ready for the opener.
The team must reach its 23-man opening day roster by Wednesday. There are 27 players on the roster.
The Thrashers finished the preseason 2-3-1.
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