Atlanta Thrashers Schedule
Thursday
2/23/2012
7:30PM
Winnipeg Jets vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Saturday
2/25/2012
1:00PM
Winnipeg Jets vs St Louis Blues
Monday
2/27/2012
7:30PM
Winnipeg Jets vs Edmonton Oilers
NEWS
By Bud L. Ellis
For a franchise that’s played all of four postseason games since joining the NHL in 1999, the Atlanta Thrashers faced a playoff-type contest on Saturday at Buffalo.
But in a painful reminder of how thin the line is between the haves and have-nots, the Thrashers totally blew an opportunity to thrust themselves back into the race for the Stanley Cup playoffs. (Read More…)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 7:08 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, National Hockey League, Toronto Maple Leafs
By Bud L. Ellis
The Atlanta Thrashers’ slim hopes of making the NHL playoffs are just that. Slim.
But a few more wins like Saturday’s 4-3 overtime thriller over Florida at Philips Arena could ignite a much-needed late-season surge. (Read More…)
Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 8:04 pm by bud
Tags: Andrew Ladd, Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Blake Wheeler, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Chris Mason, David Booth, Florida Panthers, National Hockey League, Stephen Weiss, Toronto Maple Leafs
By Bud L. Ellis
The Atlanta Thrashers, trying desperately trying to jumpstart their playoff push before they fall too far out of the eighth and final spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference, were busy on Monday’s trading deadline day.
The Thrashers traded for Radek Dvorak from Florida, sending Niclas Bergfors and Patrick Rissmiller to the Panthers for the 33-year-old forward. (Read More…)
Monday, February 28, 2011 at 8:24 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Brett Feasterling, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Drew MacIntyre, Florida Panthers, Fredrik Modin, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Niclas Bergfors, Patrick Rissmiller, Radek Dvorak, Rob Schremp
By Bud L. Ellis
Usually, it takes the Atlanta Thrashers a period or so to come to life.
Thursday night at Philips Arena, the Thrashers had plenty of jump in the game’s first three minutes, putting five shots on goal against Carolina. But then, the air went out of the balloon, Eric Stahl scored the first of his three goals and the rout was in motion.
Sure, the 5-2 final score didn’t look bad, but trust me, it was. Many inside Philips Arena left during the early stages of the third period, when Atlanta had three power plays and couldn’t muster much of a charge, down at that stage 4-1 to the team with the worst record in the NHL.
Colby Armstrong gave the home crowd a glimmer of hope, cutting the deficit to 4-2 with under nine minutes to play. But Carolina was too strong, and Stahl capped his hat trick with an empty netter in the final minutes.
Rich Peverley put Atlanta on the board midway through the second period. But by then it was 4-0, thanks to two quick Carolina goals three minutes apart in the first half of the first period, and two power-play goals 1:53 apart in the opening minutes of the second period.
The loss keeps Atlanta out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The Thrashers remain at 51 points, tied for 10th with Montreal, three points behind the Islanders and Bruins, who are tied for seventh.
—30—
Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 9:34 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Colby Armstrong, Eric Stahl, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Philips Arena, Rich Peverley
By Bud L. Ellis
This is the type of performance the Atlanta Thrashers need more of if they want to be in contention for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Ilya Kovalchuk scored the go-ahead goal just 44 seconds after Carolina had tied the game, and the Thrashers added a Nik Antropv empty-net tally with time running down to secure a 5-3 victory at Carolina on Saturday.
The win moves Atlanta one point out of the eighth and final playoff spot, in the jumbled Eastern Conference standings. The Thrashers are 21-19-7 for 49 points, tied with Philadelphia and one point behind the Islanders and Montreal. Florida, where the Thrashers play Monday, is one point behind Atlanta.
Ondrej Pavelec stopped Eric Stahl on a penalty shot midway through the second period of a 1-1 game. Atlanta responded with goals from Jim Slater and Rich Peverley just 72 seconds apart later in the period, and the Thrashers carried a 3-1 advantage into the final period.
But Carolina responded with two goals in a 70-second span, Ray Whitney’s slap shot tying the game at 3-3 at the 9:09 mark of the third.
Kovalchuk needed just 44 seconds to put the Thrashers back in front. He blasted a slap shot in for his 28th goal of the season, off assists from Tobias Enstrom and Antropov.
Kovalchuk finished with a goal and an assist, giving him 20 points in his past 22 games. Slater finished with a goal and an assist, as did Antropov and Zach Bogosian, who scored Atlanta’s first goal 2:29 into the first.
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Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 4:34 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Eric Stahl, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jim Slater, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Nik Antropov, Ondrej Pavelec, Philadelphia Flyers, Ray Whitney, Rich Peverley, Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian
By Bud L. Ellis
They often struggle in the first period, almost always get outshot by the opposition and their marquee player may be wearing another sweater by October (or March, for that matter).
Take all that into consideration, and it’s surprising that the Atlanta Thrashers are just three points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Despite a miserable nine-game stretch that produced just three points in the standings (all coming on overtime losses), the Thrashers split their final four games of their most-recent homestand, losing 2-1 in OT to Buffalo on Thursday at Philips Arena.
So, what to make of the Thrashers as Atlanta hits the road for back-to-back Southeast Division road games Saturday at Carolina and Monday at Florida? With 36 games remaining on the schedule, the Thrashers have an opportunity to reach the playoffs for just the second time in franchise history.
But they’ll have to earn it.
The East is a jumbled mess once you get through the first four playoff spots. Boston sits in fifth with 53 points; Tampa Bay and Florida are tied for 12th, just seven points out of fifth.
Atlanta’s right in the midst of that, and when the Thrashers are right (as they were in the early weeks of the season), this is a solid team. The combo of Ondrej Pavelec and Johan Hedberg has been good in goal on more nights than not. Ilya Kovalchuk has not let his uncertain contract status hamper his play (he has 18 points in his past 21 games). A young defense, sparked by Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian and Evander Kane, provide promise.
But Atlanta fans have listened to promises for a decade, with just one playoff berth and zero postseason wins to show for it. The time for the Thrashers to make their move is now.
Fourteen games remain until the Olympic break, and Atlanta faces Southeast Division foes in half of those contests. Nine of the 14 are on the road, so it won’t be easy. But playing well now could pay big dividends in early spring for a team clearly sitting on the playoff bubble.
—30—
Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 10:03 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Evander Kane, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, National Hockey League, Ondrej Pavelec, Philips Arena, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian
By Bud L. Ellis
It’s hard enough to win in overtime, when it’s 4-on-4 and one mistake can lead to an rush up ice.
But 4-on-3? That’s not any way to play in extra time, and it cost the Atlanta Thrashers dearly Thursday night.
Zach Bogosian took an elbowing penalty in overtime and the Buffalo Sabres made the Thrashers pay, Derek Roy beating Ondrej Pavelec on a slapshot midway through the extra time in a 2-1 Atlanta loss at Philips Arena.
The Thrashers played most of the final few minutes short-handed. Christoph Schubert took a holding call with 1:10 left in regulation. Atlanta killed off that two-minute disadvantage, but Bogosian was whistled for elbowing just 51 seconds after Schubert’s penalty ended.
Ilya Kovalchuk continued his good work, scoring the lone Atlanta goal at the 16:42 mark of the second period to tie the game at 1-1. Kovalchuck’s 18th point in his past 21 games came off assists from Slava Kozlov and Tobias Enstrom.
Roy’s goal, his 11th of the season, was his second OT game-winner against Atlanta this season.
The Thrashers travel to Carolina Saturday for the first of two Southeast Division road games. The Thrashers play Monday at Florida.
—30—
Friday, January 15, 2010 at 10:22 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Christoph Schubert, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, National Hockey League, Ondrej Pavelec, Philips Arena, Slava Kozlov, Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian
