Atlanta Thrashers Schedule
Tuesday
2/7/2012
7:30PM
Winnipeg Jets vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Thursday
2/9/2012
7:00PM
Washington Capitals vs Winnipeg Jets
Saturday
2/11/2012
2:00PM
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Winnipeg Jets
NEWS
By Bud L. Ellis
The Atlanta Thrashers opened January the same way they played through most of December: With a thrilling victory.
The Thrashers traveled to Montreal on Sunday and despite being outshot 50-28, left the building with two points. Dustin Byfuglien’s third overtime goal of the season backed up the strong goaltending from Ondrej Pavelec as the Thrashers downed the Canadiens, 4-3. (Read More…)
Monday, January 3, 2011 at 7:59 pm by bud
Tags: Andrew Ladd, Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Dustin Byfuglien, Evander Kane, Montreal Canadiens, Ondrej Pavelec, Rich Peverley
By Bud L. Ellis
Down two goals on the road against one of the top teams in the NHL, the Atlanta Thrashers dug deep and entered the Olympic break with momentum.
The Thrashers scored three times in the second period, fought hard through overtime and eventually lost in a shootout Saturday night at Chicago, 5-4. Despite the loss, Atlanta wrapped up a difficult Midwestern road trip with four points in three games.
The burst to close the pre-Olympic part of the schedule moves the new-look Thrashers to within two points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta traded franchise all-time leading scorer Ilya Kovalchuk and former No. 1 goaltender Kari Lehtonen in separate deals last week.
In Chicago to face the Blackhawks, who are third in the NHL with 85 points, Atlanta fell behind 3-1 in the first. Jim Slater scored at 3:41 of the first before the Blackhawks ripped off three goals in six minutes against Ondrej Pavelec.
But the Thrashers fought back in the second, getting goals from Evander Kane, Max Afinogenov and Tobias Enstrom to take a 4-3 lead entering the final period.
Chicago beat Pavelec early in the third on a Dave Bolland goal to tie the game. In the shootout, Jonathan Toews scored the only goal to give the Blackhawks the win.
Still, it was a strong finish to the pre-Olympic break for Atlanta. The Thrashers resume pursuit of their second playoff berth in franchise history on March 2 at home against Florida.
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Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 11:30 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Chicago Blackhawks, Dave Bolland, Evander Kane, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jim Slater, Jonathan Toews, Kari Lehtonen, Max Afinogenov, National Hockey League, Ondrej Pavelec, Tobias Enstrom
By Bud L. Ellis
There is a long way to go until the Stanley Cups Playoffs begin, and plenty of teams fighting for a handful of spots in the middle of the Eastern Conference.
There is plenty of time for the Atlanta Thrashers to slide back in the standings. But, if the Thrashers find themselves among the eight teams from the East entering postseason play, circle Thursday night’s remarkable 4-3 victory at Philadelphia.
The win moved Atlanta from 13th to sixth in the tightly bunched Eastern Conference standings. It’s just late January, but for a franchise that’s tasted the postseason just once in its decade of existence, it’s huge nonetheless.
Trailing on the road by two goals, against a team that historically gives Atlanta fits, the Thrashers rallied for three goals in the third period. Johan Hedberg made it stand up, putting on a performance that included perhaps the save of the season in the NHL.
The hot-shot rookie, Evander Kane, and the forgotten man, Jim Slater, teamed up for two goals that sparked Atlanta. The first goal gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead six minutes into the game. The second one was far more important.
After Ilya Kovalchuk snapped a four-game scoreless streak with his 31st of the season just 29 seconds into the third period, Rich Peverley tied the game with 15:34 left on a breakaway.
Kane then broke free down the left side, wrapped around the net and found an open Slater in the slot for the game-winner with 6:34 left.
Hedberg made it stick, coming way out of his net to slap away a shot. In the process, his mask and jersey fell over his head, and he blindly tried to clear the puck. Hedberg emerged with a smile on his face, and his teammates were all grins a few minutes later when the game ended, Atlanta’s first back-to-back regulation wins since mid-December.
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Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 12:17 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Evander Kane, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jim Slater, Johan Hedberg, National Hockey League, Philadelphia Flyers, Rich Peverley
By Bud L. Ellis
After an initial burst put them in a 2-0 hole, the Atlanta Thrashers fought back. As per the case so many times in his brilliant career, Ilya Kovalchuk led the charge.
The Thrashers’ sharpshooter scored twice, his first two-goal game since Nov. 13, and goals from rookie Evander Kane and Rich Peverley gave the Thrashers all the offense needed in a 4-3 victory over Toronto on Tuesday at Philips Arena.
With the victory, Atlanta moves into a tie for ninth with Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference standings with 51 points, one point behind the Islanders for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Toronto scored twice in a 32-second span of the first period, putting the Thrashers in a 2-0 hole just five minutes into the contest. But Ondrej Pavelec steadied himself in goal, and in the second period Atlanta rallied.
Kovalchuk started it with a goal at the 2:43 mark. Kane scored 10 minutes later to tie the game at 2-2. In the third, Peverley converted on a power play for the game-winner at 1:58, and Kovalchuk scored at the 4:20 mark.
Toronto would score again to cut the margin to one, but Pavelec and the Atlanta defense held up. Kovalchuk finished with the two goals and an assist.
The Thrashers play host to Carolina Thursday.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 5:26 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Evander Kane, Ilya Kovalchuk, National Hockey League, Ondrej Pavelec, Rich Peverley, Toronto Maple Leafs
By Bud L. Ellis
He’s just 25 years old with 211 games of NHL experience under his belt, but Tobias Enstrom already has penned his place in the Atlanta Thrashers’ record books.
Enstrom, in just his third season with the Thrashers, is the franchise all-time leader in points and assists with 94 assists and 108 points. His 34 assists this season ranks 10th in the league for D-men, and in total points for blueliners his 38 points stands tied for fourth.
It’s continued progress for the quiet Swede who has been a stabilizing force for Atlanta’s backline since joining the team as a rookie in 2007-08. He earned NHL All-Rookie Team honors that season, finishing with 38 points. His production dropped slightly last season, finishing with 32 points.
But coupled with a full season from second-year man Zach Bogosian, the arrival of free-agent signee Pavel Kubina, and the emergence of first-round draft pick Evander Kane, Enstrom has enjoyed his best season to date. His next point will give him a career high in points for a season. He’s one goal away from his career high (Enstrom has four goals; he scored five in each of his first two seasons). His 34 assists already has established a career high.
If the Thrashers are going to emerge from the crowded middle of the Eastern Conference standings and earn a playoff berth, Enstrom is going to have to continue his good work.
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Monday, January 18, 2010 at 8:27 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Evander Kane, Pavel Kubina, 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.
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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
After losing three games in a row, it appeared maybe the Atlanta Thrashers would revert to their normal form.
But instead, the Thrashers have responded in a way that is atypical of the franchise’s woebegone history.
Atlanta has ripped off four consecutive wins, including a shutout win at Detroit, a furious comeback at Carolina, and a thrilling win against Florida during which Max Afinogenov scored the game-winning goal with five seconds left.
And now, as December dawns, the Thrashers find themselves just seven points behind Washington in the Southeast Division. Atlanta, which takes on the Islanders on Thursday at Philips Arena, looks every bit like a team that wants to stay in the postseason hunt long past Christmas.
The combo of Ondrej Pavelec and Johan Hedberg in goal has been solid (Pavelec posted the shutout win at Detriot; Hedberg shut out the Flyers Saturday night in Atlanta). First-round draft pick Evander Kane has played well beyond his 18 years of age. And of course, Ilya Kovalchuk continues to do his thing on the offensive end.
The Thrashers look like a playoff team. Yes, it’s early December, but this team is played well and getting things done on both ends of the ice.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 10:26 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Detriot Red Wings, Evander Kane, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, Johan Hedberg, Max Afinogenov, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Ondrej Pavelec, Philadelphia Flyers
