Atlanta Thrashers Schedule
Tuesday
9/21/2010
7:00 PM
Atlanta Thrashers vs Columbus Blue Jackets PRE
Saturday
9/25/2010
7:00 PM
Atlanta Thrashers vs Carolina Hurricanes PRE
Monday
9/27/2010
7:00 PM
Nashville Predators vs Atlanta Thrashers PRE
NEWS
By Bud L. Ellis
Four days after another season ended with the Atlanta Thrashers looking from the outside at the NHL playoffs, the franchise made wholesale changes in the hope of skating past game No. 82 next spring.
The Thrashers fired head coach John Anderson and the entire coaching staff after two seasons. Much maligned general manager Don Waddell, who held the position since the franchise’s inception in 1999, was moved into the president’s role, and assistant GM Rick Dudley was promoted to replace Waddell.
The Thrashers hope the moves will reset a franchise that has missed the playoffs in nine of their 10 seasons of existence.
Atlanta, which traded superstar Ilya Kovalchuk at the trade deadline following a contract extension impasse with the Russian sharpshooter, actually played one game over .500 after dealing Kovalchuk to New Jersey in February. But a five-game losing streak in late February and early March put the Thrashers in a hole from which they could not recover.
Two or three wins more would’ve put the Thrashers in the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and just the second time in franchise history. But after Atlanta was eliminated from postseason contention with a home loss last Tuesday to New Jersey, many figured changes would be afoot.
Dudley does bring a positive vibe to a franchise desperately in need of something positive. He helped built successful teams in Tampa Bay and Chicago.
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Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 10:12 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Chicago Blackhawks, Don Waddell, Ilya Kovalchuk, John Anderson, New Jersey Devils, Rick Dudley, Tampa Bay Lightning
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
In eight years, Ilya Kovalchuk wrote his name all over the Atlanta Thrashers’ record book, becoming the franchise’s cornerstone and the face of hockey in Atlanta.
That era ended Thursday night with the soon-to-be free-agent Kovalchuk packing his bags for New Jersey and the Thrashers looking to move on without their career leader in games, points, goals and assists.
Ending months of tense contract negotiations during which general manager Don Waddell offered as much as $100 million, the Thrashers dealt the perennial All-Star left winger to the Devils as part of a deal involving five players, three draft picks and plenty of teeth-grinding in Atlanta on who to blame for Kovalchuk’s departure.
Atlanta also sends defenseman Anssi Salmela, traded from New Jersey last year for Niclas Havelid, to the Devils. In return, Atlanta gets defenseman Johnny Oduya, rookie forward Niclas Bergfors and prospect Patrice Cormier.
Bergfors is fifth in the NHL in rookie scoring, with 13 goals and 14 assists. Oduya is a strong defenseman who has just four points this year, but scored 27 points a year ago while playing all 82 games. Cormier had 31 goals in 31 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before being suspended for the rest of the season for a high elbow.
Without a doubt, though, the centerpiece is Kovalchuk, who scored 31 goals with 27 assists in 49 games for an Atlanta team just one point out of a playoff spot. But Kovalchuk, who will be an unrestricted free agent July 1, and the Thrashers could not come to terms. Rather than keep him and risk getting nothing in return if a contract couldn’t be reached, the Thrashers decided to roll the dice that they could make the playoffs without their top scorer.
For many, the blame rests with Waddell, who wasn’t aggressive enough early on in negotiations. For some, the blame rests with Kovalchuk, who was offered plenty of money but wanted the absolute max salary possible.
Either way, the Thrashers’ playoff chase begins anew Friday night against Eastern Conference leader Washington. For the first time since April 2001, they’ll take the ice without Kovalchuk as part of their organization.
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Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 8:36 pm by bud
Tags: Anssi Salmela, Atlanta Thrashers, Don Waddell, Ilya Kovalchuk, Johnny Oduya, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
When locked in a tight race for the playoffs, missed opportunities are accentuated. Thus was the case with the Atlanta Thrashers on a frosty Saturday night in Nashville.
Giving up a goal on the opening faceoff of the third period Saturday night proved too much for Atlanta to overcome, the Thrashers suffering a bitter 4-3 defeat to the Nashville Predators.
The loss dropped the Thrashers from sixth in the Eastern Conference standings into a two-way tie for seventh with Montreal. Four teams – Boston, Tampa Bay, Florida and the New York Rangers – are one point back.
Facing a team playing for the second time in two nights and riding a five-game losing streak, the Thrashers let the game turn in the opening seconds of the third period. Jason Arnott scored just seven seconds into the final period to break a 3-3 tie.
Nashville started quickly, scoring twice off Johan Hedberg in the opening 10 minutes. Bryan Little scored the first of his two goals at 13:57 of the first.
Down 3-1, the Thrashers pulled within 3-2 on a Chris Thorburn short-handed goal in the second period, just 1:11 after Nashville scored its third goal. Little then tied the game at 3-3 with five minutes left in the second.
Atlanta had it chances in the third to tie the game, most notably on an Ilya Kovalchuk breakaway that was stymied.
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Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 10:18 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Bryan Little, Chris Thorburn, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, Johan Hedberg, Montreal Canadians, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning
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
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.
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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
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.
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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
By Bud L. Ellis
Forty-three days after winning a game in regulation, the Atlanta Thrashers re-discovered that winning in 60 minutes feeling on Tuesday.
Ilya Kovalchuk scored once and added two assists, and six Thrashers scored in a 6-1 rout of Ottawa at Philips Arena.
The victory marked the second time in five days the Thrashers won a game, after losing nine in a row. It also was the first victory in regulation for Atlanta since a 4-3 victory over Florida on Nov. 30.
Pavel Kubina scored the eventual game-winner 17:08 into the first period, snapping a 1-1 tie. Kovalchuk, who now has 17 points in his past 20 games despite the distraction of his ongoing contract negotiations, made it 3-1.
Eric Boulton scored the first goal for the Thrashers, who moved to within two points of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with the victory. Todd White snapped a 35-game goalless streak by lighting the lap. Bryan Little and Tobias Enstrom also scored for Atlanta.
In goal, Ondrej Pavelec made 30 saves for the Thrashers, who wrapped up a four-game homestand with a contest Thursday night against Buffalo.
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Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 8:22 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Bryan Little, Buffalo Sabres, Eric Boulton, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, Ondrej Pavelec, Ottawa Senators, Pavel Kubina, Philips Arena, Tobias Enstrom, Todd White
