Last year it took seven games, this year it took one. After only one game, the Thrashers have their first win, in a game that personified how new this team is. Not only is the personnel new, but so is the mindset, type of play, and apparently the results, as Atlanta won 7-4 over the Washington Capitals on opening night at Philips Arena.
It was the new faces doing the damage early for Atlanta, building a 3-0 lead early into the first. Former Blue Jacket Ron Hainsey opened the scoring for Atlanta on Atlanta’s first power-play opportunity. It ended a cold offensive start for the Thrashers, who waited almost six minutes to record their first shot on goal. Midway through the first, Marty Reasoner extended the Thrasher lead to two, with help from Bryan Little, who recorded an assist on the goal.
This is where Little would begin his scoring run that would earn him the first star of the game. He followed his first point of the season with his first goal of the season just two-and-a-half minutes later. Things were looking good for Atlanta as they took a 3-1 lead into the locker room after the first period.
However, just as good as Atlanta looked coming out to start the game, that’s how bad things turned in the second for the Thrashers. There were defensive miscues leading to three Capitals goals in the period, leaving the game tied at four.
The game entered the third with the same score, until Atlanta showed a resiliency rarely seen from the team last season. With his team looking for a momentum swing, Kari Lehtonen made the biggest play of the night, stopping an Alex Ovechkin power-play shot early in the third period. The puck had found its way past Lehtonen and just sat in the crease in front of the Atlanta net. Electing to take an easy goal away from Washington, the Thrashers covered up the puck in the crease, forcing the penalty shot.
The stop by Lehtonen inspired the team and most importantly kept the game tied. Little scored his second goal of the game on a breakaway, giving Atlanta the lead for good. Colby Armstrong and Todd White each added goals for the Thrashers to leave the final score at 7-4.
In the victory, Lehtonen had an outstanding performance stopping 39-of-43 shots, making spectacular saves throughout the night to keep the Capitals from ever obtaining the lead.
GAME NOTES
-Neither of last year’s top two NHL goal scorers marked goals in their team’s opening game. Ovechkin went scoreless for the night, while Ilya Kovalchuk threaded a perfect pass to Todd White late in the third period for the Thrashers’ seventh goal of the game.
-Atlanta’s seven goals were the most the team scored since December 13, 2005. The most goals scored last season by Atlanta was six, done three times.
Boral can be reached at jboral@scoreatl.com.
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