Going into Sunday afternoon’s match against the Florida Panthers, the one thing the Thrashers can take solace in is at this point it doesn’t look like it can get much worse. In a two-week span that might rival last year’s 0-6 start to the season for the most demoralizing span in team history, Atlanta hopefully has seen the bottom of the mountain, and from this point can only go up. Let’s just review what has happened in the last two weeks:
Oct. 25: Atlanta’s power play finally shows back up in Boston after going MIA after opening night. On the road the Thrashers are able to build a 2-0 lead, but eventually fall with just a few minutes left in , leaving Beantown without a point.
Oct. 28: Atlanta looked rebound from a three game road trip that only produced one point in the standings against a Flyers team that just a week before had no wins whatsoever. Philadelphia explodes for seven goals, while Atlanta musters little to none offensive attack. The game is the most lopsided loss since a 10-1 loss last year to Buffalo.
Oct. 30: A few days after the loss Atlanta finds that rookie defenseman Zach Bogosian has suffered a fractured fibula and will be out a month to a month and a half. He had yet to score his first NHL point, but while playing with Mathieu Schneider was learning plenty and beginning to find his way in the league.
Nov. 1: After almost securing at least a point against the best team in the league, the NY Rangers, Atlanta traveled to Newark, NJ to face a team that the Thrashers could have easily stolen a point from earlier this season, if it wasn’t for the performance of the Devils Martin Brodeur. Brodeur left the game with an bruised elbow, but it didn’t matter as his offense had done enough damage before he left. Atlanta gave up six goals, and offensively were under the 10 shot mark all the way into the third period. Slava Kozlov scored to keep Atlanta out of its second shutout in three games, leaving the score 6-1
Tonight’s game is almost a must win for Atlanta, simply to put a positve mindset back into the heads of the players. The Southeast division is where Atlanta has done its best work, earning a point in each of the Thrashers three games against opponents from within the division. That is half of their total points, in just three out of 10 total games. Last year Washington overcame a huge point deficit to win the division, because honestly the division lacks a dominating team. Carolina, Tampa Bay, Washington and tonight’s opponent Florida all will rugby scrum their way through the regular season, and maybe with a little luck Atlanta can end up as the winner on the other side.
Now, as Monty Python would always say, for something completely different, good news! If there is one team Atlanta has had a history of defeating at home its Florida. The antithesis of what the Flyers were in Atlanta, is what the Thrashers have been able to do to the Panthers at Philips. Before winning three in a row to end last season Florida had lost 11 straight to Atlanta in Blueland. Also the Panthers are coming off their own road loss on Saturday night, a 3-2 shootout loss to Nashville.
Also this afternoon’s game will feature two fo the best scoring defensemen the league has to offer. Ron Hainsey has come into Atlanta and been the biggest impact player acquired in the offseason. His seven points have him fourth on the team in scoring, and in the top 20 overall for NHL defensmen. On the other side Florida’s Keith Ballard has helped on eight seperate goals, leading the entire team with 10 points this season. Two high scoring bluelines means that there will plenty of breakaway opportunities if each team’s defensemen don’t get back from the attacking zone.
Taking advantage of those opportunities might be the two 23 year old studs Florida has on their front line. Thrasher fans will remember the name David Booth, as he scored the game-winner in overtime against Atlanta earlier in the season. Since his two goal effort against the Thrashers he hasn’t recorded a point, but probably will remember how good it felt to beat Atlanta, making him a prime candidate to get off the scoring schneid tonight. Along with Booth the Panthers throw out another 23-year old, Nathan Horton. Horton is one of the most talented young players in the game, and sits second on the team with three goals scored.
For Atlanta the question surrounds the most important player on the ice, the goalie. Ondrej Pavelec was called up just before the game against New Jersey, and played the third period after Johan Hedberg had allowed six goals in his two periods. This came just over a week after Hedberg allowed five goals in a loss to the Bruins. No. 1 starter, Kari Lehtonen, most likely will remain out for tonight’s game after being ‘under the weather’ for Saturday’s game. This could mean Pavelec could get his first start of the season, and the opportunitity to put the controversy surrounding his move back to the Thrashers minor league system behind him.
Boral can be reached at jboral@scoreatl.com.
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