Atlanta lost its third in a row on Tuesday night to the Philadelphia Flyers, 7-0. The Flyers had struggled early in the season, but following two wins over the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia seems right on track to make a run towards the playoffs. On the other hand, first year head coach John Anderson saw the most lopsided performance from the team this season.
Playing in front of a national TV audience for the first time all year, the Thrashers gave nothing to cheer about for the fans in attendance or back at home. It only took two minutes for the Flyers to get on the board, scoring off a Tobias Enstrom turnover. Last year’s rookie sensation lost control of the puck on the Thrashers’ end, leaving it right on the stick of Joffrey Lupul. Lupul blasted a wrister past goalie Kari Lehtonen to get the scoring started.
The game went scoreless until three minutes into the second when Mike Knuble got the Flyers second of the night. The puck coming off the stick Glen Metropolit ricocheted off the skate of Niclas Havelid right onto the skate of Knuble, before slowly sliding into the open net.
Philadelphia broke the back of Thrasher fans right before the end of the middle frame, scoring a league-leading fifth short-handed goal. A misplay in neutral ice set up a two-on-one with the Flyers’ most dangerous weapons leading the break. Mike Richards set up Simon Gagne for his first of the night and team -eading seventh this season.
Trailing 3-0 and with little offensive explosions the Thrashers were serenaded with boos for the first time this season from the Philips Arena crowd. However, it would only get worse in the third as Philadelphia scored four on Lehtonen. Knuble, Lupul and Gagne each got their second of the night.
Eighteen-year old Zach Bogosian also left the game early in the first after taking a shot into the boards. He went into the locker room after the hit and did not return.
The next game for the Thrashers will be Thursday at the New York Rangers.
Boral can be reached at jboral@scoreatl.com.
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