(aka "Creamed Corn")
Use it in a phrase : "The Thrashers play was about as inspirational as a plate of creamed corn".
Perhaps I should use this advice.
Boxscore
Lowlights
This was easily the worst game I've seen by the Thrashers this season. In each prior contest they were at least competitive. In each prior contest they at least had significant stretches where they played hard and out fought the other team. None of that happened this night.
I don't want to feed the negativity surrounding the team so I'm going to keep this to the point. Although writing these entries can be therapuetic at times, nothing I can do today will rid the images of the horrible performance last night.
It started with a less than packed house. I estimated less than 8000 in attendance for a middle of the week game. I so wish I was one of those that didn't buy a ticket or stayed home.
There were a number of Flyer fans in attendance but none more annoying than the guy sitting at top of section 409. He apparently got an early start at the bar proudly delaring he was already drunk and was yelling the praise of his Flyers with such witty remarks as "how many playoff games has your team won" and "how many times have they sipped champagne from The Cup". Good thing I got my barb in early, "how many times have the Flyers sipped in your lifetime - bitch". This fan and a Thrasher's fan in section 412 were yelling across at each other all night long. Unfortunately, there was no fight to entertain me. At least then the night wouldn't have been a waste. DAMNIT!
Things started poorly for the Thrashers. Less than two minutes in, Enstrom made another bad turnover at the top of the Flyers zone. This turned into a scoring opportunity for the Flyers that Lupol easily turned into a 1-0 lead.
All game long the Thrashers were outhustled to the puck. All game long the Thrashers passes hit their intended target in the feet or missed their intended target all together. They had serious problems handling the puck and failed several easy clearing attempts. They looked like a pee wee hockey team. At one point all I could do was laugh.
Whenever the Thrashers made a mistake the Flyers were ready to capitalize. Somehow they managed to stay in the game being down only 2-0 with less than 25 seconds to go in the 2nd period. With the Thrashers on the power play, Kovy received a pass at the left point. Without a clear shooting lane, he looked to the right point to pass. I screamed "CAREFUL!" but apparently he didn't he me from up in the rafters and didn't see Gagne waiting up top for that exact pass. No sooner did the puck leave Kovy's stick than Gagne stepped up, brokeaway and burried the puck behind Kari. Thrashers now down 3-0 and Kovy's digust got him 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. When he continued arguing when the period was over he got an additional 2 minutes.
I'll take a sidebar here. I am officially ending my campaign for Kovy for captain. It is acceptable for a captain to make mistakes. However, it is not acceptable for a captain to magnify that mistake by taking an additional 4 minutes. Although he may have been the best Thrasher on the ice for most of the game, his play and reaction at the end of 2nd period also made him the worst Thrasher for this game. Although it's highly unlikely, I'm throwing my support behind Hainsey for captain. Now where is my polling place.
If the shorthanded goal didn't do it the ensuing 4 minute penalty sealed the game. Two more powerplay goals stretched the margin to 5-0.
I never leave games early, maybe once in over 100 games. On this night I thought about leaving when it was 4-0. I considered again when it was 5-0. At 6-0, I finally walked out. I really wanted to find customer service and ask for my money back but I'd wasted enough of my time. I heard the final 7-0 tally on the ride home.
I wanted to say they neither team played all that great but it is hard to condemn a team that wins 7-0. The Flyers took advantage of every mistake the Thrashers made and they made plenty.
Lehtonen cannot be blamed for this loss. Sure, he could have made a spectacular save to make it 5-0 instead of 7-0 but on every goal he was pretty much hung out to dry. No goalie could have won it behind the Thrashers on this night.
I know it is customary to award a goalie that gets a shutout with one of the stars of the game but Nittymaki didn't deserve that honor tonight. I counted only 2 really good scoring chances by the Thrashers and only one really good save. This isn't a knock against the Finn more against the Thrashers pitiful performance.
Time to move on. The game against the Rangers now becomes a very important game. The Thrashers must show they can bounce back from a horrid performance. A win would be ideal, a hard played performance is mandatory. If not, we can start the "we want Tavarres" chants now. I had to bite my tongue to keep from starting them last night.
A final note. It is my opinion that coach Anderson needs to sit Enstrom down for a game. Let him view it from above and lets see if there are some other defensive combinations that might work. Enstrom is pressing a bit much and it is leading to too many mistakes. Put him back in there after a night off and move on. Hopefully it'll be the last time this kind of move is necessary.
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