Thrashers Game Report - 12/17/09

Atlanta 6 - Dallas 5 OT

This was one of those games Atlanta had no business winning. They were outshot badly, 47-24, couldn't control the puck for large portions of the contest and didn't have much jump.

A few things kept them in the contest. First, Dallas's goaltending was weak. Auld let in a couple of soft goals. While Turco was much stronger as a replacement, he allowed 3 more to get past him. Second, special teams were able to convert their opportunities. The Thrashers scored 2 powerplay goals and a shorthanded goal to go with their 4 on 4 overtime winner. Finally, Pavelec had spectacular saves. While I could argue that juicy rebounds gave the Stars some of those great opportunities, Pavelec did make several cross crease slides or quick glove hand saves on almost certain goals. The goals he did allow were not of his own doing. The were either defensive breakdowns or deflections.

The Thrashers started slow taking a penalty in the first 2 minutes that resulted in the Stars first tally. Yet another game where they fell behind. Fortunately, they were able to answer back on a powerplay of their own when Kovalchuk got his 19th of the season. A powerplay opportunity later in the first presented the Thrashers with an opportunity for the lead but when 3 defenders converge on a single Star, he passed it to a wide open Lehtonen for an easy short-handed goal.

The Thrashers found a bit more jump in the second period and good puck movement resulted in goals by Slater (finally) and Antropov giving the Thrashers a brief lead. Dallas answered to make it a 3-3 tie at the end of 2.

Reasoner took a tripping penalty early in the 3rd and Dallas cashed in for a 4-3 lead. 4 minutes later, Afinogenov found himself alone beyond the Dallas defense for a breakaway. A Dallas player hauled him down for what I thought should have been a penalty shot but was simply a penalty (I need to review this rule today). However, justice was served as Afinogenov got the powerplay goal on some nice passing down low and we were tied once again.

Atlanta's Shubert was the victim of a poor call with 9 minutes left when he got tagged for holding when it was actually the Dallas player holding Shubert's stick. It didn't matter. This time the Thrashers got a short-handed goal when Peverly took a very nice Armstrong chip pass and turned it into a breakaway.

Unfortunately, things fell apart for the next several minutes. The Thrashers couldn't get the puck out of their end short of icing it. A timeout and several faceoffs didn't change things. You could sense the Stars were going to tie it up with one minute remaining. Sure enough they did when a deflection of a players face shield got the puck behind Pavelec (see video). From there the Thrashers were content to hold the puck and send it to OT.



The Thrashers controlled play in the 4 on 4 session. Some really nice puck movement in the Stars end provided just the opportunity they were looking for. An Afinogenov pass found Peverly in front of the net for nice redirection and the game winning goal. I headed to the exit satisfied that the team managed to grab 2 points they'll probably need when all is said and done.

Peverly and Pavelec got the 1st and 2nd stars of the game with Kovalchuk grabbing the third. Robidas, who played an excellent game for the Stars, fell victim to the home team bias.

Some other observations:

- I really like Shubert as the Thrasher's fifth defenseman. He plays excellent position, isn't afraid of contact and has the skills to help out on the offensive end. Another great waiver wire acquistion that I'm hoping will be around for a long time.

- Hedberg and Turco spent a good deal of time talking and laughing together in pre-game warmups. It was nice to see these former teammates together. Modano and Robidas also skated by and greeted Hedberg.

- If you cannot afford to have an "A" stitched on your Bogosian sweater, blue duct tape is NOT an acceptable solution even if you are a redneck.

- I want a hat that says "NO, I DO NOT WANT A 50/50 RAFFLE TICKET". I must have got asked 10 times while eating my dinner. I know your dog is cute. I know your cause is good. But honestly, this isn't any different than panhandling. I have an easier time getting the crackheads to steer clear of me than I do these people.

- It is only slightly more entertaining to watch a chicken fajita wrap, baby back ribs and a sirloin race around a hockey rink than giant pucks. Watching Thrash and the sumos check them face first to the ice is real entertainment. I wonder is Applebees has a missing tooth discount.

- On a related note. Can we please do away with the golfing one ice contest? If I wanted to watch golf, I'd stay home and watch Tiger's conquests....Get your mind out of the gutter.

- Why do cheerleaders have to carry pom-poms wherever they go? Do they not know what to do with the hands otherwise? Are they some sort of defensive weapon to fight off creepy 40 year olds?

- Who are these guys that decide an arena is the best place to propose marraige? Just once I wish on of the brides to be would say "Hell no! How dare you propose in front of thousands of strangers? We're only on our second date!"

- I'm give up trying to text the arena jumbotron. Apparently unless you say "Go Dawgs", "i luv u sally. you r a q t pi" or "Go THRASH!" it doesn't get up there. Instead, they'll show those same 3 over and over and over again.

That's it for this game. I'll be at Monday's contest against Montreal. I've got to practice up my "O Canada". At some point I need to learn the half-French half-English version.