Thrashers Fall 5-3 To Tampa Bay Lightning

Steven Stamkos was trying for a hat trick all night, and he very nearly got it. The Thrashers, in the second game of a back-to-back, dropped the game 5-3 to the Bolts. The offense never seemed to click and the team generally seemed tired. Endurance is going to be an issue for the Thrashers’ west coast road trip, with a back-to-back against the Ducks and Sharks scheduled for next weekend as well.

Shots were 36-30 in favor of Tampa Bay. Allowing thirty-six shots in a game is part of the reason that the team fell this evening. The defense needs to look at on-ice placement to better limit shots and quality scoring chances both.

The fourth line of Eager-Burmistrov-Thorburn contributed two goals on the evening and finished a +2, which was the highlight of the team’s play. Again, this reinforces coach Craig Ramsay’s “all lines must contribute” mentality. Attitude like that from the 4th line is contagious. It was apparent Friday night, and hopefully will follow the team to California.

The Thrashers’ next game is Tuesday against the LA Kings at 10:30.

Chris Thorburn Scores To Bring Thrash Within One; Stamkos Scores To Extend Lead To Two

Chris Thorburn scored at 7:31 of the 3rd to bring the Thrashers within one, but a screen and deflection by Steven Stamkos on a Randy Jones shot helps the Bolts pull to a 2 goal lead, being up 5-3 with 7 minutes remaining in the 3rd period.

Two Goals Two Minutes Apart Bring Thrashers Within Two

Tobias Enstrom scored (assists from Niclas Bergfors and Andrew Ladd) on a rare shot for the diminutive Swede. Enstrom is being pushed by the coaching staff to shoot more often – he’s got a strong shot, but his game consists on passing to the right point on the powerplay. Enstrom and Bogosian make up the first powerplay point pairing, and tonight’s was successful.

The second Thrashers’ goal came from Ben Eager with a bank in off the post behind Mike Smith. Thrashers’ SOG at the end of the 2nd period were up to twenty two shots on goal, and the Lightning were up to 29. The gap’s closing, but 29 shots on goal after two periods is entirely too high.

Lecavalier And Stamkos Continue The Scoring For Tampa Bay

Chris Mason currently has faced 26 shots in the game; the Lecavalier goal was on the powerplay. Allowing 20 shots on goal in the first period is inexcusable.

Steve Downie Makes It 1-0 Bolts; Dominic Moore Makes it 2-0.

A quick slide of the puck between the legs of Chris Mason makes it 1-0 Lightning, taking advantage of a Thrashers’ too many men on the ice penalty. Downie scored on an assist from Ryan Malone and Brett Clark.

Moore takes advantage of too much free space and too much time and the Thrashers are down 2-0. Dominic Moore scored on an assist from Teddy Purcell and Sean Bergenheim.

Full Opening Night Line-Up For The Lightning Posted

Forwards:
St. Louis – Stamkos – Downie
Gagne – Lecavalier – Malone
Bergenheim – Thompson – Purcell
Hall – Moore – Tyrell

Defense:
Kubina – Clark
Hedman – Jones
Lundin – Smaby

Thrashers To Face Mike Smith In Goal

Looks like Dan Ellis has a problem – he’s not starting the home opener for the Lightning tonight. The Thrashers will be facing off against Mike Smith tonight in net.

Smith was 1-1 against the Thrashers last season, with a 4.50 GAA and a .836 SV%.

Ondrej Pavelec News: Thrashers Recall Chicago Wolves Goaltender Drew MacIntyre

The Thrashers brought up the Chicago Wolves starting goaltender Drew MacIntyre to fill in for Ondrej Pavelec for the time being. MacIntyre will more than likely accompany the Thrashers on their upcoming west coast road trip next week, seeing as how Pavelec has a concussion and the conclusion on the original cause of his passing out has not been reached.

Chris Mason will more than likely be starting every game until Pavelec returns to play. MacIntyre has not been given the chance to play much at the NHL level, but his AHL stats are solid. He has a 111-67-10 record in the AHL. Last season he finished with a 2.54 GAA and a .917 save percentage.

Thrashers Look To Stymie Martin St. Louis And The Lightning

If the Capitals can’t handle what the Thrashers threw at them last night, I will be shocked to see the less potent (but still dangerous) Lightning be able to knock the team off pace. Steve Yzerman’s repaired a lot of what was wrong with the Bolts much like Rick Dudley has repaired a lot of what was wrong with the Thrashers, but to base a team’s status in the league on their new GM and his reputation as a solid player is inane. The Bolts are improved, but if pundits think that Dan Ellis will get the job done there behind the still weak defense that they have, they’re about to get a wake-up call.

Thrashers line-combos and defensive pairings remain the same; Mason will start in goal. No word yet on what goaltender gets the call-up to act as Pavelec’s temporary replacement (also no word on Pavs’ condition).

Atlanta Thrashers Win Over Washington Capitals In Dramatic Game

In a game that began with the frightening collapse of Ondrej Pavelec, the Thrashers played a rough and tumble style of hockey that shut down the usually potent Capitals offense. Pavelec collapsed a couple of minutes into the first period while a face-off was in the process of getting set up in the Capitals' end of the ice, totally without warning. After a fifteen minute delay, Chris Mason replaced Pavelec in net.

The Capitals' first goal was a defensive breakdown that was completely excusable, with a goal from Brooks Laich that was slid behind Chris Mason on a communication/defensive breakdown that came from the players worrying more about Pavelec's situation than about the game itself. It's a miracle that the team could continue to play, considering that the fans in the stands were worried and distracted regarding Pavs; God knows how the players concentrated.

The Thrashers tied it up on a hard driving goal via Evander Kane, and Rich Peverley apparently scored the go-ahead goal shortly before the end of the first period, but the refs deemed interference on a phantom trip that may or may not have happened to John Erskine, so the goal was recalled. Andrew Ladd scored to start the second period, Kane scored again on a penalty shot courtesy of a Caps player closing his hand on the puck in the crease, and Freddy Modin scored the final goal as insurance. 

The team still was far more concerned about Pavelec after the game than the fact that they won their third home opener against the Caps in a row. Dustin Byfuglien encouraged the team to go out and win the game for Pavs, and they did. What set tonight's home opener apart from other games, and I will go more in-depth into this this weekend, is that they out-muscled and out shoved the Capitals playing a style of hockey not often seen in the Eastern Conference. It was team oriented, rough and tumble, and it took no prisoners. It was Western Conference hockey, and it's a new arrival to Atlanta that could very well help us plow over the divisional rivals that the Thrashers face.

Video: Pavelec's First Period Collapse

As you can see, it's pretty serious.  He falls down and simply does not get back up.  Still no word on his condition as of yet.  (Thanks are owed to Mike Prada at SBN DC for finding the video for us).

Pavelec Collapses Early In First Period

For no readily apparent reason, Ondrej Pavelec collapsed to the ice early in the game tonight against the Capitals while the action was on the other end of the ice. He remained down for several minutes before medical personnel escorted him off the ice.

Obviously, this is bad news for the Thrashers, regardless-people just don’t collapse for absolutely zero reason. Even if it’s minor, it bodes very ill for the Thrashers’ season to have something like this happen in the opener.

The game is currently tied at one goal apiece in the first intermission.

Line Combinations Released For Tonight's Atlanta Thrashers Opener

The line combinations are out for tonight’s opener against Washington. As it stands, it looks like this:

Andrew Ladd – Bryan Little – Niclas Bergfors
Freddy Modin – Nik Antropov – Nigel Dawes
Evander Kane – Rich Peverley – Anthony Stewart
Ben Eager – Alex Burmistrov – Chris Thorburn

Johnny Oduya – Zach Bogosian
Dustin Byfuglien – Tobias Enstrom
Brent Sopel – Ron Hainsey

Ondrej Pavelec
Chris Mason

Sopel and Hainsey were the weakest defensive pairing during the pre-season; I would not bank on huge amounts of ice time for them. I am very much excited to see the forwards lines going out there with a mix of scoring and punch. Stewart should be able to protect the puck for Peverley, and with Kane’s added weight the third line should be an exciting line to knock the Capitals around.

Ladd-Little-Bergfors sounds like chemistry in a bottle, with the playmaker Ladd able to set up both Little and Bergfors; Bergfors’ speed will be a huge asset.

Burmistrov centering the fourth line looks more like a case of “where else?” than “checking line center.” He’s been putting on weight and isn’t as easily knocked off the puck, but he does look out of place between Thorburn and Eager.

If for some reason the gloves are dropped tonight, look for recent acquisition DJ King of the Capitals to drop them against his old Central Division buddy Ben Eager. Without Eric Boulton in the line-up tonight, the best fighter is Eager. Thorburn’s always ready to drop the gloves, but his tenacity’s seldom rewarded with a win. King’s one of the best fighters in the league, so it might be helpful to night incite him to swing any punches.

Ondrej Pavelec To Start In Goal Tonight

The debate over who the Thrashers’ starting goalie truly is begins tonight, with Ondrej Pavelec beginning his second complete season with the team, Coach Craig Ramsay has given him the vote of confidence as the opening night starter, and the role of starter for the season is his to lose.

Chris Mason will take the role of mentor/reliable back-up, though again, as I’ve mentioned before, if Pavelec falters and Mason gets on a run, expect to see the older goalie in net for quite a few games in a row. Both goaltenders had a similar goals allowed during the pre-season, and both have strengths that the Thrashers can play on.

If Pavelec can manage a start to this season like he started last season, and if he can keep this up, the Thrashers could benefit from consistent spectacular goaltending for the first time in years. The trick, though, is maintaining Pavelec’s confidence and work ethic through the season and not letting him falter. Hopefully the presence of Mason will be a motivating factor.

Washington Capitals Vs. Atlanta Thrashers: Puck Drops On The Thrashers Season Tonight

The Thrashers have a good habit of winning their season openers against the Capitals. Unfortunately, they're often the only wins the Thrashers have against the reigning President Trophy winners.

What're their odds tonight? They're made better by the injury to Capitals' goaltender Semyon Varlamov - an early season groin pull looks to have him be the odd goalie out on opening night. Rookie goalie Michael Neuvirth will be starting the first three games of the year with Varlamov on injured reserve. Neuvirth played reasonably well against Atlanta last season, going 2-0 with a 1.51 GAA and a .964 SV%. That was a very different Thrashers squad. The team's brought in some well-documented muscle and grit from the Western Conference in the forms of Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, Brent Sopel, Dustin Byfuglien, Nigel Dawes, and Freddy Modin. They're going to give the offense-heavy Capitals a bit of a headache.

Players to watch on the Capitals are, of course, Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, and Mike Green. If the Thrashers' defense can neutralize these players, there's some hope for a win tonight.

Updates on line combinations for both teams, starting goaltenders, and analysis are forthcoming. I will try to update from the game, but if I'm unable to (and it is difficult to update live from a hockey game considering the pace of the sport), a full re-cap will be posted ASAP this evening after the game.

The game will be televised on SportSouth in HD, and will be broadcast on 680 The Fan beginning with a pre-game show at 6:00. If you're going to the game tonight, getting there by six will give you a chance to listen in to the pre-game show being broadcast live from the Philips Experience on the second level of Philips Arena.