Thrashers At Sabres: Atlanta Implodes To Allow Eight Goals In Rout
The Thrashers travel to Buffalo on an emotional night for the Sabres, who are honoring Rick Martin's life and career.
Thrashers At Sabres: Atlanta Implodes To Allow Eight Goals In Rout
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about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Thrashers At Sabres, Final Score: Buffalo 8, Atlanta 2
The Sabres tacked on three more goals in the final period to shut the Thrashers down, but the goal on Chris Mason to put them up 4-2 was the nail that deflated the Thrashers’ tire. The team, for all intents and purposes, completely shut down, with probably only the fourth line consistently trying. The best part about tonight? Atlanta outshot Buffalo 30-28.
Former St. Louis Blue Brad Boyes started the scoring on a fluky power play goal that bounced off of the boards directly to him and the wide-open net. Rob Neidermeyer scored his second of the game thirteen minutes later, and Tim Connolly put the nail in the coffin thirty seconds after that. That was the 23rd time this season that the Thrashers have allowed two goals in under two minutes, which is a mildly impressive statistic.
It would be easy to blame Zach Bogosian (a -3 for the night, which would have been worse had PPG allowed counted against your +/- rating), or Chris Mason (five goals allowed on seventeen shots) or the first line, who all ended the night a -3. But that isn’t what caused this. A defeatist attitude, a massive shut-down halfway through the second period on a questionable goal… if something doesn’t go your way during what probably is one of the most important games of the season, you don’t quit. You suck it up and deal. Don’t embarrass yourselves.
Then again, for tonight, the word “embarrassment” is an understatement.
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Thrashers Cut Into Lead, Still Down By Three To Buffalo Sabres
There was some fight in the Thrashers during the first half of the second period. Forechecking, puck possession, actually staying in Buffalo’s zone… it was swell. It was also rewarded by a goal from Alexander Burmistrov, his first in thirty-three games. Burmie’s goal was scored from the same odd angle that Chris Thorburn’s goal was scored from in the first period.
After that goal, the Thrashers seemed to deflate. A goal that came as a result of constant whacking at the puck just before the net came off its moorings put Buffalo up 4-2. Chris Mason, who replaced Ondrej Pavelec, argued that the net was off and that he was pushed, but to no avail.
Zach Bogosian’s flub at the blueline allowed Tyler Ennis to steal the puck and fly to the net just almost two minutes after the previous goal. Ennis scored as Bogosian’s stick went flying past him. Whether it was frustration, trying to prevent the goal, or an accident, Bogosian was upset and took it out on the door to the bench after his shift.
The Thrashers have one more period to get this game back on track, or else the road ahead will be six points instead of the possible two. Six points with ten games left will be a tough mountain to climb.
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Thrashers Have Terrible First Period In Critical Game Against Sabres
This game, a game that means that the Thrashers can be within two points of the playoffs if they win, has gotten off to an atrocious start. Buffalo scored just twenty-four seconds into the game on an easily stoppable Jason Pominville snap shot. It could have been prevented had the Thrashers cleared the crease more effectively. Not unsurprisingly, the lack of crease-clearing led to the other two Buffalo goals.
Chris Thorburn scored off the face-off to knot it up at 1-1 eight minutes in. Any momentum that was had was completely lost as the Thrashers began to take penalties. With Andrew Ladd serving a four minute penalty for high sticking, Mark Mancari scored his first goal of the season on a redirect of a Tyler Myers slap shot. Three minutes later, Chris Butler scored his first of the year as well, also on a redirect. This time it was a redirect of a Weber shot.
Pavelec can’t seem to see the puck well so far this game, and a good amount has to do with crease traffic. If the Thrashers cleared it – or, better yet, if the Thrashers actually played part of the game in Buffalo’s zone, the team could stand a chance.
As it stands now, this game might take a comeback of last week’s proportions to win.
about 2 years ago Update 0 comments
Thrashers At Sabres: Atlanta Hopes For Playoffs; Buffalo Wants A Win For Rick Martin
The Thrashers' two visits to Buffalo this season are both under emotional circumstances, but at two ends of the spectrum. The last visit Atlanta paid to Buffalo, the French Connection line was center ice to welcome new owner Terry Peugla. Tonight, the Sabres honor a member of that line, Rick Martin, who passed away on March 13th from a heart attack. Thrashers head coach Craig Ramsay was a close friend of Martin, and offered up words of remembrance. The Sabres will be honoring Martin with his number seven behind both goals.
The Thrashers absolutely have to defeat the Sabres tonight, and a win would make the evening bittersweet for Ramsay on the night that the Sabres honor his friend. That's the game, and during the playoff race, every game matters. The Thrashers, with a win tonight, could close the gap between them and 8th place to just two tiny points. It'd still be an uphill battle to make the postseason, but every win increases that possibility, where any loss could be detrimental.
Buffalo has won two of the three meetings so far this season, after the Thrashers held up a 0-1-5 record against the Sabres. The starting goaltenders will be facing a bit of an uphill climb tonight. Buffalo netminder Ryan Miller has a tiny 1.72 GAA in his last seven home starts, but has won only twice in that span. Where Buffalo has been having problems offensively, the Thrashers have thrived. Part of the key to their success has been the re-emergence of secondary scoring. Tim Stapleton scored his fourth of the season on Thursday evening against the Flyers, and has been strong on the line with dishmaster Evander Kane. The top line of Blake Wheeler-Bryan Little-Andrew Ladd has also been very strong in pressuring the opposition.
Ondrej Pavelec could stand to improve slightly on the road. He is 2-6-2 with a 3.97 GAA in his last ten road games. If Atlanta wants to win tonight, he needs to step it up and put on a highlight reel performance. It's almost unfair that as the Thrashers have found their guns again, Pavelec's gone weak. The Sabres are hungry for points just like the rest of the Eastern Conference, and they will pounce on any miscues or surrendered leads that the Thrashers might toss their way.
Photographs by coka_koehler used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.
