The usual tight match-up between the Thrashers and the Sabres was expected this evening, and did not disappoint. After a generally solid first period, the Thrashers continued their good play and even built a bit of momentum here and there during the second period. Unfortunately the last minute of the period killed any momentum that Atlanta had built.
Andrew Ladd scored his 22nd goal of the season 5:31 into the period to build momentum for the Thrashers, and a scrap between Mark Stuart (his second as a Thrasher) and Paul Gaustad seemed to spark the team. They had several good looks on Ryan Miller that they just couldn’t capitalize on, but in the last minute the Sabres had two great looks on Ondrej Pavelec that they did. Gaustad scored his ninth of the year with a little over a minute left in the period, and just forty seconds later, Jason Pominville scored his fifteenth of the season on what was thought to be a high stick, but the puck did not go in; rather, it began a new play, which led to the goal.
if the Thrashers play like they did most of the second period, last minute notwithstanding, there’s still a glimmer of hope for this game. If they let that last period get to them, they’ll be seven points out of the last place, and the season is probably all but over.
No pressure.