No one tell the team that playoffs aren’t a possibility, because that first period was played like they have the fight to make them. Coach Craig Ramsay’s decision to move Rob Schremp up a few lines to the top six paid off dividends, as Schremp scored his first goal as a Thrasher. Shots from Blake Wheeler and Evander Kane were fought off by Carolina goalie Cam Ward, but a rebound came out straight to Schremp and he buried it at 3:22 of the first. A successful penalty kill on an Eric Boulton boarding call helped the Thrashers continue some momentum, as did timely saves by Ondrej Pavelec.
Tobias Enstrom scored the second goal of the evening at 13:27, on a direct pass from Nik Antropov. It was his ninth of the year, and Nik Antropov’s 20th assist (as well as Zach Bogosian’s tenth of the year).
Bogosian has been playing very well tonight with Enstrom, and Ron Hainsey is well matched with Mark Stuart. Paul Postma is making his NHL debut tonight, pared with Johnny Oduya. Postma looks good, though it would be helpful if Oduya stayed on his skates.