SB Nation Atlanta - Atlanta Thrashers Schedule: Thrashers Win Streak Broken By Red Hot Pittsburgh Penguinshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46601/atlanta-fave.png2010-12-02T21:42:39-05:00http://atlanta.sbnation.com/rss/stream/16151592010-12-02T21:42:39-05:002010-12-02T21:42:39-05:00Thrashers Win Streak Snapped: Penguins Out-Score Thrashers 3-2
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<p>A scoreless third period brings the Thrashers’ six game winning streak to a close. <span>Ondrej Pavelec</span> stopped twenty five of twenty eight shots on goal, while the Thrashers only managed twenty two shots on <span>Marc-Andre Fleury</span>.</p>
<p>A success tonight was that the Thrashers kept Evgeny Malkin off of the point sheet. Geno had a hat trick against the Thrashers the last time these two teams met. Malkin and <span>Sidney Crosby</span> are the only Penguins players to score against the Thrashers this season. <span>Zach Bogosian</span> and <span>Niclas Bergfors</span> were the only two of the Thrashers who were on the plus side of the scoresheet at a +1. <span>Tobias Enstrom</span> had a rare off-night at a -2.</p>
<p>The Atlanta powerplay, after going 0-4 Tuesday night against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/">Colorado Avalanche</a>, did convert on one attempt. The powerplay entered tonight’s game ranked third in the league.</p>
<p>The Thrashers get a chance to start a new win streak on Saturday night when they travel to DC to take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Washington Capitals</a>.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-thrashers/2010/12/2/1852107/thrashers-win-streak-snapped-penguins-out-score-thrashers-3-2Laura Astorian2010-12-02T20:47:09-05:002010-12-02T20:47:09-05:00Crosby Scores Two, Antropov Scores One: Penguins Lead Thrashers 3-2
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<p><span>Sidney Crosby</span> scored his seventh career hat trick tonight and his first natural hat trick (three goals in order without anyone scoring between his) by netting two more goals. One was a Crosby break-away just 4:24 into the second period, and his third was an outstanding re-direct of a <span>Brooks Orpik</span> shot that looked to be going very well wide of the goal, but was aimed squarely at Crosby’s stick. He redirected it past <span>Ondrej Pavelec</span> who didn’t have time to react.</p>
<p>Thankfully at the end of the period, after a penalty kill for a hooking call on <span>Tobias Enstrom</span>, <span>Nik Antropov</span> got one past <span>Marc-Andre Fleury</span> for his seventh goal of the season. The offense in general, though, have looked flat and are obviously missing the energy that <span>Evander Kane</span> brings to the line-up. <span>Freddy Meyer</span> is playing well enough, but he’s not a fully effective plug-in for Kane.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-thrashers/2010/12/2/1851996/crosby-scores-two-antropov-scores-one-penguins-lead-thrashers-3-2Laura Astorian2010-12-02T19:57:56-05:002010-12-02T19:57:56-05:00Atlanta Thrashers Score: All Knotted Up At One After One Period
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<p>A bit of back and forth so far in this game, but the Thrashers struck first. The Penguins power play had been perfect since October until a <span>Zach Bogosian</span> slap shot and a <span>Bryan Little</span> tip in to put the Thrashers up by one first for the tenth time in thirteen games. Unfortunately, the Thrashers haven’t quite gotten the memo about keeping <span>Sidney Crosby</span> covered, and he scored at 7:32 from an across the crease pass courtesy of <span>Chris Kunitz</span> that he wristed in on <span>Ondrej Pavelec</span>’s weak side. Crosby’s point streak is now up to fourteen games.</p>
<p>Crosby has also tried to irritate <span>Alexander Burmistrov</span> a few times, but Burmie has decided to not respond. Also Lindy Rupp and <span>Dustin Byfuglien</span> have exchanged words, but no fun to come from that, either. <span>Chris Thorburn</span> and Aaron Asham did scrap about two minutes into the game though to spice things up.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-thrashers/2010/12/2/1851908/atlanta-thrashers-score-all-knotted-up-at-one-after-one-periodLaura Astorian2010-12-02T16:41:00-05:002010-12-02T16:41:00-05:00Atlanta Thrashers Schedule: Thrashers Try For Seven In A Row Against Red Hot Pittsburgh Penguins
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<p>Tonight is the true test of the Thrashers' mettle, as they meet up with the other hot ticket right now - the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>. The Pens have an unbelievable record right now, and a decent amount of that lays solely on the back of starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.</p>
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<th></th> <th>GP</th> <th>MIN</th> <th>W</th> <th>L</th> <th>EGA</th> <th>GA</th> <th>GAA</th> <th>SA</th> <th>SV</th> <th>SV%</th> <th>SO</th>
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<td class="td-name td-first">2010 - <span>Marc-Andre Fleury</span>
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<td>17</td>
<td>971</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>6</td>
<td></td>
<td>40</td>
<td>2.47</td>
<td>437</td>
<td>397</td>
<td>.908</td>
<td class="td-last">1</td>
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<p> What's so special about Flower, you might ask? His stats are pedestrian, and he only has nine wins on the season. Well, yes, he started the season with an atrocious 3.55 GAA after his first seven games, and a .853 SV% that put him at the bottom of the league. He was benched in favor of then red-hot starter <span>Brent Johnson</span>, who still has a respectable .931 SV% and 2.00 GAA. Fleury came back with a win against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.rawcharge.com/">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> on November 12th, and hasn't looked back since. Fleury is 8-0-1 since then with a 1.70 GAA and a save percentage of around .950. In fact, the only goalie in the league as hot as he is would be the Thrashers' very own Ondrej Pavelec:</p>
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<th></th> <th>GP</th> <th>MIN</th> <th>W</th> <th>L</th> <th>EGA</th> <th>GA</th> <th>GAA</th> <th>SA</th> <th>SV</th> <th>SV%</th> <th>SO</th>
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<td class="td-name td-first">2010 - <span>Ondrej Pavelec</span>
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<td>15</td>
<td>800</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>4</td>
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<td>22</td>
<td>1.65</td>
<td>425</td>
<td>403</td>
<td>.948</td>
<td class="td-last">2</td>
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<p>It could be said that the two goalies are why their teams own the longest and second-longest streaks respectively. While not entirely true (<span>Sidney Crosby</span>'s torrid point pace and <span>Dustin Byfuglien</span>'s offense could also be given credit), the goaltenders' performances are probably why tonight you shouldn't expect a goal-fest. The Thrashers have some motivation on their side, since a seven game win streak would be the best in franchise history. The Penguins have a way to go, since their longest winning streak is an NHL-record 17 games set in 1993.</p>
<p><span>Evander Kane</span> was injured Tuesday night in Colorado by taking a <span>Tobias Enstrom</span> slapshot off of the knee. While he did skate this morning, <a href="http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-thrashers-blog/2010/12/02/kane-likely-out-meyer-in-vs-penguins/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_thrashers_blog&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">it is doubtful he will play this evening</a>. <span>Fredrik Modin</span> is still out with bruised ribs, so defenseman <span>Freddy Meyer</span> will be up, possibly as a forward. Meyer has not played since the Thrashers' 4-3 overtime loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Washington Capitals</a> on October 23rd. Kane has been one of the team's top shooters, and after Dustin Byfuglien is second on the team with nine goals.</p>
<p>The Penguins hold a lopsided edge against the Thrashers in the teams' all-time series, going 29-8-0-3 against them. The argument can be made though that these aren't the Thrashers that they're used to playing against - these might not even be the same Thrashers that the Penguins defeated 4-2 the last time these two teams met on November 13th.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/2010/12/2/2325571/atlanta-thrashers-schedule-thrashers-try-for-seven-in-a-row-againstLaura Astorian