Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Mister Levenson! TEAR DOWN THIS CURTAIN!!!
On the morning after the Atlanta Thrashers dismissed the New Jersey Devils with a resounding statement of renouncement, and as the beleaguered Blueland Nation savors the spoils of this brief, but glorious triumph over some rather beguiling franchise demons, we must now pause to reflect on what this victorious battle means for the future of hockey in Atlanta. Just how could it alter the fate of a struggling franchise that is trying to climb its way from the depths of darkness, despair and ridicule?
For the first time since March 20, 2010*, more than 17,000 fans desperate to believe in Blueland filled the seats of Philips Arena to not only offer their sarcastic thanks and harsh invective to the once ballyhooed face of the franchise, Ilya Kovalchuk, but also witness what they hoped would be a turning point victory for a team that has historically come up short in big "statement" games. On a night when the team mascot would be released from lawful detention as a symbolic message to the hockey world that Thrasherville CAN and WILL rally to support the attendance cause, the Thrashers' players responded with a convincing and profound message of restored hope, renewed excitement and fulfilled expectations. *Note: I'm very much aware of the fact the last home game of 2009-10 was a sell-out, but at least 1/3 of the arena was filled with Pens' fans.
At least for one night were expectations fulfilled. Finally, after two consecutive failed attempts to win in regulation (the Thrashers suffered back to back overtime shoot-out losses against Tampa Bay and Carolina) and earn the coveted second point that would catapult them to the top rung of the Southeast Division standings, the Thrashers elevated their game to match the import level of the prize at stake to dismantle a reeling Devils team by the count of 7 to 1 in front of a boisterous and near-capacity crowd at Philips Arena. Led by the "best 4th line in hockey", the Thrashers blitzed legendary goalie Martin Brodeur with a 4-goal barrage on just 15 shots. The Thrashers were led by pugilist turned goal-scorer Eric Boulton, who netted his first ever hat-trick (and multi-goal game for that matter) in a 10-year career known solely, if at all, for dishing out punishment as part of a grinding, "energy" trio not expected to score goals.
But just like my good friend, and AJC Fan Blogger, Bill Tiller said after "Boultsy" put the finishing touches on an amazing feat of crazy, cosmic luck, the Thrashers had officially entered into the "bizarro world" of hockey phenomena, for on the same night, Rich Peverley, known purely for his gifted skating and slick passing, decided he would attempt to one-up Boulton by dropping the gloves and teaching Eric a lesson on how to execute some of the finer points of the "sweet science". Truly bizarre indeed. Pretty much the entire sequence of unfolding of events made for a surreal outcome as the Thrashers seemingly managed to cast off a galling shroud of bad luck and misfortune with this win over their devilish nemesis. Not only was Boulton's 3rd goal the result of a strange twist of fate that saw the puck take a random, hard kick off the boards from behind the goal and past a startled and panicked goalie -- former Thrasher Johan "Moose" Hedberg was victimized by an even stranger karmic carom in Game 2 of the 2007 playoffs' series against the New York Rangers -- but the final score seemed like a fitting ironic tribute to erstwhile Thrashers hero, Ilya Kovalchuk, who left the ice beneath a scoreboard emblazoned with a score matching the transposition of his number 17.
For the fans in attendance, it was surely a cathartic release of pent-up frustrations, anger and scorn. For years, the fans have been subjected to the fickle and petty whims of a misguided ownership group. And recently, the relentless rumors of relocation fueled by a frenzied Canadian press have been rampant. And with the Canadian, and even the national American, media agenda buoyed by recent comments in the press by NHL Deputy Commissioner, Bill Daly, who continues to question publicly the viability of hockey in the metro Atlanta market, the 7 to 1 spanking of Ilya's Devils was even sweeter for the citizens of Blueland, who can now enjoy the chance to fire back with a thunderous message of partial vindication that screams out like a chorus of "Mooooooooose" chants at Philips Arena: UP YOURS CANADA!!!
Much work is surely left to be done as the underdog Thrashers attempt to lift up a fan base that has been beaten down repeatedly by a neglectful, often ungrateful and sometimes petulant ownership group. But in the wake of the Thrashers emphatic win over the Devils last night, and their ascendancy into the upper echelon of the NHL standings (did I just type that?), it now seems as though the time is ripe for all fans, both the embittered and unwavering citizens of Blueland, to renew, or solidify their belief in and support of this team. And in so doing, they can convey to the desperate "Octo-cluster" ownership group a powerful and adamant message similar to the one late President Ronald Reagan delivered to Soviet Russia in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin back in 1987:
Paraphrasing of course:
"There is one sign the (dis)Spirit Group can make that would be unmistakable; that would advance dramatically the cause of (passion) and (hope). (Mr. Levenson), if you seek (success); if you seek prosperity for the (town of Thrasherville).....come here to this gate. (Mr. Levenson), open this gate. (Mr. Levenson), TEAR DOWN THIS (CURTAIN)!"
Yes, for those who are unaware, the upper reaches of the stands at Philips Arena -- the 400-level section of seats --has been partitioned off by the Atlanta Spirit Group since the beginning of the season. In an attempt to apparently mask their own embarrassment over dwindling attendance and their methodical dismantling of hope during the past three seasons of failure, the ASG has erected a black curtain of shame to hide the once popular section of $10 seats. Well, I think it's just about time that our short-sighted owners take down this damn curtain and open up as many reasonably-priced seats as possible so that the thousands of fans, who are still on the fence about financing further ineptitude on the part of the ASG, can come to Philips Arena and pay a guilt-free pittance to watch some of the most exciting and inspiring hockey ever seen in these parts. In fact, the now first-place Thrashers, who overtook, even if only briefly, the free-falling Washington Capitals with their win last night, play some of the most exciting, fun-to-watch hockey in the entire National Hockey League.
So ASG, do what is right and indeed salutary for your benevolent Blueland backers. Come here to the front of this curtain. Come here, with hat in hand, before the masses of hockey fans who want to believe. Come before them and offer up a gesture of good faith to win back the hearts of those who wish to no longer be exploited for their generosity. Come before Blueland and TEAR DOWN THIS CURTAIN!!!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
On the Road Again, Thrashers Winnin', but also Livin' on the Edge
Last time I posted a blog, I was exhorting my readers (and followers on twitter) to spread the word about the Thrashers' recent play as well as their bellwether prospects for a good season. Slowly but slowly (that's not a typo!), the bandwagon is starting to gain some momentum. However, the Thrash-wagon did get bogged down trying to traverse a muddy street in downtown Thrasherville as recent as last Friday nite when the boys lost their most recent home game to the Colorado Avalanche 4 to 2. Hopefully, that relatively poor effort will not dampen the collective belief and spirit of those potential fans who are still lukewarm to the idea of casting aside their pessimism and joining the T-bird battalion of faithful fandom.
As the boys make their pre-game preparations for tonite's huge divisional tilt with rival, and proverbial thorn in the side, Tampa Bay, I've been looking backwards to see if I can learn anything about the team that can explain why they don't seem to be as sharp despite winning two straight road games. The one thing that sticks in my craw is a quote I gleaned from Coach Craig Ramsay's presser after the loss to Colorado in which he concluded that they "didn't stick to a good plan to get it (the puck) past them and make their D work...we backed up, we played on our heels; we have to be more aggressive." Indeed he is right. The Thrashers allowed the Avalanche to dictate play and control the tempo on our ice despite an early 1 to 0 lead for the Thrashers. While the boys didn't play poorly, Ramsay could not have been happy with the effort and the paltry 26 SOG for the game.
Apparently, the residue of the lackluster 1st period against Colorado -- the Avs outshot the Thrashers 16 to 5 -- has not been easy to remove as Ramsay seems to be searching for a spark with some recent changes to the line-up. Perhaps looking for a way to motivate his troops with a fresh message of "tough love", he benched Niclas Bergfors, who scored the first goal against Colorado, and grinding winger Ben Eager, who hasn't really stood out to me as playing poorly of late. Back into the line-up are veteran winger Freddy Modin, now completely healthy after a rib injury, and recently signed Tim Stapleton, whose diminutive frame belies his scrappy and aggressive demeanor. But neither was much of a factor in either of the two road wins in which the Thrashers shook off in-game doldrums to find a way to win.
In Long Island against the Islanders, the alarm went off nearly too late after a miserable 1st period led to a 2-nothing deficit, and in Ottawa, a mid-game lull set the tone for a late Senators comeback, which was auspiciously thwarted by former Ontario junior hockey stand-out, Bryan Little, who's overtime heroics won the extra point in the standings. Either way, the Thrashers made things more difficult for themselves by failing to play hard for the full 60 minutes. For whatever reason, the Thrashers have not looked like the team that had been dominating games from start to finish during an impressive 6-game win streak. Other than the Boston game, in which the boys used a defensive shell to frustrate and befuddle the Bruins late onslaught of pressure, Atlanta seemed to be playing right in concert with every note on Coach Ramsay's game-sheet music. In other words, they were earnestly applying the coach's mantra of "safe is death", sometimes even in scary-good fashion.
In the first 4 games of the win streak, the Thrashers averaged an astounding 39.0 shots on goal while only giving up 29.0 SOG against their own goalie. In addition, they outscored opponents by a whopping 19 to 3 margin. While that sort of run cannot be sustained for more than a couple of weeks, it seems as though the Thrashers have started to rest on their laurels just a bit. In doing so, they have had to dip into every gallon of confidence stored in their reserve tank to pull out wins in "thoracic", heart-stopping fashion. With 3 overtime wins in their last 7 games, one must begin to wonder if he/she will need a bottle of rum or a dose of valium to watch games from this point forward. Surely this team doesn't want to be known as the "Thoracic Thrashers" going forward, even if it is fun to win games in overtime and mob the goal-scorer like you just won the Stanley Cup??
If they hope to continue their evolution towards becoming a dominant force to be reckoned with on a consistent basis, then it's time for them to figure out a way to put a halt to the prolonged lulls that have plagued them a lot of the season, and especially of late. That's not to say I'm ready to proclaim that the bottom is about to fall out on the Thrashers' season. In fact, I'm buoyed by some convincing statistical evidence that shows a methodical, as well as dramatic improvement in how this team plays hockey. Not only are they still scoring goals at a consistent clip, but they are really starting to clamp down defensively, limiting shots and neutralizing scoring chances. Obviously the play of goalie Ondrej Pavelec has been sensational since mid-November, but the numbers show the Thrashers are improved in all facets.
Over their first 10 games, the only reason they were a shade over .500 was because of timely goal scoring (32 goals in all) since they were yielding way too many shots against. Making matters worse, they were only getting 28.1 shots to the net while their opponents were lighting them up for 35.5 per game! In the second set of 10 games, the shots-against average was exactly the same (spooky statistical anomaly), but the shots-for improved greatly by 3.80 shots per game to an average of 31.90. Unfortunately, this did not translate to much success -- a losing record of 3 - 5 - 2 rather -- as erratic goaltending, okay, bad goaltending, cost them dearly. In games 21 through 30 though, the team turned the corner. Over that stretch, in which they racked up 8 wins versus 2 losses, they averaged 33.0 SOG while only giving up 31.9 per game. On top of that, they were plus-15 at even strength, scoring 3.20 goals a game while only allowing a paltry 1.80 (can you say Pavelectric!?). Indeed the trend of improved play at both ends of the ice has been readily apparent with or without stats to back it up.
But I do have some concerns as the boys seem to be falling prey more frequently of late to the kinds of mistakes that cost them wins earier in the year. Two weeks ago, I penned these words to paper after their overtime win in Colorado: "While the Thrashers didn’t play their best hockey last nite, they did something even more impressive: win on the road against a very good team when the mountain seemed way too steep to climb. Such a win is just the kind of validation a fan and blogger like me was hoping for as I try to convince myself, and the reader, that the Thrashers are for real....keep in mind that stats only illustrate the underlying paradigm shift that has occurred in Atlanta. Now that it has started to take hold, the stats seem even more impressive than the actual turn-around that has occurred on the ice and in the players’ collective confidence."
While I stand by my words that an overall paradigm shift in attitude and approach has occurred -- breeding both a renewed esprit de corps and aura of confidence -- in the locker-room and on the ice, I would hate to see all of the progress made squandered over the next 10 games. The condensed schedule in which Atlanta plays 13 times in 22 days presents the sternest, most grueling test yet for this young team. If they can get back to playing a game where they compete full bore for 60 minutes, while paying close attention to the finer points of the game to minimize mistakes, then this team should find itself firmly entrenched within a playoff spot in the standings by January 1st. From there, anything is possible. Then I will dare to dream, but for now, I will stick to my quiet, reserved sense of hope. Cold December was harshly unkind to this team last season. Until we survive this storm of games winning at least half of them, then I don't plan on making any more pleas to rustle up fans for the bandwagon. I'll let the team do it with their play on the ice.
As the boys make their pre-game preparations for tonite's huge divisional tilt with rival, and proverbial thorn in the side, Tampa Bay, I've been looking backwards to see if I can learn anything about the team that can explain why they don't seem to be as sharp despite winning two straight road games. The one thing that sticks in my craw is a quote I gleaned from Coach Craig Ramsay's presser after the loss to Colorado in which he concluded that they "didn't stick to a good plan to get it (the puck) past them and make their D work...we backed up, we played on our heels; we have to be more aggressive." Indeed he is right. The Thrashers allowed the Avalanche to dictate play and control the tempo on our ice despite an early 1 to 0 lead for the Thrashers. While the boys didn't play poorly, Ramsay could not have been happy with the effort and the paltry 26 SOG for the game.
Apparently, the residue of the lackluster 1st period against Colorado -- the Avs outshot the Thrashers 16 to 5 -- has not been easy to remove as Ramsay seems to be searching for a spark with some recent changes to the line-up. Perhaps looking for a way to motivate his troops with a fresh message of "tough love", he benched Niclas Bergfors, who scored the first goal against Colorado, and grinding winger Ben Eager, who hasn't really stood out to me as playing poorly of late. Back into the line-up are veteran winger Freddy Modin, now completely healthy after a rib injury, and recently signed Tim Stapleton, whose diminutive frame belies his scrappy and aggressive demeanor. But neither was much of a factor in either of the two road wins in which the Thrashers shook off in-game doldrums to find a way to win.
In Long Island against the Islanders, the alarm went off nearly too late after a miserable 1st period led to a 2-nothing deficit, and in Ottawa, a mid-game lull set the tone for a late Senators comeback, which was auspiciously thwarted by former Ontario junior hockey stand-out, Bryan Little, who's overtime heroics won the extra point in the standings. Either way, the Thrashers made things more difficult for themselves by failing to play hard for the full 60 minutes. For whatever reason, the Thrashers have not looked like the team that had been dominating games from start to finish during an impressive 6-game win streak. Other than the Boston game, in which the boys used a defensive shell to frustrate and befuddle the Bruins late onslaught of pressure, Atlanta seemed to be playing right in concert with every note on Coach Ramsay's game-sheet music. In other words, they were earnestly applying the coach's mantra of "safe is death", sometimes even in scary-good fashion.
In the first 4 games of the win streak, the Thrashers averaged an astounding 39.0 shots on goal while only giving up 29.0 SOG against their own goalie. In addition, they outscored opponents by a whopping 19 to 3 margin. While that sort of run cannot be sustained for more than a couple of weeks, it seems as though the Thrashers have started to rest on their laurels just a bit. In doing so, they have had to dip into every gallon of confidence stored in their reserve tank to pull out wins in "thoracic", heart-stopping fashion. With 3 overtime wins in their last 7 games, one must begin to wonder if he/she will need a bottle of rum or a dose of valium to watch games from this point forward. Surely this team doesn't want to be known as the "Thoracic Thrashers" going forward, even if it is fun to win games in overtime and mob the goal-scorer like you just won the Stanley Cup??
If they hope to continue their evolution towards becoming a dominant force to be reckoned with on a consistent basis, then it's time for them to figure out a way to put a halt to the prolonged lulls that have plagued them a lot of the season, and especially of late. That's not to say I'm ready to proclaim that the bottom is about to fall out on the Thrashers' season. In fact, I'm buoyed by some convincing statistical evidence that shows a methodical, as well as dramatic improvement in how this team plays hockey. Not only are they still scoring goals at a consistent clip, but they are really starting to clamp down defensively, limiting shots and neutralizing scoring chances. Obviously the play of goalie Ondrej Pavelec has been sensational since mid-November, but the numbers show the Thrashers are improved in all facets.
Over their first 10 games, the only reason they were a shade over .500 was because of timely goal scoring (32 goals in all) since they were yielding way too many shots against. Making matters worse, they were only getting 28.1 shots to the net while their opponents were lighting them up for 35.5 per game! In the second set of 10 games, the shots-against average was exactly the same (spooky statistical anomaly), but the shots-for improved greatly by 3.80 shots per game to an average of 31.90. Unfortunately, this did not translate to much success -- a losing record of 3 - 5 - 2 rather -- as erratic goaltending, okay, bad goaltending, cost them dearly. In games 21 through 30 though, the team turned the corner. Over that stretch, in which they racked up 8 wins versus 2 losses, they averaged 33.0 SOG while only giving up 31.9 per game. On top of that, they were plus-15 at even strength, scoring 3.20 goals a game while only allowing a paltry 1.80 (can you say Pavelectric!?). Indeed the trend of improved play at both ends of the ice has been readily apparent with or without stats to back it up.
But I do have some concerns as the boys seem to be falling prey more frequently of late to the kinds of mistakes that cost them wins earier in the year. Two weeks ago, I penned these words to paper after their overtime win in Colorado: "While the Thrashers didn’t play their best hockey last nite, they did something even more impressive: win on the road against a very good team when the mountain seemed way too steep to climb. Such a win is just the kind of validation a fan and blogger like me was hoping for as I try to convince myself, and the reader, that the Thrashers are for real....keep in mind that stats only illustrate the underlying paradigm shift that has occurred in Atlanta. Now that it has started to take hold, the stats seem even more impressive than the actual turn-around that has occurred on the ice and in the players’ collective confidence."
While I stand by my words that an overall paradigm shift in attitude and approach has occurred -- breeding both a renewed esprit de corps and aura of confidence -- in the locker-room and on the ice, I would hate to see all of the progress made squandered over the next 10 games. The condensed schedule in which Atlanta plays 13 times in 22 days presents the sternest, most grueling test yet for this young team. If they can get back to playing a game where they compete full bore for 60 minutes, while paying close attention to the finer points of the game to minimize mistakes, then this team should find itself firmly entrenched within a playoff spot in the standings by January 1st. From there, anything is possible. Then I will dare to dream, but for now, I will stick to my quiet, reserved sense of hope. Cold December was harshly unkind to this team last season. Until we survive this storm of games winning at least half of them, then I don't plan on making any more pleas to rustle up fans for the bandwagon. I'll let the team do it with their play on the ice.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Despite Relocation Talk, Here are Ten Reasons to Watch the Thrashers
If you're a faithful follower of the Atlanta Thrashers, you are no doubt sickened to the pit of your stomach over the repetitive and annoying chorus of Canadian media who relish the fantasy of one day poaching the Atlanta-based hockey club from U.S. soil. Without fail, as attendance numbers drop well below the league average down at Philips Arena, relocation rumour mongers (I speak Canadian!) in the media start licking their chops at the prospect of returning a team to its rightful place such as Winnipeg, Quebec (pour la memoire, je voudrais voir les Nordiques de retour au Quebec) and Hamilton(??). Anyway, I'm not here to lament the sobering attendance reality that exists here in Atlanta, nor soothe any egoes by providing a litany of valid reasons, both economic and political, as to why the Thrashers aren't moving any time soon. (For that, you can simply click on this link to ESPN.com for Burnside's take on the situation). What I do plan to do is provide for you a list of 10 reasons why any curious resident within 100 miles of Atlanta should go check out the Thrashers. Beyond that, the folks in Winnipeg can go "peg" sand for all I care. Enjoy your AHL Moooooose!
Obviously, it's still early in the season and any record through 28 games can be a bit misleading. Last year's Thrashers are a great case in point when it comes to unrealized expectations after a strong start. Strangely, after the same number of games, both teams have/had a record of 15 - 10 - 3 for 33 points. The difference seems to be a different style of play, one that lends itself better to production and effectiveness over the long haul. Last year, after 28 games, the Thrashers were giving up way too many shots on goal -- 34.4 SOG to be exact -- and that trend would end up taking its toll with a 6-game holiday losing slump to finish out a miserable December. On top of that, the Thrashers were coming off their hottest scoring stretch of the season in which they potted 49 goals in 14 games by scoring at a sizzling 11.5% clip. Alas, that trend would come to an abrupt halt when the team managed just 16 goals over its next 8 for a scoring clip of only 7.2%. The goaltending tandem of Hedberg & Pavelec couldn't rise to the challenge of overcoming the scoring drought and the rest is etched in history as another season of failure.
But I digress, I'm here to show you why the Thrashers of THIS SEASON are worthy of your attention. Statistically speaking, they are certainly trending in the right direction with 2 more goals scored compared to last year through 28 games and a goal differential of plus-13 compared to last year's plus-8 (adjusted for shootouts and ENG). The special teams have maintained consistency and the Thrashers have 5 more PP goals through 28 games compared to last year. Although the penalty kill numbers are roughly the same (hovering around 80%). Most importantly is the improving trend of shot differential as the Ramsay-led Thrashers are 53 SOG better than the Anderson-led Thrashers through 28 games. Impressively, over the last 15 games they have netted a favorable SOG differential of plus-20 (+26 at even-strength). In the last 10, a favorable differential of plus-19, coupled with timely PP scoring, has produced an 8 - 2 mark to earn a share of 6th place in the East.
Now that I have laid out the comparison to last season, let me point out TEN really good reasons why you should be excited enough about Thrashers hockey to check out a few games over the next couple months. In no particular order they are:
#1) A very proficient and effective Power Play unit -- Since they are currently #1 in PP production (at the time of typing this on 12/8) with a 24.7% success rate (27 goals in 28 games), I'll put this at the top of my list and let those numbers do the talking. Gone is the Kovalchuk one-timer show, replaced by the booming shot of Dustin Byfuglien, who leads the way with 14 PP points and several wounded D-men at the end of his booming slap-shots.
#2) Dustin Byfuglien's emergence as a Norris Trophy candidate -- #1 bleeds right into #2 with "Big Buff" stealing the spotlight down at the Bulb with his charismatic persona as well as his top production from the back end. Not only is he leading the Thrashers with 29 points, he is also 13th overall in the NHL as well as the leading point-producer among all defenseman. Not bad for a power forward, eh?
#3) Balanced attack with scoring from all 4 lines -- I kid you not when I tell you Coach Ramsay loves to roll 4 lines. When he says he wants everyone to contribute, he means it as every forward averages nearly 10 mins of ice-time per game, the minor exception being Eric Boulton who is sometimes in the bin serving five minutes for fighting! As a result, the Thrashers have 8 forwards with at least 11 points. Led by captain Andrew Ladd, who has 28 points thus far, the Thrashers have 7 players with at least 15 points and may be the only team in the league with 7 players having scored at least 4 even-strength goals.
#4) Ondrej Pavelec's emergence as a consistently brilliant shot-stopper -- It's still a bit early to announce Pavelec's candidacy for the Vezina Trophy, but the 23 year-old Czech is off to a great start with a gaudy save percentage of .947 in 16 appearances as well as a miniscule goals against average of 1.71. He has put together a sensational run in which he has won 8 of his last 9 starts, allowing only 11 goals and stopping 96.2% of the shots that get to him. If he keeps this up, along with the many dazzling, acrobatic saves of recent memory, then countryman Dominik Hasek may be looking to get HIS autograph!!
#5) Craig Ramsay's coaching influence, calm leadership and effective strategy -- For whatever reason, Ramsay has had to toil, perhaps willingly for the most part, as an assistant bench-boss for way too long before getting a real chance at the head job. He's had two interim stints as a Head Coach, but old pal and GM Rick Dudley realized the time was now for Ramsay to get a serious shot. And so far, despite some rough patches, the impact has been huge. "Rammer" has helped to completely change the dynamic of the locker-room with his quiet confidence-instilling personality while his attention-to-detail teaching approach has yielded undeniable results (which we'll get to in a bit). Lastly, his ability to adjust within a game and get his troops to rally in the face of adversity has been remarkable.
#6) Strong team leadership with a Stanley Cup pedigree -- As a coach, you're only as good as your captain, right? If your captain doesn't have the respect of his peers and control of the room, then the coach's message is undermined. With Andrew Ladd, that has not been a problem. Quiet in demeanor, Ladd is a consummate professional who never takes a shift off. He's not the most talented guy in the room, but his blend of know-how, savvy and experience (even though he's still only 24!) had garnered him the respect of this team as well as 28 points in what's turning into a career year on the ice. Obviously, we know he has been through the rigors of two long Cup runs (winning of course) and that can only further strengthen his presence in the room when Coach Ramsay needs someone to chide the boys.
#7) Lots of youth and potential balanced out by experience -- It is well documented how meaningful it is to have 4 Stanley Cup winners in the dressing room to provide leadership for a young team. But what makes this situation even better is the fact that this team is teeming with young talent and potential for improvement. We already knew Evander Kane was ready to take his game to a new level, and he is. But he's still finding ways to contribute even when he's not scoring. Zach Bogosian still has some puzzling stretches, but his pure, raw skill is undeniable. Luckily, he gets to work and train with blueline partner Johnny Oduya, and that pairing is coming into its own. Lastly, rookie Alexander Burmistrov has been much more effective than anyone ever dared to dream with 12 points and a staunch plus-5 rating on the "checking" line. And his knack for controlling the puck and drawing penalties -- he must be close to the league lead -- has been a boon to a team that wasn't sure if they'd have enough scoring at the start of the year.
#8) TEAM DEFENSE!! Stats in this case do not lie! -- Despite a very shaky start in which the Thrashers gave up a startling 54 goals in 15 games (3.60 per) not counting shootouts, they have finally settled into the new coaching framework and paradigm. Since giving up 5 goals in Ottawa back in early November, the Thrashers have been stingy allowing a mere 24 goals (2 were empty netters) in 13 games. The play of Pavelec has certainly been a huge factor, but he could not be so good without the proper level of support. The Thrashers are 3rd overall in Blocked Shots with 440 (an avg of 15.7 per) as a team and 2nd overall -- behind Chicago ironically -- in the number of Takeaways credited. In fact, they have 7 players in the Top 50 of this category including Byfuglien, who leads all D-men with 30! Others on the list of defensive prowess are: Bryan Little (16th), Burmistrov (18th), Kane (29th), Nicklas Bergfors (35th), Oduya (39th) and Rich Peverley (48th), who is also 10th in the league in total face-offs won (58%). By the way, Byfuglien is 7th overall in "takes".
#9) Character and a will to win that fuels cohesion and winning -- While the Thrashers have been somewhat "dominant" over their most recent 9 games, winning 4 of them by 3 goals or more, they have also demonstrated the ability to come from behind and chase a team down for a win at the end. The Thrashers have succeeded in doing so twice in the last 4 games beating both Colorado (at their house) and Nashville Monday nite in dramatic, overtime fashion. Now when the team gets behind, which is rare as they have scored first in 12 of the last 15 games, there is a calming sense that this team is capable of coming back through hard work and perseverance within the system crafted by Ramsay. They don't panic and they don't try to do too much; they simply keep working and doing the little things that help you win battles and eventually games.
#10) And finally, what's more fun than good hockey in the dead of winter?? -- As I write this novel, the temperature is quickly dropping into the upper 20s here in Atlanta. Winter and its harsh chill (and wind!) has hit Atlanta hard of late. Luckily the Thrashers are heating up. So why not spend an evening down in Blueland warming yourself up with some adult beverages, food, hockey and fun as the Thrashers do their best to get the Bulb rocking like 2007. You have no excuse Atlanta! Great seats, inexpensive to boot, are available by the bushel! ;-) Hockey is wonderful live and everyone likes a team that plays with the heart of a champion. So get your ass down to Marietta St, scalp a cheap ticket and have some fun with Big Buff and the boys. You won't regret it!
Obviously, it's still early in the season and any record through 28 games can be a bit misleading. Last year's Thrashers are a great case in point when it comes to unrealized expectations after a strong start. Strangely, after the same number of games, both teams have/had a record of 15 - 10 - 3 for 33 points. The difference seems to be a different style of play, one that lends itself better to production and effectiveness over the long haul. Last year, after 28 games, the Thrashers were giving up way too many shots on goal -- 34.4 SOG to be exact -- and that trend would end up taking its toll with a 6-game holiday losing slump to finish out a miserable December. On top of that, the Thrashers were coming off their hottest scoring stretch of the season in which they potted 49 goals in 14 games by scoring at a sizzling 11.5% clip. Alas, that trend would come to an abrupt halt when the team managed just 16 goals over its next 8 for a scoring clip of only 7.2%. The goaltending tandem of Hedberg & Pavelec couldn't rise to the challenge of overcoming the scoring drought and the rest is etched in history as another season of failure.
But I digress, I'm here to show you why the Thrashers of THIS SEASON are worthy of your attention. Statistically speaking, they are certainly trending in the right direction with 2 more goals scored compared to last year through 28 games and a goal differential of plus-13 compared to last year's plus-8 (adjusted for shootouts and ENG). The special teams have maintained consistency and the Thrashers have 5 more PP goals through 28 games compared to last year. Although the penalty kill numbers are roughly the same (hovering around 80%). Most importantly is the improving trend of shot differential as the Ramsay-led Thrashers are 53 SOG better than the Anderson-led Thrashers through 28 games. Impressively, over the last 15 games they have netted a favorable SOG differential of plus-20 (+26 at even-strength). In the last 10, a favorable differential of plus-19, coupled with timely PP scoring, has produced an 8 - 2 mark to earn a share of 6th place in the East.
Now that I have laid out the comparison to last season, let me point out TEN really good reasons why you should be excited enough about Thrashers hockey to check out a few games over the next couple months. In no particular order they are:
#1) A very proficient and effective Power Play unit -- Since they are currently #1 in PP production (at the time of typing this on 12/8) with a 24.7% success rate (27 goals in 28 games), I'll put this at the top of my list and let those numbers do the talking. Gone is the Kovalchuk one-timer show, replaced by the booming shot of Dustin Byfuglien, who leads the way with 14 PP points and several wounded D-men at the end of his booming slap-shots.
#2) Dustin Byfuglien's emergence as a Norris Trophy candidate -- #1 bleeds right into #2 with "Big Buff" stealing the spotlight down at the Bulb with his charismatic persona as well as his top production from the back end. Not only is he leading the Thrashers with 29 points, he is also 13th overall in the NHL as well as the leading point-producer among all defenseman. Not bad for a power forward, eh?
#3) Balanced attack with scoring from all 4 lines -- I kid you not when I tell you Coach Ramsay loves to roll 4 lines. When he says he wants everyone to contribute, he means it as every forward averages nearly 10 mins of ice-time per game, the minor exception being Eric Boulton who is sometimes in the bin serving five minutes for fighting! As a result, the Thrashers have 8 forwards with at least 11 points. Led by captain Andrew Ladd, who has 28 points thus far, the Thrashers have 7 players with at least 15 points and may be the only team in the league with 7 players having scored at least 4 even-strength goals.
#4) Ondrej Pavelec's emergence as a consistently brilliant shot-stopper -- It's still a bit early to announce Pavelec's candidacy for the Vezina Trophy, but the 23 year-old Czech is off to a great start with a gaudy save percentage of .947 in 16 appearances as well as a miniscule goals against average of 1.71. He has put together a sensational run in which he has won 8 of his last 9 starts, allowing only 11 goals and stopping 96.2% of the shots that get to him. If he keeps this up, along with the many dazzling, acrobatic saves of recent memory, then countryman Dominik Hasek may be looking to get HIS autograph!!
#5) Craig Ramsay's coaching influence, calm leadership and effective strategy -- For whatever reason, Ramsay has had to toil, perhaps willingly for the most part, as an assistant bench-boss for way too long before getting a real chance at the head job. He's had two interim stints as a Head Coach, but old pal and GM Rick Dudley realized the time was now for Ramsay to get a serious shot. And so far, despite some rough patches, the impact has been huge. "Rammer" has helped to completely change the dynamic of the locker-room with his quiet confidence-instilling personality while his attention-to-detail teaching approach has yielded undeniable results (which we'll get to in a bit). Lastly, his ability to adjust within a game and get his troops to rally in the face of adversity has been remarkable.
#6) Strong team leadership with a Stanley Cup pedigree -- As a coach, you're only as good as your captain, right? If your captain doesn't have the respect of his peers and control of the room, then the coach's message is undermined. With Andrew Ladd, that has not been a problem. Quiet in demeanor, Ladd is a consummate professional who never takes a shift off. He's not the most talented guy in the room, but his blend of know-how, savvy and experience (even though he's still only 24!) had garnered him the respect of this team as well as 28 points in what's turning into a career year on the ice. Obviously, we know he has been through the rigors of two long Cup runs (winning of course) and that can only further strengthen his presence in the room when Coach Ramsay needs someone to chide the boys.
#7) Lots of youth and potential balanced out by experience -- It is well documented how meaningful it is to have 4 Stanley Cup winners in the dressing room to provide leadership for a young team. But what makes this situation even better is the fact that this team is teeming with young talent and potential for improvement. We already knew Evander Kane was ready to take his game to a new level, and he is. But he's still finding ways to contribute even when he's not scoring. Zach Bogosian still has some puzzling stretches, but his pure, raw skill is undeniable. Luckily, he gets to work and train with blueline partner Johnny Oduya, and that pairing is coming into its own. Lastly, rookie Alexander Burmistrov has been much more effective than anyone ever dared to dream with 12 points and a staunch plus-5 rating on the "checking" line. And his knack for controlling the puck and drawing penalties -- he must be close to the league lead -- has been a boon to a team that wasn't sure if they'd have enough scoring at the start of the year.
#8) TEAM DEFENSE!! Stats in this case do not lie! -- Despite a very shaky start in which the Thrashers gave up a startling 54 goals in 15 games (3.60 per) not counting shootouts, they have finally settled into the new coaching framework and paradigm. Since giving up 5 goals in Ottawa back in early November, the Thrashers have been stingy allowing a mere 24 goals (2 were empty netters) in 13 games. The play of Pavelec has certainly been a huge factor, but he could not be so good without the proper level of support. The Thrashers are 3rd overall in Blocked Shots with 440 (an avg of 15.7 per) as a team and 2nd overall -- behind Chicago ironically -- in the number of Takeaways credited. In fact, they have 7 players in the Top 50 of this category including Byfuglien, who leads all D-men with 30! Others on the list of defensive prowess are: Bryan Little (16th), Burmistrov (18th), Kane (29th), Nicklas Bergfors (35th), Oduya (39th) and Rich Peverley (48th), who is also 10th in the league in total face-offs won (58%). By the way, Byfuglien is 7th overall in "takes".
#9) Character and a will to win that fuels cohesion and winning -- While the Thrashers have been somewhat "dominant" over their most recent 9 games, winning 4 of them by 3 goals or more, they have also demonstrated the ability to come from behind and chase a team down for a win at the end. The Thrashers have succeeded in doing so twice in the last 4 games beating both Colorado (at their house) and Nashville Monday nite in dramatic, overtime fashion. Now when the team gets behind, which is rare as they have scored first in 12 of the last 15 games, there is a calming sense that this team is capable of coming back through hard work and perseverance within the system crafted by Ramsay. They don't panic and they don't try to do too much; they simply keep working and doing the little things that help you win battles and eventually games.
#10) And finally, what's more fun than good hockey in the dead of winter?? -- As I write this novel, the temperature is quickly dropping into the upper 20s here in Atlanta. Winter and its harsh chill (and wind!) has hit Atlanta hard of late. Luckily the Thrashers are heating up. So why not spend an evening down in Blueland warming yourself up with some adult beverages, food, hockey and fun as the Thrashers do their best to get the Bulb rocking like 2007. You have no excuse Atlanta! Great seats, inexpensive to boot, are available by the bushel! ;-) Hockey is wonderful live and everyone likes a team that plays with the heart of a champion. So get your ass down to Marietta St, scalp a cheap ticket and have some fun with Big Buff and the boys. You won't regret it!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sometimes a Picture is Better Than Words...Damn Right!
Last nite was my birthday. And the Atlanta Thrashers were kind enough to give me a thrilling, come from behind win over the visiting Nashville Predators. The present was gift-wrapped in overtime by the much maligned Zach "where have you been Bogosian around?", who did the honor with a sweet, quick slap-wrister under the pad and skate of Preds' goalie Anders Lindback. Okay, enough words, feast your eyes on this:
What's that? Did somebody say something about a serendipitous puck in the lap?! Indeed, dear Krisabelle isn't speaking code for some kind of crass joke as a hockey puck really did dive-bomb my unsuspecting junk...this Bud's for you!! Check it out y'all!
No junk was harmed during the filming of this video. But a little beer was sacrificed to the hockey gods, and they were apparently paying close attention!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Capit(al) Hill Sessions End Early, Atlanta Leaves with Winning Legislation
In a town famous -- or is it infamous? -- for the perfected art of staunch, hard-lining legislative opposition, Atlanta Thrashers goaltender Ondrej Pavelec doled out his own special brand of stubborn opposition on the goal line with 45 saves, many of which were wondrous in their splendor, against the vaunted Washington Capitals offense. The 23 year-old Czech-born cage protector demonstrated for the Hockey Republic on Saturday nite just why he has earned the nickname "Pavelectric". In what was his 9th consecutive start, Pavelec earned his 7th win the "hard way", making many marvelous saves against a Capitals team that passes the puck as well as politicians pass the buck!Assisting Pavelec in the winning endeavor were teammates Rich Peverley, Alexander Burmistrov and captain Andrew Ladd, all of whom each tallied a key goal to get the all important road-game advantage on the scoreboard. Twice the Thrashers converted on set-pieces or plays in which they first won a face-off and then connected on a pre-conceived series of passes. First, it was Peverley using some deft stickwork to re-direct a picture-perfect shot-pass from D-man Dustin Byfuglien, who launched a hard, low slapper from the right point. Later in the 3rd, Andrew Ladd purchased some insurance near the net when he put home a pretty cross-crease feed from the "Pevs Dispenser" at the right side of the cage. But it was the industrious Russian teen-phenom Burmistrov, who scored what is becoming a seemingly requisite hi-light goal just 92 seconds after Peverley. After the "Burmise Python" helped squeeze the puck off a Capital stick along the boards, he cycled to the goal line where Nik Antropov slipped him the biscotti for a close-range forehand wrister that not only went right over the top of a semi-hunched, cheating Semyon Varlamov, but also went so high into the "top shelf" that not even "momma" could find the cookies, let alone hide them.
After the game, Caps' Coach Bruce Boudreau, complained in the press about how his team did not show enough drive and fortitude in "paying the price" to score goals from the high-traffic areas, pointing out that the Caps settled for too many perimeter plays and shots rather than working harder to drive the net and find rebounds after juicy rebounds. While that may be true, such is often the difference between winning and losing on a given nite. On this nite, the Thrashers skated with a lot more energy and "jump" en route to their 7th win in eight games to close out a short road trip that saw the Thrashers take 4 out of 6 points in the tightly contested Eastern Conference standings. In Pittsburgh the other nite, the Penguins did a magnificent job of slowing down an already road-weary Thrashers team, denying them the second-chance scoring opportunities of which Boudreau spoke and so longingly covets apparently.
Yes, there were several times when the Capitals carried the play and had the Thrashers' defense scrambling in their own end without much effective filibuster to speak of -- the lone Washington goal resulted from a puck possession sequence lasting well over a minute before culminating in a patented Ovechkin one-timer from below the left circle. But Boudreau failed, at least in that press conference snippet, to either give any credit to Pavelec for preventing grade-A rebound chances or the Thrashers defense for reacting to loose pucks quickly and clearing them from danger areas at almost every turn. In addition, the Thrashers blocked a whopping 20 would-be Capitals' shots, which certainly contributed to the success of Pavelec, who also read plays brilliantly all nite. When loose pucks did dangle treacherously close to the goal-mouth, Pavelec's mates supported him alertly with active sticks to tie up Capitals forwards. And finally, Thrashers D-men received fabulous support from their wingers and centers to aid in the effort to break the puck out of the defensive zone into transition.
That last sentence reminds me of the previous game against Washington in the loud, red-ablaze Verizon Center when the Thrashers tripped all over the puck and themselves trying to move the hot potato out of their own end. Atlanta yielded a six-pack of goals that nite, but several were the direct result of mental lapses and puck-handling gaffes by a unit not quite polished in its ability to execute such plays. Moreover, the contrast between the two games illustrates just how far the Thrashers have come since that high-scoring affair nearly three weeks ago. Since that game, the team has improved dramatically in how it handles and cares for the puck in dangerous areas on the ice. Fueling their stretch of 7 wins in 8 games, in addition to Pavelec's sensational goaltending, has been a wonderfully refreshing commitment to detail and execution of "little", seemingly innocent hockey plays, which good teams execute effectively and consistently on most every nite. The 6-game win streak may have been vetoed on Thursday nite, but "Speaker" (of hockey wisdom) Craig Ramsay had his boys come back with a strong counter-proposal that would swing the winning vote in their direction against the mighty Capitals.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Don't Believe the Hype??! Are Thrashers for Real?
As the first winter-like Nor-easter roars up the Atlantic seaboard, leaving behind a trail of wind-blown debris and tornado wreckage in north-metro Atlanta, the Atlanta Thrashers fly out of Denver with yet another victory notched in its hockey hip pad. Here in the ATL, sports fans are either buzzing about the exploits of Matt Ryan and the NFC leading 9 - 2 Falcons, or blathering on about the fairness of the NCAA's decision to let Cam Newton play in the SEC Championship game -- I guess even Bulldogs fans can only gripe so long about a season of unrealized expecations. But very few have caught wind of the fact that the resident professional hockey team -- no, the one that plays at Philips Arena downtown! -- has been leaving in its path a wake of destruction of another kind as it blows through win after win over some the NHL's elite teams at the end of November.
Apparently a five-game win streak wasn't enough for this plucky bunch of precocious lads (apologies to the handful of Thrashers who are above the age of 25), who decided to take their show on the road into the Rockies, where they produced an avalanche of a comeback to down a potent Colorado team in dramatic overtime fashion, 3 to 2. Just when you thought the party was over last nite, the boys managed to summon one last burst of sustained energy to overcome both altitude and time-change weariness. Not surprisingly, new Thrashers ring-master, Dustin Byfuglien, initiated the rally late in the 3rd period when his lethal slapshot felled a would-be defender, thus scaring off any further resistance on the part of Colorado's defense. As the sea of defenders parted, and an eclipse by the "planet Antropov" swallowed goalie Peter Budaj whole, "The Buffinator" (courtesy Bill "Rawhide" Tiller of the ajc.com Fan Blog) picked his target carefully and rocket-launched his puck-projectile into the back of the cage to tie the game at two.
But more adversity would come the Thrashers' way before the super-human D-man could finish his mission. Luckily for Byfuglien and the Thrashers, a loyal sidekick by the name of Brent "The SopeStar" Sopel would save the team's collective hide in OT by almost single-handedly thwarting a 59 second 4 on 3 Avalanche power play. Truthfully, I thought the run of good fortune would surely end with Byfuglien's blast, but this team surprised me again with their indomitable courage and determination in the face of adversity. After watching Byfuglien for 25 games in Thrashers blue, I am no longer surprised by his heroics. And the work of Sopel was just the lift Big Buff needed to lead his team to victory again. Only this time he opted for the heavy lifting when he destroyed his target with a crunching check against the boards, leaving behind the puck for a hard-charging Anthony Stewart to scoop up and eventually slip through the wickets of Budaj on a "failed" wrap-around pass attempt. Game. Set. Hero.
While the Thrashers didn't play their best hockey last nite in Colorado, they did something even more impressive: win on the road against a very good team when the mountain seemed way too steep to climb. Such a win is just the kind of validation a fan and blogger like me was hoping for as I try to convince myself, and the reader, that the Thrashers are for real. But why is this different than last year when the bottom quickly fell out of a season that started with such promise and hope (see my previous article about tempering expectations as a traumatized fan of an abusive team)? Before I break out a boat load of statistical evidence as to why this team might be (okay, they ARE, I wrote it!) for real, keep in mind that stats only illustrate the underlying paradigm shift that has occurred in Atlanta. Now that it has taken hold, the stats seem even more impressive than the actual turn-around that has occurred on the ice and in the players' collective confidence.
Most notably, the Thrashers have gone from being the most porous defensive team in the league -- next to Edmonton -- to one of the stingiest. Starting out the season, Atlanta struggled to execute Coach Craig Ramsay's unfamiliar system and the players, who were plagued by chronic brain-freeze turnovers, struggled to react instinctively on the ice. Resultingly, they were gouged for a total of 54 goals (less shootout "goals") in 15 games. Luckily, the Thrashers were scoring goals in bunches as well, denting the twine 45 times themselves. But more alarming was the number of shots they were giving up and the large disparity between shots allowed and shots taken.
Apparently a five-game win streak wasn't enough for this plucky bunch of precocious lads (apologies to the handful of Thrashers who are above the age of 25), who decided to take their show on the road into the Rockies, where they produced an avalanche of a comeback to down a potent Colorado team in dramatic overtime fashion, 3 to 2. Just when you thought the party was over last nite, the boys managed to summon one last burst of sustained energy to overcome both altitude and time-change weariness. Not surprisingly, new Thrashers ring-master, Dustin Byfuglien, initiated the rally late in the 3rd period when his lethal slapshot felled a would-be defender, thus scaring off any further resistance on the part of Colorado's defense. As the sea of defenders parted, and an eclipse by the "planet Antropov" swallowed goalie Peter Budaj whole, "The Buffinator" (courtesy Bill "Rawhide" Tiller of the ajc.com Fan Blog) picked his target carefully and rocket-launched his puck-projectile into the back of the cage to tie the game at two.
But more adversity would come the Thrashers' way before the super-human D-man could finish his mission. Luckily for Byfuglien and the Thrashers, a loyal sidekick by the name of Brent "The SopeStar" Sopel would save the team's collective hide in OT by almost single-handedly thwarting a 59 second 4 on 3 Avalanche power play. Truthfully, I thought the run of good fortune would surely end with Byfuglien's blast, but this team surprised me again with their indomitable courage and determination in the face of adversity. After watching Byfuglien for 25 games in Thrashers blue, I am no longer surprised by his heroics. And the work of Sopel was just the lift Big Buff needed to lead his team to victory again. Only this time he opted for the heavy lifting when he destroyed his target with a crunching check against the boards, leaving behind the puck for a hard-charging Anthony Stewart to scoop up and eventually slip through the wickets of Budaj on a "failed" wrap-around pass attempt. Game. Set. Hero.
While the Thrashers didn't play their best hockey last nite in Colorado, they did something even more impressive: win on the road against a very good team when the mountain seemed way too steep to climb. Such a win is just the kind of validation a fan and blogger like me was hoping for as I try to convince myself, and the reader, that the Thrashers are for real. But why is this different than last year when the bottom quickly fell out of a season that started with such promise and hope (see my previous article about tempering expectations as a traumatized fan of an abusive team)? Before I break out a boat load of statistical evidence as to why this team might be (okay, they ARE, I wrote it!) for real, keep in mind that stats only illustrate the underlying paradigm shift that has occurred in Atlanta. Now that it has taken hold, the stats seem even more impressive than the actual turn-around that has occurred on the ice and in the players' collective confidence.
Most notably, the Thrashers have gone from being the most porous defensive team in the league -- next to Edmonton -- to one of the stingiest. Starting out the season, Atlanta struggled to execute Coach Craig Ramsay's unfamiliar system and the players, who were plagued by chronic brain-freeze turnovers, struggled to react instinctively on the ice. Resultingly, they were gouged for a total of 54 goals (less shootout "goals") in 15 games. Luckily, the Thrashers were scoring goals in bunches as well, denting the twine 45 times themselves. But more alarming was the number of shots they were giving up and the large disparity between shots allowed and shots taken.
The Thrashers were failing miserably at their attempt to play an aggressive, puck-control game as evidenced by their Corsi stats through the first 15 games. By the time the Senators finished their full and complete domination of the Thrash in Ottawa, the total shots disparity had reached a jaw-dropping minus-245!! Averaged out over the course of 15 games, that is A LOT OF FREAKIN' SHOTS!! Not only were the Thrashers giving up too many shots on goal (37.2 thru 15 gms), but they were getting out-hustled, out-worked and out-classed on several nites. Simply put, the Thrashers were lucky to be a .500 team after 15 games; they showed glimpses and teased you with good stretches, but chronic breakdowns and lapses lead to fitful results and an explosion of pessimism within the fan-base.
Slowly but surely, the Thrashers started to show signs that things were finally starting to click. First was a dominant first period against the visiting Minnesota Wild and a surprising 5 to 1 win. Then there were close-calls in the form of hard-fought, resilient efforts, albeit losing efforts, against Pittsburgh and Washington. Then came the seminal moment of perhaps the entire rest of the season. The Thrashers flat gave up in the 2nd period against Florida on home ice. Despite a tongue lashing and a heated exchange amongst players during the intermission, the result couldn't be salvaged in the 3rd despite the 18 shots thrown at Tomas Vokoun. The boys went down swinging in a 2 to 1 loss, but then used that failed 2nd period as a heartfelt, motivational wake-up call. Since then, the Thrashers have gone on an absolute tear winning 6 straight, but doing so in eyebrow-raising, convincing fashion. Twenty-two goals scored to only five allowed. But it's more than just hot scoring and even hotter goaltending. The system started working on all cylinders and the Thrashers started using the system to work their opponents into stunned submission.
Over the recent winning stretch, the Thrashers have outshot their opponents by 25 shots on the SOG clock. Over the last ten games, they have 30 more SOG. The Corsi rating disparity has stopped growing and the Thrashers have actually attempted 12 more shots than their opponents over the last 10 games starting with Minnesota. Through their first 15 games (and 49 periods), the Thrashers only managed to outshoot their opponent by more than 3 shots in nine out of 49 frames! Their opponents registered more than a 3-SOG advantage in 23 of those 49 periods by comparison. Since then, the shot-counts have been a lot more even and, when adjusted for power play and short-handed time, the overall SOG margin is a plus-40 for the Thrashers in the last 10 games.
So while Ondrej Pavelec has been absolutely sensational during this stretch, the results on the ice are as much a product of the collective team defensive effort and a greater committment to the execution of the system on both ends of the ice. Your opponent can't score on you as easily if they don't have the puck in your end as much, and that is precisely why the Thrashers are winning. They are asserting early control of the game's tempo and imposing their will in the first period, often scoring the first goal and building on it. Their play at even strength has been nothing short of remarkable recently as they have scored 15 more ES goals (not counting empty netters) than their opponents. And it certainly helps that they have only given up an average of 31.6 SOG over this period compared to the 37.6 they were surrendering earlier in the season.
The recent turn-around really has been astounding, but can be traced back to a point before the captain's hat was awarded to Andrew Ladd. Yes, Ladd is 6 - 0 so far with the 'C' on his chest -- and Byfuglien's 'A' might as well be an 'S' -- but the changes started to take root before that decision by Ramsay. Even though they were blitzed for 5 goals by Ottawa, there were signs that things were starting to change. The boys put 37 evenly distributed shots on net in that game, but poor goaltending on their own end is what hurt them more than any semblance of poor effort. Of course, there are several more reasons for this sudden turn for the better, both tangible and intangible, but I'll let you provide those reasons in the comments section below. So assuming I haven't put you to sleep with my mind-numbing shower of statistics, go ahead and tell me why you think this team is, or isn't for real! But I'm warning you, "The Buffinator" might take issue with you should your offer your opinion in a less than flattering manner.
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