fes – hat tip, I am embarrassed because I see that stat in our fantasy league all the time. How I picked up Kane’s stat ahead of that I have no idea.

http://thrashingbirds.blogspot.com/

Unlike our pal C-Viv, I’ve got a little more time to do a preview of tonite’s game…ENJOY!! I welcome your comments and you don’t need to register.

EoB – how did I forget Kane! I think potential “rookie of the year” as long as we make it out of the first round of playoffs. (Give us another prophecy, Smoothie!)

MB – I agree about both the anemic hitting and waiting for perfect shots. They really need to pick it up on both fronts.

Speaking of hitting, Allan Muir had some rather uncharitable comments about our old buddy Exelby in his Inside the NHL article from friday at sportsillustrated.cnn.com. This comment was harsh… “The gritty, if sparsely-talented Exelby has played in just 12 of the Maple Leafs’ first 23 games, and with only one fight and a -6 rating to his credit, he’s likely to become a near permanent resident of the Foster Hewitt Gondola at the Air Canada Centre when Mike Komisarek returns to the lineup next week.” ouch. I’m guessing they call their press box a “gondola”.

He does call Kubina the “steal of the year” and I won’t argue about that too much. Pevs was definitely the “steal of the year” last season in just about everyone’s book!

Alan R – glad you liked that “spay the kitties” comment…I may need to update my blog with a quick blurb and picture playing on that theme.

MB – here, here on Kovy not being 100% and actually playing worse because of the foot. I think you are absolutely spot on regarding the pain when he plants for shots. In fact, I think it is disrupting his timing and interfering with the synapses from his brain to his hands as he has been coughing up the puck a lot when he’s “dribbling” the puck or doing his dipsy-doo-trick-a-roos!!

Perhaps we can afford to bench him for a couple of games AFTER we win the next 4 in a row. Really, if we hope to be a truly elite team, and validate our Top 4 TSN power ranking, then we need to clean the ice with these next 4 opponents, um, I mean victims. Let’s go Thrashers!!

Thrashers are tied for 4th in faceoff % – surprising, eh?
Have the 2nd fewest missed shots (one more than NJ)
Are 2nd to last in hits (ahead of Buffalo, nearly doubled by league-leader Pittsburgh 384-752)
Are 2nd in takeaways – though we know this is a relatively subjective stat, still better to be on the good side
Middle of the pack in giveaways and 4th from the bottom in blocked shots

Fewest missed shots is indicative, in part at least, to my belief that we too often hold for the “perfect” shot instead of getting off shots when we have opportunities. Hard to argue with our league-leading goals for, but we have all seen instances when seemingly innocent shots turn into good chances and even goals.

Would definitely like to see improvements in hits and blocked shots…to me those go towards how tough a team is to play against and will show themselves as more of a weakness as the season progresses and play tightens. The games against Pittsburgh and Boston indicated to me that we’re vulnerable to getting thrown off our game against teams who play a more physical style of play.

Moving on, we have a great opportunity to move into December with a full head of steam with the next four games against Florida (x2), the Isles, and the Leafs. Make some hay ahead of tougher games throughout the month.

Hopefully we see a different Kovy than we did against the Flyers. The foot really seemed to be bothering him Saturday night. He only took two shots when he clearly was in position to take another half dozen, at least. Wondering if he’s having trouble planting with the foot. Hate to say it, but I’d rather see him take a game off rather than play at that much of a deficit.