On the road again
A little traveling music for the Thrashers … and me.
The Thrashers leave today for road games at Carolina and Florida, and so do I. Yes, that’s right. The plan is to cover the Thrashers on the road for the rest of the [relevant] season. So look for blogs while the team is on the road as well as game stories and notebooks.
The Thrashers play the next four games against teams that currently trail them in the standings. Carolina (35 points), Florida (46), Toronto (41) and Tampa Bay (46). Three are road games against Southeast Division teams.
OK, on to the practice report.
Just Kari Lehtonen was on the ice prior to practice for conditioning drills. He remained for practice.
Todd White, after missing Thursday’s game after injurying his right leg, is on the practice ice and looks fine. Coach John Anderson said after last night’s game he was held out for precautionary reasons.
Here are the line combinations (in no particular order):
Blue: Kovalchuk-Antropov-Thorburn
Orange: Kane-Slater-Little
Gray: Armstrong-Reasoner-Afingenov
Red: Kozlov-Peverley/White-Boulton
All eight defensemen on the ice.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
45 comments Add your comment
TableHockey
January 15th, 2010
11:24 am
Thanks for the update Chris. Did the team seem to be in good spirits? I was at the game last night and other than taking some bad penalties I thought they played a solid game.
Darren
January 15th, 2010
11:25 am
While it has resulted in a win and an OTL the past two games, I do hope they end the “playing Thorburn with Kovalchuk” experiment sooner rather than later. While it’s a good reminder that nobody’s role on the top line is secure, it’s not a recipe for long-term success.
GaVaHokie
January 15th, 2010
12:13 pm
Looking forward to your coverage Chris… thanks!
I’d like to hear some stories from guys getting ready for the Olympics sometime this month.
Jlew
January 15th, 2010
12:23 pm
Am I the only one that thought the game last night was really sloppy? Passes were poor, pucks rolled off sticks, players were falling for no reason. The powerplay looked uninspired at best most of the time.
I suppose defense was reasonably solid, and we did have decent zone presence against a very good defensive team, but I was disappointed with the overall level of urgency and crispness.
DB
January 15th, 2010
2:00 pm
Jlew, both teams had issues of sloppiness. The Philips ice looks horrible and has spots with visible repairs. It also looks dirty, like smog has settled on it.
Brendan
January 15th, 2010
2:46 pm
That’s awesome news, Chris. I love this decision by the AJC.
Lee
January 15th, 2010
3:16 pm
Great news chris
ChippersLoveChild
January 15th, 2010
3:43 pm
We have to stop mixing up the lines every other game… Slater and Thorburn belong nowhere near the top two lines. This is just ugly.
Perry L
January 15th, 2010
3:47 pm
I thought we generally outplayed them last night. Tight game. Myers, that defenseman for the Sabres looks outstanding. It’s the road, but all these teams are beatable. Go Thrash.
Sage of Bluesland
January 15th, 2010
5:45 pm
Penalties with less than 2 minutes left: GENIUS!!!
Chris Vivlamore
January 15th, 2010
5:59 pm
I arrive in North Carolina to find out that the Thrashers have cancel tomorrow’s morning skate. I will be a little later with the blog but I will try to get something when I get to the arena.
Sam
January 15th, 2010
9:49 pm
It will be great to get some “hometown” game coverage for these away games. Thanks, Chris. Better luck with the practice skate in Florida.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
12:09 am
ChippersLoveChild (CLC), I have to agree with you there. Someone once told me, “Brendan, you ‘tinker with lines’ in October and November. And if you must, in December. But if you haven’t figured out your roster, and how to use it, by New Year’s Day, you’re in trouble.” Your post made me think of that quote, CLC.
Bob
January 16th, 2010
8:51 am
great to hear you’re on the road with the club, good job, AJC!
Dwayne
January 16th, 2010
9:12 am
Tonight is Hockey Night in Savannah, a stellar line up has 2 teams from the hockey hot bed of Florida, thats right Florida, going at it at 5:30, Florida Gators vrs. The Florida State Seminoles. Bobby “dadgummit” Bowden is dropping the ceremonial puck. Then, 30 minutes after the completion of that match, Georgia takes on hated rival Georgia Tech. What is at stake???? The prestigeous “Thrashers Cup”. Who will get to hoist the most precious piece of metal in all of hockey?
Jimbo
January 16th, 2010
10:00 am
Key to a reulation win is to keep Schubert off the ice at the end of a close game. He is PP (penalty predictable). Give Bogosian a rest. He is either hurting or needs to screw his head back on- too many lazy and bonehead plays for a guy with his talent.
Barry
January 16th, 2010
12:30 pm
Peverley on a line with Kozlov and Boulton? I know Peverley has been struggling lately but that is just absurd. Now a Kozlov-White-Peverley might be a decent line and just scratch Boulton. I agree about Bogosian. He has been real inconsistent this year and has made some lazy plays or just plain stupid plays almost like he’s digressed from last season.
Smoothie
January 16th, 2010
12:39 pm
Why not move Bogo down to the third pairing with Valabik? And give him the opportunity to operate against weaker competition and work on his positional defense without having as much pressure. And who knows, he may just pot a goal or two playing against weaker players. Moving him to the 3rd pairing may get his attention and get him to re-focus. Then hang the carrot and tell him “if you play better and stop making careless mistakes or lazy plays, we’ll give you more PP time in lieu of Kovalchuk on the 2nd unit cuz our PP needs a spark.”
Tobes & Kubes
Hainsey & Salmsy (they weren’t too bad together last year)
Boris & Bogo
401roadkill
January 16th, 2010
1:12 pm
Anyone know tonight’s starting goalie?
Chris Vivlamore
January 16th, 2010
2:54 pm
GaVaHokie: I have something planned for Sunday, Feb. 7 – with pictures.
Russian
January 16th, 2010
3:20 pm
Chris any comments. Please
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Ek-Notes-CogsHabs-closer-J-Johnson-to-SensPens-JokinenRangers/1/25563
* There will be a MAJOR Kovalchuk update this evening.
Andre Arshavin
January 16th, 2010
5:13 pm
Russian,
the major update is that Kovalchuk sends everyone to xy* again
Russian
January 16th, 2010
5:48 pm
**to Arshavin**
LOL
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
5:57 pm
Is the “major” Kovalchuk announcement that his wife had the baby?
Roscoe P. Coltrane
January 16th, 2010
6:09 pm
“MAJOR” announcement from Eklol is that Kovy is safe and sound after the Haiti earthquake. E2
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
6:14 pm
Carolina has won four of their past six (4/6) games coming into tonight’s action. They are off their worst start in franchise history. And they are looking to get revenge for a 4-1 blown lead to Atlanta, in a 6-4 loss, in their previous meeting.
Here’s your game preview. http://ajc.stats.com/nhl/preview.asp?g=2010011607&home=7&vis=28
Chris Vivlamore
January 16th, 2010
6:30 pm
Pavelec gets the start in goal, his third straight. White, Popovic and Salmela are the scratches.
Chris Vivlamore
January 16th, 2010
7:14 pm
According to my sources, IF there is a ‘major’ Kovalchuk announcement tonight, it WON’T be contract related.
sisu
January 16th, 2010
8:37 pm
Chris, any reasoning why Salmela is sitting again? I thought he looked good when he was able to play some games in a row vs. play one sit 5?
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
8:41 pm
Here’s your boxscore, if you want to track the minutes played and +/- for tonight’s game.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
8:42 pm
http://www.nhl.com/ice/boxscore.htm?id=2009020715
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
9:00 pm
The Hurricanes are 7-0-3 this season when Jussi Jokinen lights the lamp. Jokinen hasn’t scored in nine career games against Atlanta.
Update: Jussi Jokinen has scored for Carolina tonight. And you know what that means.
That’s right. It means that the game is tied, 1-1, after one period of play.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
9:26 pm
Nice save by Pavelec on the penalty shot. Pavelec stopped Staal on the initial chance, then stoned him on the actual penalty shot. So, Eric Staal had two breakaways to get it done. Nice job by Pavelec, making his 3rd consecutive start.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
9:28 pm
Second half Slater go has given Atlanta a 2-1 lead. Bryan Little had an assist, I believe.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
9:35 pm
Rich Peverley has scored, from Boulton, to make it, 3-1. For the Thrashers.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
9:41 pm
They awarded an assist to Slave Kozlov on the Peverley goal. Peverley has two points, (1G, 1A) as Bogosian, (1G, 1A). Zach Bogosian is a +3, thus far, in this game.
It’s 3-1, Thrashers, at the break.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
10:31 pm
After a flurry of goals, it’s now, 4-3, Thrashrs. All three Hurricanes goals came on the PP. Not a great night for the PK. Carolina tied it up, 3-3, when Kovalchuk gave Atlanta back the lead. There’s 3:00 left in the 3rd period.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
10:40 pm
Antropov nets the insurance goal into the empty-net, on a nice play and pass by Kovalchuk. Thrashers win, 5-3.
Midfield
January 16th, 2010
10:49 pm
I have to say that the call on Valabik is right up there with the biggest horse waste piles I’ve ever seen in my life. If Waddell is good for nothing more, I’d raise some stink with the league on this one. Today – no comment on Hainsey’s play leading to the penalty shot.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
10:50 pm
Bogosian finished a +4. The following players were +2 for Atlanta: Hainsey, Littly, Kovalchuk, Enstrom and Antropov.
These Thrashers had two points, a goal and an assist: Nik Antropov, Jim Slater, Zach Bogosian, Kovalchuk and Peverley.
Brendan
January 16th, 2010
11:03 pm
Well, I’ve heard of Little Italy, but never Littly. Sorry about that one, in the above post.
stendec
January 17th, 2010
12:32 am
Nothing was finer than to be in Carolina tonight. For the Thrashers! ++STENDEC++ Congratulations on two points!
Hockey Biltong
January 17th, 2010
10:44 am
Hear hear!!
Brendan
January 17th, 2010
12:10 pm
Was tonight the “official” death of the Carolina Hurricanes?
OrdinarySomething
February 15th, 2010
2:48 pm
Pretty cool place you’ve got here. Thanx for it. I like such themes and everything that is connected to them. I definitely want to read a bit more soon.
Sincerely yours