Bruins beat Thrashers ‘All over the ice’
Normally when I make my way back to the twin cities of Kennesaw/Acworth after a Thrashers game at Philips Arena, by the time I park the car in the garage and make my way upstairs to the office I already have something rolling around in my noggin about what to write about. A title…a cutting remark…a pseudo-humorous twist on what played out before us…something.
But tonight, all I really have had before sitting down to the computer was…”Well, that sucked”.
Eric Boulton battles the Shawn Thornton in Tuesday night's 4-0 loss to the Bruins (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
This Thrashers team had spent the past five games working their way back to the point they found themselves in…playing energetic and inspiring hockey…getting to within a point of the Bruins for the 8th spot in conference…and then played about as flat of a games as has been seen around here in quite some time in being blanked 4-0.
“We looked very nervous with the puck,” coach John Anderson said afterwards. “I would say in the two years I’ve been here, this is probably one of the most meaningful games we’ve played. We just weren’t doing things like we have been the last few games.”
They were beaten to loose pucks, out worked and out hustled for the better part of the evening. Boston, on the other hand, looked like a team that came in with a plan, put it to use on the ice and skated like a team desperately wanting to keep hold of there position in the standing.
As Johan Hedberg put it, “They beat us in every situation. They beat is in face offs, goaltending lose pucks. They beat us all over the ice”.
The Thrashers did get one good opportunity to turn their fortunes around, though. Late in the second period, trailing 2-0, Colby Armstrong was awarded a penalty shot after being fouled on a break away chance. However his shot upstairs was denied by the glove of Tuuka Rask…who stopped all 27 shots he faced for his second straight shutout of the Thrashers.
Last December 30 he and the Bruins also blanked Atlanta to the tune of 4-0.
Failing to get the score to within one going into the second break, just minutes later they allowed the Bruins to up their lead to three with just second remaining in the period. The Thrashers had iced the puck with under 10 second left…lost the face off…then the puck was deposited through Hedberg for a 3-0 Boston lead.
Game…set…match.
With the loss, Atlanta is left 3 points behind Boston and with one fewer game left on the schedule than have that Bs.
Well, At Least YOU Showed Up
I had the pleasure of sitting in section 120 with a “lurker” as well as regular contributor to this on-line forum “Bob” and a friend of his. Also, I enjoyed meeting so many of you who made their way out to Philips, regardless of the outcome.
Nice to see a lot of the fans show up for such a big game…I just wish the players in blue would have also shown up.
A Chat With The Kiss Cam Couple
Prior to the game I, as well as another regular poster on the blog, had the privilege of chatting with the Bennings…a.k.a. “The Kiss Cam Couple”. It was not the first time I got to talk to the charming couple, but it was for my friend who spoke with them in CNN Center.
I can tell you that the Bennings…who have been season ticket holders since the very beginning in ‘99… are flattered by the reaction they get when they are shown on the Kiss Cam. They are equally flattered in learning that so many of you have already sent in letters expressing your desire to see them honored with this year’s 7th fan award. Their ticket rep was present and confirmed they have received a number of nominations on their behalf.
T.J. … who grew up in the Atlanta area… reacted modestly at the concept of winning the award. But his wife Maria…who came here from Cuba after Castro took power…asked my buddy what would happen if they did indeed win.
They were told that they would be presented the award on the ice after the last game of the season, given the jersey of any player she wanted and would be the 7th Fan for a whole year.
She put her hand on her husband’s shoulder and said, “Oh, wouldn’t that be wonderful”.
I hope that my friend who spoke with them will chime in with “the rest of the story”…I’m sure you’d all love to hear it.
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113 comments Add your comment
Red Light
March 25th, 2010
11:45 am
BTW, that friend grew up in the house right behind the McDonald’s adjacent Wrigley and has 8 season tickets.
Baaadger Bob
March 25th, 2010
11:54 am
Very well said, Redlight!
In my view, I subsidize incompetence every day when I pay taxes. At least with the Thrashers I get something in return. I believe DW must be fired, Octocluster must sell to a local owner with a passion for hockey, and I’m not convinced JA is the right coach. However, I like to discuss more than just those three things. So here’s my “Mr Sunshine” thought of the day for the rest of you sheep/optimists like me:
Consider the four teams we are within a couple games of (or a couple bounces or bad calls). Three are storied franchises, including two Original Six and the most successful franchise in the history of the game. The fourth is located in the capital of the country that historically has provided 3/4 of all NHLers, in the province that has produced over 2,000 NHLers. We should be better at this point in our history, but we’re not in bad company!
WBF, will you be up in da Club tonight? I’d love to meet you. Sorry I’ll miss you, Redlight.
Smoothie
March 25th, 2010
12:06 pm
Baaaaadger Bob – so true, so true! And funny! I work for the govt and you are absolutely right!! So much incompetence, but yet people keep paying their taxes. I guess we are all blind, fanatical patriotic zealots who are just a glutton for punishment!! LOL Why not be a Thrashers’ STH too?? We are used to the pain and suffering!
Bob
March 25th, 2010
12:08 pm
Oh, I know the Cubbies, Red Light (as I suspect I know you as well, as you know me). But consider this. The reason why the Cubbies haven’t won in so many years? Where was the motivation for the Tribune company to put the best product on the field and spend like the Yanks when they have the seats filled every year with “sheep” lapping up their product?
See?
That’s why I, and all the rest of us that used to go to games, decided to vote with our wallets. It’s why I, and the vast majority of former season tix holders decided to hold the owners accountable. If you want to try to call out what a “real fan” is, that’s going to come right back at ya. To me, a real fan is one that wants to improve the club, and is using the only viable thing we have to do it, our displeasure voiced in words and with our wallets. If there’s one thing the Spirit is going to understand, it’s empty seats and a red bottom line. So if you’re continuing to subsidize their incompetence by buying their tix, then to me, you’re part of the problem.
Now, I have no problems with you exercising that right, but don’t call people out unless you want it right back at ya. fair enough?
Trixie (Rawhide's Secretary)
March 25th, 2010
12:12 pm
This is your official 10-minute Ranallo Alert. New blog post in 10 minutes.
Red Light
March 25th, 2010
12:19 pm
Absolutely that’s fair, Bob, but the “lapping up” has happened just in the past 20 to 25 years at Wrigley. I’ve researched it and before the Cubbies most recent playoff appearances, their attendance was brutal. It is nothing more than the place to be seen in Chicago for everyone but the true Cubs fans. I’d be happy to sit down with you and give you my take on it sometime.
The Cubs have employed 15 different managers since 1984, and have had 37 managers in 61 years since their last World Series appearance!
Badger Bob: I’ll be there, just didn’t need all four tonight.
Bob
March 25th, 2010
12:23 pm
by the way, this is the Cubs’ year. And the June Swoon comes once again, there’s always next year…
World Be Free
March 25th, 2010
12:25 pm
Bob-may I add that Chicago is a great sports town.
World Be Free
March 25th, 2010
12:26 pm
Badger, sorry dude, but I will not be there tonight. But I will be there Monday, hope to meet you then.
Sage of Bluesland
March 25th, 2010
1:17 pm
The analogy for paying taxes and equating it to being a ’sheep’ (a patriotic one, at that) is ridiculous. First off, it’s the LAW to file and pay your taxes. Oh, and weirdly enough, we do get something for paying our taxes (a ’stable’ country; a militarily ’secure’ country, which I completely support). That’s typical Don Waddell-type “logic” if I’ve ever seen it.
I’m sure Donny would love to make it a law to fill up the arena to witness his pathetic product–but thank goodness there are still some ‘freedoms’ left in this country, however small they may be.
Nice post, Red-Light…I can’t say I disagree with a bit of it. I just want change–of any kind–in Thrashersland. If you want to ’shut me up’ for awhile, then hire a new GM. I’m on board until it’s proven that he/she is an incompetent buffoon.
For Waddell, that took me until 2002 to realize all was not as well as advertised in Thrashersland…and it’s been mostly uphill trying to convince others in that long duration since. It’s funny, though, where once I was a voice in the wilderness, there is now a virtual ‘chorus’ repeating what I said YEARS ago…
Funny, isn’t it? I’d say it’s fairly “Sage”-like…Wouldn’t you agree? (I know it must hurt to read that)
Red Light
March 25th, 2010
1:56 pm
It took me less time than that Sage. When he didn’t re-up with Andrew Brunette, after he scored 38 goals and added 71 assists in 158 games as a Thrasher, that clinched it for me.
Sage's mom
March 25th, 2010
3:06 pm
What really hurts it to have to hear you say the very same thing for the past 8 years without a fresh thought. Oh, and you really ought to cut out all the condescention, young man!
Bob
March 25th, 2010
4:28 pm
See Ma, what you have to understand is that Sage, myself, and thousands of other former season tix holders all have come to the conclusion that we’re all pissin in the wind until Waddell is gone. With him in place, it’s just the same old thing year after year . . . the names on the back of the sweater change, but the results don’t differ (golfing in April every year while 1/2 of the rest of the league is embarking upon the real season).