Thrashers seem to be learning what coach Ramsay is teaching
Last summer I asked the newly named head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers what he thought his main job was when it came to his new team. His response had little to do with on-ice strategies or evaluating player’s physical talents. Instead, he said his role here was to teach these players how to play the game and “Hopefully to make them the smartest team in hockey. And that’s what I consider my ‘job”.
“They’ll be better players, we’ll be a better team”, Ramsay went on to tell me. “And that’s what I think teaching is all about”.
He also explained that there would be a certain time needed to “un-teach” bad hockey practices that many on this team had slipped into over the past few years. And these Thrashers have proven to be quick learners…or should I say, quick “un-learners”…to his lessons as they have taken those lessons and have applied them to their work on the ice.
The results have been astonishing lately.
Rich Peverley celebrates one of his two goals against the Montral Canadiens Friday night with Andrew Ladd (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)
In the past eight nights, the Thrashers have gone up against division leaders Washington, Detroit and Montreal. Between the three of those teams, they had a combined record of 41-14-4 at the time they came into town to take on our boys in blue. The lone “gimme” on the slate was a New York Islanders team mired in a losing streak that had reached double digits.
But as it works out, the one “nail-biter” was the 2-1 overtime win against the Isles.
Not only that, but the Isles were able to score just as many goals in that one game as the three powerhouses did in their three games combined…one. That’s right, in 66 and a half minutes New York equaled the offensive production of the Caps, Wings and Habs during 180 minutes of play.
One lesson these Thrashers are having to learn is how to play with leads. Obviously, this is something they haven’t had too much opportunity to gain experience in over the past several seasons. But it’s coming pretty easy to them, it seems. They get an early lead, keep the pressure up and continue to play their game. During this current four game win streak, they have trailed for only 2:38 and have not relinquished a lead once they’ve taken it.
The latest victim to fall prey to these new and improved Thrashers was the Northeast Division leading Montreal Canadiens, who managed to get as many pucks past Ondrej Pavelec as the Southeast Division leading Capitals did last Friday…none, zero, zip, nada, nil, not-a-dad-gum-thing.
Pavs turned aside 25 shots to make the Habs the second team to join his personal “You’ll Get nothing and Like It” club this season. His record now improves to 5-4-2 with a 1.68 GAA and .946 SV%.
The Thrashers outshot Montreal 47-25…23-4 in the second period alone… and the 25 shots against were the fewest the defense has allowed this season.
On the other end of the ice, the Thrashers offense continues to get balanced scoring. Friday night it was Rich Peverley scoring twice as Toby Enstrom notched his third of the season. This comes after Wednesday night when Atlanta benefited from goals by Dustin Byfuglien, Anthony, Stewart, Bryan Little, Andrew Ladd and Chris Thorburn. Sunday it was Nik Antropov tying the game with Buff winning it in overtime. Last Friday they got five goals from five different skaters in the 5-0 pounding of the Caps…Antropov, Ben Eager, Evander Kane, Byfuglien and Alex Burmistrov.
Ondrej Pavelec has two shutouts in the last four games. He's now 5-4-2 with a 1.68 GAA and .946 SV% (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
“We are playing a full 60 minutes”, Peverley said after Friday night’s victory. “In the past we have had some lulls in the periods and I think we’ve done a good job of maintaining our consistency and focus”.
And while these Thrashers have outscored their opponents 15-2 in this current winning streak, have gotten great work in all three zones consistently, beaten some very good teams and have given Thrasherville possibly the best week of hockey ever…the big story here has been the play of the man between the pipes, Ondrej Pavelec. And the goalie’s play of late has given his skaters a great deal of confidence as well.
“I think it starts with Pavs. He has been playing awesome for us”, defenseman Zach Bogosian said. “It’s definitely comfortable for a guy like myself playing against some top lines and he’s behind you stopping a lot of pucks”.
Even if you go back to Atlanta’s last loss, Opie only allowed two goals on 34 Panthers shots. Since Mason got the hook in D.C. two weeks ago, Pavelec has stopped 161 of the 166 shots face during roughly 5 and 2/3 games. That’s an amazing .970 SV% during that span.
It’s kind of hard to lose when the other team can’t score on you. And opposing teams are finding it very, very difficult to score on this Thrashers team lately.
Whoa…I can’t believe I just typed that.
Of course, if coach Ramsay’s teaching of fundamentally sound hockey continues to be well received by this team and they continue to apply those lessons on the ice… just as they have lately…I may have to just learn to get used to typing that line more often.
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94 comments Add your comment
Kovy
November 27th, 2010
8:14 pm
I’m thinking of buying the Thrashers with all my extra cash – but not until I get my statue in front of Centennial Olympic Park. I just like being surrounded by rings. Makes me feel like I’m on the ice……
Hockey Biltong
November 27th, 2010
9:43 pm
Callamari Rings, no doubt!!!!
Brian. I’m ok with out of town investors.The team is anchored here and will be for abit longer, as has been explained ad nuaseum.If we can attract investors who will, in fact, invest in the team, you can bet more fans will attend and help insure a long tenure in Atlanta.
And David McDavid won a $200 something million settlement if I’m not mistaken….
Hockey Biltong
November 27th, 2010
9:44 pm
Kovy, no doubt you’ll be surrounded by your leather jacketed posse as well….
razorneck13
November 27th, 2010
10:02 pm
Ditto what Matt said about this being the most dominating period in Thrashers history (that I remember anyways). Duds & Rammer are keepers, they’re like MacGyver only way more boss.
Alan R.
November 27th, 2010
11:10 pm
Odd fact of the night: The Florida Panthers have the most anemic power play in the league. Five goals on 74 attempts, good for a 6.8% conversion rate. The next closest teams are the Devils (7/69 10.1%) and Blue Jackets (9/84 10.7%)
Tom Lysiak
November 27th, 2010
11:57 pm
There is no requirement for new ownership to be local. There is just a requirement for new owners. Bettman stepped in and secured new ownership for the Lightning. The agreement was contingent on the team remaining in Tampa. The league is still doing everything possible to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix. It will be no different here. Bettman does not want to lose a market this size, for the second time.
Flagstaff
November 28th, 2010
12:26 am
It’s too bad that Todd White isn’t a Bruin… if he was, he could be the Charmin ass-wiping bear! *rimshot*
Thrasher626
November 28th, 2010
3:48 am
Hey, for any and everyone who wants to know, I sat in during a pre-game interview with GM Dudley before the Caps game. He said that ALL rumors of selling/re-locating team are COMPLETLY FALSE. He said that the team will remain here in ATL for at least 5 more years, and I belive him. If you don’t that’s your problem. But please keep all these rumors away. I don’t like the idea of not having hockey in ATL.
Also, what everyone else said is true. The Thrashers are dominating right now, and are slating themselves as a legitimate team that will be in the post-season in April. That said, I don’t care if we are the 1 seed or the 8 seed. I just want playoff hockey back in ATL.
jimbo
November 28th, 2010
8:36 am
Anyone who has played or followed hockey for a long time knows the difference between a team that finishes checks, fights for pucks in the corner and backs one another up and one that goes through the motions. We’re doing it. Ramsey used to do it as the best defensive forward in the league. His pupils are obviously listening and applying the lessons. Fun to see a team playing every shift. Keep goin lads!
glovesave29
November 28th, 2010
9:24 am
Agree that Bettman will not allow team to leave such a large market. He stepped in and fought for Phoenix and Tampa. I am sure Atlanta will receive the same. He has the Minnesota ownership mess to deal with next.
I have friends within the organization. There are no potential buyers or talks at this time. Its all internet fodder.
Ready for a great sports day…Falcons take the Packers and then the Thrashers send the Bruins home disappointed.
Red Light
November 28th, 2010
10:31 am
Ominous note for today’s game: Claude Julien is 18-5-2 vs Atlanta during his career and is 11-1 since joining the Bruins. The B’s also are 8-2 on the road this season.
The Thrashers have out-shot 5 straight opponents, averaging 39 shots/game and allowing 30 shots/game. Is that some kind of record?
$1 hot dogs and Cokes from 3:30 to 4:30 pm at Philips today. Plan to arrive before the Pack-Falcons fans begin leaving the Dome at 4:30 or so to avoid nightmarish traffic.
Spud Webb
November 28th, 2010
11:13 am
Nice info RL.
True story…watching the frogs pummel the sabres last night. The girlfriend says “man that coach for the Red team looks like a cartoon…why are there so many french guys on that team?” My response, Boston and the frogs have a lot of g&y guys on their teams, (NO OFFENSE MEANT TO ANYONE!) thats why. She says “are you pulling my leg?” hahahahahhaa, i said NOPE. hahahhaha owooooooooooooo BOSTON SUCKS…lets go thrashers!!! Come on!
Rightshot
November 28th, 2010
4:44 pm
Links on todays game, anyone please.
iamtheratio
November 28th, 2010
4:51 pm
I think HockeyStreams.com has a free high quality stream of the game today. If not it’s only 6.99.. However create an account for free and go here:
http://www5.hockeystreams.com/live_streams/atlanta_thrashers_vs_boston_bruins_11-28-2010/455/silverlight
The quality is much much better than those other sites.
Thrashers27
November 28th, 2010
5:35 pm
At the 15:00 minute mark it’s 3-0 on goals from Kane, Buff and Slates! Woohoo! Love it!!!!
Tom
November 28th, 2010
5:58 pm
If you have a chance, check out the NESN broadcast between periods. Mike Milberry just lost it. He could not believe his beloved Bruin’s just got spanked in the first period like they did.
It took him a few minutes to come to the conclusion that the Thrasher’s are just outskating the Bruins.
I have to say this week has been amazing to watch as the boys have taken Rammer’s system and are running with it. The passing out of the zone while not perfect is light years from a month ago, the movement is faster than the competition, and the attitude of the players is electric.
Matt
November 28th, 2010
6:10 pm
HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Three goals in the first and Kane just hammers the Bruins player in a butt kicking. WHERE HAS THIS TEAM COME FROM?
Brendan
November 28th, 2010
6:27 pm
It’s 3-1 now, but still!! I think we have an alien sighting!! Maybe the aliens are colonizing? We did have a 5-game winning streak last year, and the year before, I believe. But I have forgotten when the all-time mark is. Is it, six?
Brendan
November 28th, 2010
6:28 pm
Pavelec is truly emerging as the #1 goalie.
Alan R.
November 28th, 2010
6:31 pm
We did have a 5-game winning streak last year, and the year before, I believe.
We got nowhere close to a five game streak last season. Six was the season before.
iamtheratio
November 28th, 2010
6:41 pm
We were very lucky in that 2nd period, we got out worked for the most part. Good PPG there at the end though! Hopefully, we come out swinging in the 3rd like we did in the 1st and the B’s will just give up. Kinda like Montreal did.
Brendan
November 28th, 2010
6:59 pm
Alan R., thank you for that clarification.
Thrashers27
November 28th, 2010
7:05 pm
Yep, the record is six games.
If memory serves it was a stretch where we were without the services of a certain Russian forward…what was his name???
Nonetheless, I’m pretty sure we didn’t really need him to hit the six game mark then either. Woohoo!
Thrashers27
November 28th, 2010
7:11 pm
…let me throw in a “knock on wood” in hopes that we actually will reach a the six game mark.
Zoomo
November 28th, 2010
7:34 pm
Well that was nice….Wonder what Roenicke thinks of Buff’s move to D now?
Matt
November 28th, 2010
7:38 pm
I am just in awe of the team’s play over the last week. It’s just unbelievable and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
A27
November 28th, 2010
7:42 pm
Awsome…just Awsome. That is all I have to say….GO THRASHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Flames
November 28th, 2010
8:15 pm
This is an awesome streak that the Thrashers are on. I just pray we play this well on the road! Go Thrashers. What was the attendance at the Bulb. I didn’t see it.
Alan R.
November 28th, 2010
8:20 pm
Wonder what Roenicke thinks of Buff’s move to D now?
He apologized for his comment at the end of October and said he was wrong.
Byfuglien, apparently, didn’t get the memo.
Good. I hope he doesn’t ever see it, and instead continues to put up some of these wicked numbers.
Alan R.
November 28th, 2010
8:22 pm
What was the attendance at the Bulb. I didn’t see it.
Attendance isn’t listed on ESPN yet, but if you listened to the NESN guys, they gave the impression that no one showed up.
Putting On The Foil
November 28th, 2010
8:31 pm
Kane finally goaded into a fight I heard. Anyone see it and what was the outcome?
Tom
November 28th, 2010
8:48 pm
Kane went to the penalty box smiling, the other guy went to the bench for repairs. Came out about 10-15 minutes later.
Bill The Cat was the reference that I had as his face was a wee bit swollen and his jersey was torn. It was funny when the ref following him out pulled on the torn jersey as he was leaving the rink.
Tom
November 28th, 2010
8:50 pm
Attendance: 12,085 (65.2% full)
Flames
November 28th, 2010
9:24 pm
Thanks Tom…
Hockey Biltong
November 28th, 2010
9:28 pm
Great game…1st period set the tone…Slater had the best goal…
Scary moment when Burmy was boarded in the 2nd period. I don’t think he returned..
Interesting watching Buff get chirpy with a Broon who had flattened Toby…and Arthropod got mad and was throwing his weight around a bit in the 2nd as well…nice to see his health progressions….
Alan R.
November 28th, 2010
9:32 pm
Scary moment when Burmy was boarded in the 2nd period. I don’t think he returned..
According to ESPN’s play by play, Burmistrov took a faceoff in the third, around the 3m mark, but I don’t see anything on him after that point.
Mr. Obvious
November 28th, 2010
9:42 pm
After Sunday’s game, it looks like Boston misses Coach Rammer….
..ALOT…..
Hockey Biltong
November 28th, 2010
9:59 pm
Tusen tak, Alan!!!
BTW BUFF has an on air phone interview on “On the fly”.
Wow we are getting some extra pub!!!
Hockey Biltong
November 28th, 2010
10:00 pm
Saw some Falcons fans in the bulb…
Brendan
November 28th, 2010
10:22 pm
The Boston announce crew was so pained to give any credit to the Thrashers. “Well, the Bruins just lost the whole game back in the first period.” Guys, they had 45 minutes to get those three (3) goals back. The bottom line is, they didn’t do it. A three goal lead, since the current CBA was ratified, isn’t all that hard to overcome. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it’s not insurmountable. Then, the Bruins announce tandem griped that the hit on Burmistrov was “clean,” and that Atlanta “lucked” its way into a shanked shot deflection goal, that broke their backs, to end the 2nd period. Then they claimed to basically have owned the 2nd period. Well, whooptido! In that period where they “owned” us, they managed but one (1) goal. It is what it is, Jack Edwards. Well, Jack Edwards did manage this compliment, “I’d say the decision to make Byfuglien a defenseman is, thus far, the coaching decision of the year.” No one put a gun to his head to make that declaration. But that’s about as far as the Bruin announce crew was willing to credit the Thrashers. They were far more willing to whine about their losing 3/4 or something like this.
I noticed something odd in the boxscore. Tuukka Rask is 1-6 on the season. I knew Tim Thomas had reclaimed the #1 starter’s role, but 1-6?? Tuukka had a tremendous season, last year. Just a tremendous season. I am surprised about his season, thus far. Someone is going to chime in to say, “Another team played their ‘back-up’ against us.” Be that as it may, the objective is to win games. And even if some of the teams, during the 5-game win streak, did start or ultimately replaced the starter with a back-up, those teams were still trying to win games against Atlanta. No team rolls into town thinking, “it’s okay to lose. Let’s put a half-hearted effort out there, then hit the strip clubs!” It doesn’t work that way.
It’s great to see this team coming together like they have. Three (3) games over .500, before December, is a nice mark. Let’s keep building on it. This stretch of season could have been disasterous for us. Instead, it’s been a 5-game winning streak. I hope those posters who came here to post that Craig Ramsay was NOT the best choice for Head Coach, claiming that he’d never really done anything to deserve to be a Head Coach, and whined about not instantly gettting John Torchetti named Head Coach, hours after the Blackhawks clinched the Cup, would come here to give some credit to Craig Ramsay. I remember posting that Craig Ramsay wasn’t anybody’s “sloppy seconds” … and we shouldn’t cry if John Torchetti isn’t named Head Coach, or if opts to go elsewhere, because Ramsay is still an excellent option. Good times, those discussions.
Rawhide
November 28th, 2010
10:25 pm
Thrashers continuing to do the little things in games which are leading to big wins.
Dwayne
November 28th, 2010
10:38 pm
i figured it would be torch because of the chicago connection. good day to be an Atlanta fan.
R. Stroz
November 30th, 2010
12:42 am
LAST!
Rawhide
December 2nd, 2010
12:20 pm
R. Stroz – HHHMMMMmmmmmm….nope.