Outside of losing to Canucks, ‘it was a wonderful game’ for Thrashers
I didn’t make it to last night’s game…instead I attended my son’s JROTC annual military ball. However, I have viewed the highlights and read some of the write-ups about it and from what I gather, it pretty much came down to Vancouver making the most of the chances afforded them and one Mr. Roberto Luongo.
Well, there’s a reason why the Canucks have the best record in the NHL I guess. Good teams find a way to work out Ws and make their goalie’s efforts stand up.
With the 3-1 win in Atlanta…their seventh consecutive on the road… Vancouver set an all-time franchise record with 24 wins away from home this season. Their 49-17-9 record for 107 also sets a new high for that organization.
Bryan Little streaks past Vancouver's Mason Raymond on his way to the Thrashers only goal Friday night. Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo stopped the other 30 shots he faced in the 3-1 win over Atlanta (Photo Michelle Rivers)
For the Thrashers, it was another game in which they played well but allowed things to slip away during a short window of time. Two second period goals by Vancouver was pretty much all the scoring needed by the visiting team. Mason Raymond started things off 5:08 into the period and Alexandre Bolduc doubled the lead 7:16 later …the first going five-hole on Chris Mason, the other zipping over his glove on a breakaway.
Bryan Little’s solo-effort tally was the only goal that beat Luongo, who saved the other 30 he faced.
Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay pointed to that small stretch of time as the deciding factor in the game. “Five minutes”, he lamented. “Five minutes where we tried to do a little too much and we got trapped. Against a good team you can’t get trapped where you are stuck on the ice.”
“Other than that it was a wonderful game.”
Ramsay’s had a lot of chances to make that kind of evaluation after games in the last two and a half months.
Moving forward, the Thrashers will go from facing the best the league has to offer to the last place in the east Ottawa Senators. The Sens will be in town for a Sunday afternoon matinee tomorrow and with a win, coupled with a Panthers loss to Pittsburgh, would actually climb out of the east’s basement.
Then the Thrashers will begin their 2011 Spring Spoiler Tour to close out the 2010-11 campaign. Tuesday night they’ll begin a five-game road trip that will take them to Montreal, Philadelphia, Boston, Nashville and New York to face the Rangers. All of those teams are currently jockeying for playoff positioning.
They’ll close out the season at home against the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Following their 4-3 win in Tampa last night, the Canes remain three points behind the Buffalo Sabres who hold the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Buffalo topped the Florida Panthers 4-2 Friday night.
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126 comments Add your comment
Big Chief
March 27th, 2011
12:10 pm
Me thinkum Cornbread and Ramsay smokum peasum pipe.
Wait few minutes.
Then thinkum everthing wonderful.
Um juicy fruit koolaid.
Brendan
March 27th, 2011
12:27 pm
I adore the title of this blog. I’ve been harping on ‘wonderful’ for quite some time now, with respect to Craig Ramsay’s choice of words.
Might I add, that per Ramsay, it’s been a ‘wonderful’ season. With ‘wonderful’ players. And ‘fantastic’ coaches.
ZAvalanche
March 27th, 2011
12:38 pm
I take back my thought about LA possibly making a run in the West – Kopitar is out for the season with a broken ankle. Sucks for LA, they have a pretty good team.
LAC
March 27th, 2011
1:20 pm
I find it a slap in the face of Atlanta, the the nhl has a question asking fans to vote on which NON playoffs team this season will make it NEXT season… Per usual… Atlanta is ommited, in favor of
Colorado,NYI,Columbus,St.Louis,Ottawa,Edmonton.
Just proves more and more, The nhl does not want Atlanta to suceed in ANY way,Period !
ZAvalanche
March 27th, 2011
1:24 pm
LAC – if Atl picks up a top, strong stay-at-home, D, I think they will make it. But your post is valid. If CO can stay healthy they will make it. I don’t think Edmonton will, nor Ottawa. The hard thing is that the strong teams this year will likely be strong next year, making it hard for the non-playoff teams of this year to get in.
Thrashers27
March 27th, 2011
5:03 pm
If young Mr. Bogosian can play a more consistent game next season, I am very happy with our D-corps. I really like the addition of Stuart.
Now if we can unload the other Stewart…come to think of it…he didn’t play today, did he? Well then…I hope we’ve seen the last of him in a Thrashers jersey. The hat trick was nice, but he hasn’t done much at all since then.
Hockey Biltong
March 27th, 2011
6:12 pm
Nice win boys…too bad it was not in regulation…
Cornbread
March 27th, 2011
6:17 pm
I really wonder if some of you detractors have ever played the game at length or still do. I kind of doubt it.
HZ PHI has been my team since the Broad Street Bullies days. When I was in first grade I wanted to play in the NHL for the Pens because I liked their uniforms. I know a thing or two about both of those teams and their style of play. I NEVER said the Thrashers were as good as PHI and PIT. I have always said both of them were elites and ATL is a very good young team. Go back and read what I wrote. If you can’t comprehend it sorry but if you really want to learn what all 3 teams do that is similar in their neutral zone play I’ll be glad to explain it to you.
You asked what makes this team better and I told you and all you can say is you are not convinced. What don’t you agree with? Prove to the rest of us what I noted that this team has been doing better in their play all season and will improve upon is not the case. As far as the players being second line, there is no way you can know that. Kane absolutely is going to be a stud. Even if it is true he’s a 2nd line wing, so what? Are 2nd line Malkin and 3rd line Staal not Stars or Super Stars. That you really think that 19 year old Kane and 20 year old Bogosian don’t have the game to become Super Stars in the NHL proves that you don’t know what you are watching. Did you even watch last years Stanley Cup playoffs? Big Buff was an MVP candidate, Stanley Cup Champion, knocked Pronger around, Norriss candidate, and All Star. In short he is a Super Star at 25 and in the next 5 years is only going to become a bigger one. The guy is changing the way the game is played.
Quit evaluating the game on goals and wins and losses alone. There is a lot more to it than that. And as the Thrashers stand now they play a very good team game and are only going to get better.
glovesave29
March 27th, 2011
6:48 pm
Well said Cornbread. It always irks me that each GA must be blamed on someone, instead of realizing these guys we are up against are some of the greatest athletes in the world…sometimes you can watch our D do everything right, and you STILL pick the puck outta the net. You just tip the cap to a nice play and go after them at the next puck drop.
While I am upbeat and positive about the direction of the team…I am getting tired of spending each spring watching 16 teams NOT named the Thrashers play for the cup. But I can’t blame the current regime for the mistakes of their predecessors. Next season is a critical one…time to put up or shut up and make a run into the playoffs. Let’s just hope we need not mention DW or the ASG in the present tense in 2011-2012.
Harry Zanus
March 27th, 2011
6:54 pm
Cornbread, I am very familiar with the game. I have played a little hockey, soccer is more of my sport, but my grandpa did play hockey.I have watched hockey since I was a little fella. This team is the same year after year. I dont have to make any points, the team makes my points for me.
If Buff is such a superstar, where has he been the 2nd half of season. As far as him being an mvp, I hope you are talking about playoff mvp not the season.
Bottom line is, we could go back and forth for the next ten years about this team. The team shows what it is
Brendan
March 27th, 2011
6:57 pm
That was a fun one to attend! Yeah, at 3-1, and 4-2, we should have closed out in overtime. I grant you all that. And yes, it’s ‘cheaper’ win … since it was obtained in the shootout, but c’mon dudes and dudettes, we’re not making the playoffs to make relevant the distinction between regulation time, overtime, and shootout wins. Hey, at 76-points, at least we equalez the 2008 and 2009 point totals. When this team was stuck on 60-points, for seemingly an eternity, 76-points looked out of reach. When you win at a .150 clip, it sort of is out of reach. But it’s been pretty decent over the last 10 or so games.
In our AJC.com contest, nobody picked 82-points, for a .500 season. And there were over 80 guesses. So, what that tells me is … we either thought this team would be better than .500 or below it. Anyone with 90 or fewer points is still alive in the contest.
World Be Free
March 27th, 2011
7:15 pm
That was horrible, 2 blow leads against a team with a bunch of AHL-ers. What a mess this has become, win or no win. A few more observations-
–Stapleton deserves a look next year, at least he tries every shift. Sedin made a rush through the neurtral zone on Friday that resulted in a penality shot. Stapes did the same, just a 2 minute penalty. TYhese refs are mostly bad these days.
–Coach Ramsay, thank you for sitting Stewart. I will drive him to the airport at the end of this season and present him with a one way ticket, to somewhere.
–I may have finally come to the end of the line with Bogosian. What the heck is he doing out there? Putting him and Hainsey on together will increase the sale of pacemakers in Atlanta.
When will we see Pavs again?
World Be Free
March 27th, 2011
7:16 pm
Sorry for the bad grammar in my previous post
Alan R.
March 27th, 2011
7:21 pm
This team is the same year after year. I dont have to make any points, the team makes my points for me.
Part of a debate is backing up your statements.
I have no dog in this fight, but I actually get tired of seeing someone say things, but not actually back them up. When pressed to do so, it’s “the team does it for me.”
Explain: What does the team actually do to back up what you’re saying? Can you explain it?
Gwinnett Fred
March 27th, 2011
7:45 pm
A fun game indeed, certainly not played by 2 teams acting like they were playing out the string.
If everybody on the team had Thorburn’s intensity and desire to make every shift mean something, we’d have a much better record.
Anyway, very enjoyable game – good crowd (over 16000) and a pleasure meeting you Bill!
Brendan
March 27th, 2011
7:48 pm
The replay of tonight’s win is at 11PM on SPSO.
Chippers Love Child, at 75-points, is still alive, provided the Thrashers get no more points the rest of the way. Up next is Badger Bob, at 77-points. Jethro and Nate are next, at 78-points. Zoomo, Curly, and Bob Friday are at 79-points. At 80-points, are Red Light, WBF, ex-STH, and J-Man.
At the top end, let’s revisit the eliminees, at 91 and 92-points. Those posters eliminated would be Mikey, Larry, Thrashy Thrashy, Paminsky, Alan R., Kracker, lee, Tom Lysiak, Jameson, and goose at 91-points. At 92-points are HockeyMom92, Zombie Steve, Putting On The Foil, GaVaHokie, Viking, Tony C., five_hole, Simon, Hockey Biltong, Rhythmpenguin and Glovesave29.
At 90-points, and still alive, are: Hokie P. Clisters, rightshot, Rob, Denny, and DWTOO. At 89-points are: Thrashers27, FIF, Puckhead, BaldheadedThrasherFan, and Hip Czech.
Hockey Biltong
March 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
Eliminated…harrumph. Too optimistic….Damn February….
This is NOT the team that fed Kovy the puck and sat and watched. This team plays a much more inclusive game in all lines. I definitely feel that there has been progress.Andersons’ game did not have the attention to detail that Rammers has. I do NOT agree with all of Rammers decisions on personnel and strategery, but this is better than Waddell or Anderson.
Baldheaded Thrasher Fan
March 27th, 2011
8:06 pm
Brendan, I think my 90 points predictions were just a little optimistic….just like I thought that there was no way anyone/group could be worse than AOL for an ownership.
Anyone see the no call on the hooking/tripping with avbout 30 seconds left in the 3rd?
Brendan
March 27th, 2011
8:16 pm
Gwinnett Fred, it was a great crowd. It was “kid’s day,” after all. And all kids had fun! Big ones and little ones. What a great time that was.
Folks, I’ve caught up on a few posts now. What have I always told you, hmmn? Suppose some poster calls you an ‘idiot?’ Whattaya do? Answer: You ignore them. You don’t lend credibility to the accusation by responding! You answer a social miscreant, they drag you into their gutter with them. People who come here to ‘firebomb’ the site have nothing to offer anyway. But if your response to them is to VEHEMENTLY defend yourself as not being an ‘idiot,’ you just encourage them further, and unwittingly lend some validity to the claim. You know better. Ya do.
Someone calls you a ‘lambchop’ … consider the source, let it go, and move on. There’s no need for you to boil into anti-mutton mode. If someone comes here with an opinion you disagree with … chalk it up to “you can’t get 10 people in a room and get them all to agree that water is wet.” People on this site … are going to get angry with the Thrashers, its management, and its ownership. That’s the effect of ten years out of eleven (10/11) … outside of the playoffs. For the love of Pete, let them do it. If they didn’t CARE about the Thrashers, they wouldn’t be here … and they wouldn’t get angry. After all, they’re probably some original Flyer, Bruin, Blackhawk, or Rangers fan … living in Atlanta. So the Thrashers failures don’t bother them nearly the way they do for natives and 2nd generation transplanted Yankees, who grew up here.
If someone is an idiot … let them be an idiot. And put them on full ignore mode. Now, let’s try to enjoy this road trip and the rest of the season. Looking fowrard to the finale versus Pittsburgh, another afternoon game.
World Be Free
March 27th, 2011
8:18 pm
Biltong-great seeing you Friday night.
Maybe Year Two with Ramsay and co will yield more discipline. But this current squad is 3 quality NHL players away of being there in the hunt at the end of the season. So to move forward, we have to spend money on players. Include in that some $$$ for a goal scorer. These guys are a bunch of gorillas, pipe fitters around the net. Should have made the deal for Versteeg, he would be the best scorer this team would have at this point. He can have Stewart’s right wing spot.
One more point-I noticed a couple bloggers were not impressed witb Vancouver Friday night-not sure which game you were watching. The first 7 minutes of the Canucks’ game may have been the best 7 minutes of hockey at Philips all season. They pass as well as any team in the league and use the wrist shot over the big windup. And, most of all the majority of the Vancouver team finishes their checks, some of the best hitting all season and no dirty hits. The Sedins don’t hit, but try taking the puck away from either twin the corners-can’t do it. Anyone who calls them the Sedin Sisters is just jealous because they are talented.
Don’t be surprised in Vancouver is hoisting metal around June 1.
Hockey Biltong
March 27th, 2011
8:24 pm
Hey WBF, how about a deal where we send Mason and one other for a good shooter???
And look for another back up goalie….
Brendan
March 27th, 2011
8:25 pm
Biltong, remember … the person or persons who win this contest … are just, plain “lucky.” It’s an 82 game season. What happens if half the team is wiped out by injury? Or we revert to pressing into service an AHL and an ECHL goalie in our system, because Pavelec and Mason are down for the year, in December? What if Ramsay had been fired in January? Shrugs. It’s impossible to know how things will unfold, with any kind of certainty.
Baldheaded ThrasherFan, I saw it! I saw it! Live in the flesh, I saw it! Way better than the Vancouver game on Friday, of which, the best part was all that Guinness beer I drank. Hey, Baldheaded ThrasherFan, you’re still alive. The Thrashers just have to win them all. To me, the real question is … can they get back to last year’s 83-points? That would be … a line of demarcation for success or failure … for some. Not all, just some.
AtlFlamesFan
March 27th, 2011
8:28 pm
@Baldy – There were about 16,000 people there that saw that obvious trip, but those refs decided to put there whistles away then.
I was thinking, if the refs did call the penalty, and we mantained possession, I think I would try to play keep-away and run out the clock. That way, you would have a full 2 minutes of 4-on-3 instead of splitting up some of the time at 5-on-4.
Any opinions?
Hockey Biltong
March 27th, 2011
8:36 pm
Ja Brendan , I savvy… just hoping for more of a breakout season!
The trip was replayed on the scoreboard, btw…
Baldheaded Thrasher Fan
March 27th, 2011
8:38 pm
AFF, I agree 4 on 3 in O/T is a killer..I hate to see a penality called in the last 2 minutes of regulation and/or OT unless it really has an effect on the game. Maybe the refs thought it was basically a no harm no foul call, but it was oh so obvious it was laughable.
Regardless, the Thrashers should not have allowed the game to be tied at that point in time.
Brendan
March 27th, 2011
8:42 pm
WBF, attended the Vancouver game. Like the start, but I felt the first 40 minutes lacked sustained intensity. I liked the 3rd period, and especially the Bryan Little and the frenzy that followed it. Until the empty-netter, it certainly was a contest … but I felt we kept on losing the “one-on-one” battles. When the game was on the line, we needed a faceoff win. Instead, the Canuckleheads won the draw and 1.5 seconds later, the puck was in our empty-net. Hey, that’s the way it goes. Now, certainly, I’ll listen to the argument that says, “Vancouver’s the best team in the NHL, and it came down to the final seconds before it was over.” ‘Cuz well, that’s true. We can chock that up to a ‘moral victory.’ But plenty on these boards don’t like ‘moral victories,’ they like ACTUAL ones. I enjoyed the 3rd period of the Canucks game. I felt that we got our chances. That’s Luongo, at the other end. Luongo is, arguably, the best goalie in the league.
This afteroon, we saw a goalie I wish was AVAILABLE in free agency, Craig Anderson. Nice pick up by the Sens. By the way, folks, I saw one (1) Ottawa Senators jersey all game long. This was a house of 16,000 Atlanta fans. Niiiiice.
LAC
March 27th, 2011
8:58 pm
About the only good thing about this game is we won. We have got to get a Real NHL goalie for next season. Neither one we have is more than a backup. Mason is Terrible !
I agree with WBF… bogosian has got to go. Did everyone see the second goal ? He had his stick over his head ??? He was coasting along with the other player. Disgusting and he is playing
all the minutes he does and the brass love him ? HE STINKS !!! Trade him please, Postma can do MUCH better than LAZY little zach bogosian, What in the world is his problem here ? Does he need a long time in the minors ? I thing he needs to be GONE before the puck drops next season, hope DUD dudley gets at least a fifth rounder for him ! How about it DUD ????
Lastly I really was kinda taken back by a comment by Dennis Potivn during the game.
He said when Ottawa needed help from the minors, They got it from Binghamton, and the kids there were playing the system. He said the SAME cannot be said about Atlanta, because the do NOT have their OWN Farm team ! We have go to end this Chicago mess and start an Atlanta farm team for Atlanta BY Atlanta. We have almost Nvere has any decent minor league callups !
But when you have an IDIOT like Dumb don waddell running things, what more should we expect.
Let’s just HOPE any new owner will establish an Atlanta AHL affilate and start producing players we can develop ourselves, not the mess we have with Chicago !
I still say bring back The Birmingham Bulls, would be a PERFECT location and remember The Flames had their top farm team there the last two seasons in Atlanta, so don’t say it won’t work !
Smoothie
March 27th, 2011
9:51 pm
Bogosian has a lot to learn. The potential is there but the consistent intensity is lacking. Guess it takes a special 19/20 y/o (Toews is called Capt Serious for a reason) to filter out the distractions on and off the ice. Zach should be paired with Mark Stuart from now on and told that he is to pattern his game after #5’s. Stu plays the game the way it was meant to be played: hard and intense. Zach, shadow Mark Stuart and do everything hh does.
Put Toby with Oduya on the 2nd pair and spread the minutes evenly across the 3 pairs. The last 7 games are learning opportunities against 7 good hockey teams. Go to work Rammer.
glovesave29
March 27th, 2011
10:23 pm
I was watching ZB today…specifically his footwork and positioning. The kid is a smooth skater…a really REALLY good one, and that’s a talent to build on. His positioning can be addressed, but the talents he posses are a gift. If he fails to meet his abilities here, it’s our fault (the organization…that is), not his.
LAC – BHM is perfect…for more reasons that what you stated. Sure, we’d put “our” system in place, but think of the fan base to build on too. Fans from Alabama would latch on to the team to see the guys from the Bulls make it into the NHL. The call ups can be here in 3 hours after zipping across I-20. Travel for the team would be expensive in the beginning, but I feel the AHL is poised to move south. Cities like BHM, NO, MEM, LVL can join the league in the coming years.
Go Thrashers! POM POM
oh well
March 27th, 2011
10:43 pm
I come to bury Thrasher goaltender Marshmallow Mason not praise him. I absolutely refuse to lavish any praise on the wanna be NHL netminder. Why? Given initial lead. Blew it quickly! Given late two goal lead. Blew it too! The loser did manage to secure a HOME shootout win over the bottom feeding Ottawa Sens who had absolutely nada to play for. Whoop de doo! If the untalented sieve would have not blown an early edge then a two goal third period cushion there would have been no need of a shootout. It would also have prevented yet another rival from gaining points at Philips Arena. A true home away from home for all other NHL teams! These uncaring prima donnas simply do not give two shakes of a monkey’s butt! Players went into tank several weeks ago. Playing out string. Know quitters will be glad when season ends. Hope next season these bums are skating in a new location. The farther north the better! Nauseating.
Midfield
March 27th, 2011
10:51 pm
That’s right, Brendan. One-on-one battles; a bit too soft near own goal, a fraction of a second too slow shooting the puck, an inch too far passing the puck, a notch too stiff receiving a pass. Little by little – and I don’t mean Bryan Little – this becomes a roster lacking skills to be a contender.
Brendan
March 27th, 2011
10:52 pm
Bogosian is a 2008 draft pick. He shouldn’t be playing top pairing minutes until 2012, at the earliest. He needs proper time to develop. But, these are the Atlanta Thrashers, where … draft picks are rushed into the lineups and sold to the people as ’saviors,’ in support of DW-led playoff bluster, smack dab in the middle of a ‘4-year building’ project, that the organization DENIED was ever taking place.
I don’t know what’s worse, the insincerity or the stupidity. There are times when you have to wonder … are the owners merely ’stupid’ instead of lying, manipulative, non-caring, disassociated … ‘how soon can I flip this team’ stewards of the franchise. I suppose … it’s quite calculated that an Entry Level contract, filled with millions of dollars in bonus clauses, while actually paying out a miniscule salary for these Top 10 overall picks, works for their purposes. To place Bogosian, Kane, and/or Burmistrov, immediately upon their drafting, on their Juniors team, doesn’t help them reach the floor of the cap. Disgusting. So, the results are … that these draft picks are PRESSED into the NHL ahead of schedule. Then, posters on a blog are infuriated that they’re NOT ‘NHL-ready’ or ‘NHL-capable.’
Well color me ‘non-shocked’ that Bogosian makes 20-year mistakes. That Burmistrov, an 18-year old, gets muscled off the puck, for a simply embarrassing goal last Fall. And that Kane isn’t a 30-goal scorer yet. These guys needed more time before entering the NHL. But the Thrashers organization pats themselves on the back, by pointing to the successes of these players … as big steps in the right direction.
Ya know … a Top 10 overall pick is BETTER VALUE for the money at age 21 or 22, then at 20 or 21. If you start them at age at 18, they hit RFA status at age 20 (18, 19, 20 = 3 years). Start them at 19, (19, 20, 21) they wind up hitting RFA status at age 21. Start them at age 20, (20, 21, 22) and they hit RFA status at age 22. Organizations can afford to wait and properly develop talent … if their previous 4-5 years of drafting have born fruit.
LAC
March 27th, 2011
10:58 pm
Right glove, Carolina moved their team to Charlotte starting this season, I believe their attandence is about 6-7,000 per game, not bad. Would also give Atlanta fans a chance to go over for a Friday/Saturday night game if Atlanta is on a long road trip. Would be fun. I remember going to Charlotte games after moving to Atlanta in 1969, My Dad and I had a great time, plus Charlotte had a strong team coached by Fred Creighton, later Falmes coach, was fun and Birmingham,
“The Magic City” is worthy of an AHL team.
oh well
March 27th, 2011
11:17 pm
No lead is safe with Marshmallow Mason between the pipes! Know my level of interest in Thrashers? Was surfing channels between Thrashers and NCAA ice hockey playoff showdown replay. Spent more time on college game. One I saw live so knew how it would end. Truly sad state of affairs. Uncaring teams going through motions have that effect on me. Sorry Cornbread. Oh well.
Brendan
March 27th, 2011
11:25 pm
Oh well, you’ve toned it down quite a bit lately, under this new handle. But you can’t use words like ‘Marshmallow Mason’ … ‘uncaring primadonnas,’ and pronouncing the team worthless, needing to be relocated … without paying Stendec a royalty; otherwise, it’s copyright infringement. Now go pay Stendec what you owe him, for ripping off his persona.
Midfield, this team is not playoff-worthy. We could surmize that from the opening night budget. Where I thought this team could be different from the previous ones … resided in Ramsay preaching defensive responsibility, that kind which made him a Selke Trophy winner. That knowledge was NOT imparted this season, for reasons that mystify me. And, also, I think this team had more depth than previous Thrashers teams. Trouble was … it only works when all four lines of depth are functioning. Look back to October and November, Atlanta would get contributions from Thorburn, Stewart, Boulton, Slater, Eager, Burmistrov, etc. When that dried up, so did the Thrashers ability to win games, relying too heavily on Byfuglien, Antropov, Kane, Peverley, and Bryan Little to keep the SS Thrashers afloat.
Depth strategies only work … when each line is just as likely to score as any other. With that kind of ‘balacing act,’ the team can and would win. It just wasn’t there … over the 4 lines … for enough games. Plus, as well all know by now, it’s a lot easier to defeat teams in October and November than it is in March and April. When the team went on a .350 clip, over 30 games, during a clutch portion of the season, the team’s deficiencies were exposed. I’m not saying that firing the Coach would have made us a playoff team. Truthfully, I still think we would have missed the playoffs … with Torchetti, or someone else, behind the bench. When a team begins the season with the additions of Freddy Modin and Nigel Dawes … you call it what it is: A bargain barrel roster. But a roster with potential, for sure. If Kane and Little were 30 goal scorers … if Sopel and Eager had been more ‘Blackhawk-like,’ … if Odontcha had been more like NJ’s Oduya … and if Nic Bergfors had managed to keep himself out of Craig Ramsay’s doghouse all year long … maybe we could have a reason to talk about playoffs. Rich certainly wasn’t “Peverywhere” this year. I wish him well in Boston, along with Boris Valabik. I do believe Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart will make our team better, down the road.
Plus, Midfield, this team was ‘unprepared to play’ for over 20 games this year. How are they supposed to overcome that? We can blame coaching, there. The Coach must have his players motivated to play. That’s not a GM function, unless the players the GM brought here had well-know, well-established character flaws. But Sean Avery isn’t here. Matt Cooke isn’t here. And Donald Brashear was bought-out without playing a game. But at least he served an important function, namely, to rid the franchise of Todd “Milk Carton” White. Allright, I’ll wrap it up here.
Smoothie
March 27th, 2011
11:31 pm
More excuses for Bogosian. Yeah he’s young but how many games in the NHL does it take to know you take the body and tie up the stick near your own net? Bogo inexplicably stopped after pinning Neil behind the net failing to move back in front of the net, meanwhile Neil waltzed right past him. Is that a mistake any player with 200 games under his belt should make? Just sayin’
Big Chief
March 28th, 2011
12:28 am
Me thinkum Cornbread has thinum skin for “Broad Street Bullies” fan.
You make’um excuses like Briere floppum, not like Broad Street Bullies fightum.
World Be Free
March 28th, 2011
7:02 am
Biltong, not sure who will take Mason. There’s about 10-15 “NHL” goalies like him so he has little or no market value especially at his age. Give it a shot, what the heck!
Brendan, I thought Vancouver put on a clinic in the 2nd period Friday night. Are they the best team? Don’t know but they sure are the most efficient team in the game today. They have a core of leaders and willing followers. Even Maxim Lapierre has finally shut his mouth and started playing hockey. Finally, they have TWO NHL goaltenders. Schnieder could start for half the teams in the league.
Bogosian-my issue with Zach uis that he is all over the place. A defenseman has an area that he is responsble for. Bogosian is constantly out of position, putting pressure on his mate and the rest of the team. Stay in your zone and play the man! He has NO ability in front of his net, as witnessed on the 2nd and 3rd goals yesterday. We are not asking for alotta offense out of Bogo, just learn to play defense like Sopel did when he was here. Bogo did not learn from Sopel who has made a fine NHL career with not much talent.
LAC-I am real happy the Senators picked up Denis Potvin to be their color man. Good call.
On the flip side, the Bruins need to get rid of Andy Brickley as their color commentator. This guy is the biggest crybaby since Fred Cusack, the legendary Bruins crybaby. Stop chirping about a penalty on the opposing team every time someone breathes on a Bruin.
World Be Free
March 28th, 2011
7:42 am
We can blame Mason for some of the goals, but we also have to wonder what our defense is thinking in our own zone. Watch Vancouver, all of their d-men take the body with Bieksa taking the man the hardest. Physical stuff, nothing dirty.
Opposing forwards can have breakfast in from of our net. Knock someone down, even if you take a penalty you send a message that the front of our net is a no fly zone for opposing forwards. That second Ottawa goal made me sick. Ottawa had no offense except down low below the goal line, where they man handled our defenseman.
AtlFlamesFan
March 28th, 2011
7:43 am
The 2nd goal was Enstrom’s fault, not Bogo’s. Toby let the Sen come from behind the goal between him and the post. That should never happen.
The 3rd goal was Hainsey’s fault, not Bogo’s. When someone skates right around your D partner leaving you with 2 on one in front of the net, you do the best you can, which Bogo did.
LAC
March 28th, 2011
7:59 am
WBF, I agree brinkley is AWFUL !!!! The Buffalo announcer is the NHL’s Worst, By Far.
Dan Kelly’s son in St.Louis is great and I have always enjoyed Sam Rosen.
Another that needs to depart is tripp tracey on Carolina telecasts, he is not good at all.
World Be Free
March 28th, 2011
8:00 am
AFF-fair enough, I just see Bogo looking more like a figure skater than a hockey player these days. I have kept my yap shut about him until today, but it looks like I have a number of people that feel the same way. I need to see some progress in his play; if not, we need to use his potential at the draft to get a scorer in here.
World Be Free
March 28th, 2011
8:06 am
LAC-I like Miller and Fox for the Kings as well. Any team that is objective about the game and honest about both teams is fine with me. Both the Buffalo announcers have been at it too long, Jeanneret has been on the Sabres’ annoucing staff since 1971. Ironically, Buffalo has a better color commentator in the studio, Mike Robitaille. Roby is an honest as the day is long, they need him do color commentary and retire Harry Neale.
Red Light
March 28th, 2011
8:12 am
Identity. What is it?
Since 1999-00 this team has yet to create one.
Pride. What is it?
Since 1999-00 this team has yet to demonstrate it. Too many players have pulled the sweater on without much in the way of meaning.
System. What is it?
Since 1999-00 this team has tried several to no avail. The one that resonated with the fans was the brief one during the Hartley era, 2005-06 and 2006-07, and not just because it resulted in a playoff appearance. They had become tougher to play against. Since, there has been none but I could see Ramsay’s system work with several new pieces of the puzzle.
Organizational depth. What is that?
Since 1999-00 this team has not developed the depth necessary to compete on a nightly basis with injuries, etc. Who can you call up from Chicago and be certain the kids will perform? Without the moves Dudley made to acquire players to insert in the every day lineup, think of where this season might have wound up. If Postma, Kulda and Machacek are indeed future NHL players, clearly none will be stars in the league, what are you left with outside of them? Not much. There are several guys playing in Europe and Juniors who will be signed and who will move up to the AHL during the next few seasons, but that depth might not be felt until 2 to 3 years down the road. To compete next year, Dudley again will have to dig deep and pull off a few trades to round out the roster, particularly if he is not “allowed” to spend $8 to $10 million more than he did this season.
This team is better off going into next year than it has been, but it still has a ways to go when you consider how many current players in the system will actually compete for a job. There is no better example of the depth problem than Stapleton. When he gets a job on the NHL squad at the age of 28, there is a major problem with the organization in terms of depth. Ditto Schremp. Ditto 3 of the 4 guys 20 years old and younger forced to play earlier than they were ready.
LAC
March 28th, 2011
8:36 am
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mike Murphy recorded his second shutout of the week as the Charlotte Checkers defeated the Connecticut Whale, 1-0, in front of a record crowd of 12,933 on Saturday evening.
Charlotte is drawing great guns in The Queen City in the AHL this season, not to mention the are third in their division with 91 points.
Just FYI, Birmingham could be that for the Thrashers I believe !!!!
Smoothie
March 28th, 2011
8:37 am
The third goal was neither D-man’s fault, but rather the forwards’ fault for even allowing such a transition play at the end of a PP. On the 2nd goal, Toby knew he couldn’t attack the puck handler aggressively since Zach vacated his spot to “handle” Neil. But Bogey lingered too long behind the net and worse yet, just stared at Neil as he swept in for the rebound. Toby did lose his stick briefly and was a tad late to the short side because of it. But Mason also needs to play tougher at the post which has been a problem all season.
Ray
March 28th, 2011
8:41 am
WBF, you must have missed several hits Bogo made, especially the one against the boards late in the 3rd. He’s 20, not 30 and his game has improved considerably since Ramsey put him in the press box. These are some of the same comments people made about Coburn, but he has turned into a solid D-man. I will agree with you 100% if we don’t see a significant improvement next year. The poor positions, etc. should be eliminated greatly by then.
AtlFlamesFan
March 28th, 2011
8:44 am
There is no doubt that Bogo has his faults. (I was furious at him the other night for shooting the puck into the approaching winger’s shin pads, leading to a breakaway goal. You learn at PeeWee that in that situation, you shoot the puck into the corner.). However, I believe that he receives a disproportionate amount of criticism.
Bogo is gifted and talented. He will become a star in this game.
Smoothie
March 28th, 2011
8:54 am
Coburn is highly overrated on this message board / blog.
Yes, Bogosian is young and prone to brain-freeze. Is he getting better? He’s shown some improvement but he’s now dragging down Enstrom’s +/- He was a -14 or so with Oduya and now he’s about a -10 playing w/ Hains and Enstrom. Its no coincidence that he is a -23 or so. And guess what? Oduya’s +/- has been relatively unchanged since Bogo was moved off his pairing. He better be a lot better next season if we don’t trade him for a young scorer like JvR this summer.
World Be Free
March 28th, 2011
8:56 am
Ray, AFF-there’s been no bigger supporter of Bogosian on this blog than me, insisting the any defenseman is better off staying in the mionors and getting some seasoning. I have resisted tossing this “kid” under the wheels for some time and still don’t feel that I am. But I need to some progress; he still seems lost all to often out there and that has to be remedied in some way by this coaching staff.
I had some of the same issues as a defenseman that Bogosian suffers from. It’s easy to get out of position and start chasing the puck, something Bogo has been guilty of all too often. He is too soft in front of the net and needs to drop the gloves more often. Hits are only effective if they take the opposing player out of the play. Sometimes an over zealous hit will actually take the defenseman out of position, opening the opportunity for an odd man opportunity the other way.
We never had enough time to breal down Coburn’s play before he was traded for a bag of turds.