Bs Manage to Not Completely Blow Lead, Win in SO

Three Stars:
1. Michael Ryder (2 goals, 0 assists)
2. Ilya Kovalchuk (1 goal, 2 assists)
3. Ondrej Pavelec (SV: 39, SV%: .929)


Final Score:
Atlanta Thrashers: 3
Boston Bruins: 4

Goalie Stats
Ondrej Pavelec: SV: 39 SV%: .929 GA: 3
Tuukka Rask: SV: 32 SV%: .914 GA: 3

Recap Notes:
-Despite the 3 goals, Rask had a great game.
-Bruins broke a 3 game losing streak, 2 of which occurred out of regulation.
-Lucic looked solid in his first game back.
-Atlanta has NO fans. Seriously, turn on a Thrashers home game and look at the stands, it's sad.
-Despite having 7 power plays, Boston held Atlanta to one PP goal.
-See what happens when you're smart about your shootout lineup Julien??

Preview: Bruins Travel to Lose in Atlanta

Boston Bruins Record: 8-8-4

Atlanta Thrashers Record: 10-6-1

Bruins Record vs. Thrashers Since 2005: 9-6-1

Bruins Likely Goalie: Tim Thomas

Thrashers Likely Goalie: Ondrej Pavelec

Bruins Top Scorer: Patrice Bergeron (6)

Thrashers Top Scorer: Ilya Kovalchuk (12)

Injury Report: There is a strong chance that Milan Lucic could be active to play tonight. Mark Savard is quoted saying that he will be benched tonight, but will probably return tomorrow against Buffalo.

Preview Notes: Please please please Bruins, get your defense back in gear or Kovalchuk is going to violate you. You were doing so well with it this season despite the horrible offensive slump, but lately, you got nothing! Also, lets talk about the 12.9 conversion percentage on the power play. Actually, lets not talk about that, it's depressing, not as a Bruins fan, but as a hockey fan. It could be worse for the Bruins though, they could be Toronto.

Defense Abandons Price, Canadiens Lose

Three Stars:
1. Rich Peverley (1 goal, 2 assists)
2. Bryan Little (1 goal, 1 assist)
3. Brian Gionta (2 goals)

Final Score:
Atlanta Thrashers: 5
Montreal Canadiens: 4

Goalie Stats
Ondrej Pavelec: SV: 34 SV%: .895 GA: 4
Carey Price: SV: 25 SV%: .833 GA: 5

Recap Notes:
- Thrashers first win in Montreal in 5 years
- Carey Price is by no means a Vezina candidate... but that D in front of him really let him down
- Brian Gionta and Bryan Little got into a first period scrum over how to properly spell their first names
- Both teams loved passing it to the wrong team
- Apparently passing in real life was even harder than passing in NHL10
- Montreal seems to have the inability to beat the average to very good teams
- Had a lot of trouble with a very average, Kovalchuk-less, Atlanta team
- Canadiens meet Bruins tomorrow........

Preview: Thrashers vs Senators

Ottawa Senators Record: 6-3-2 (2nd in the Northeast)

Atlanta Thrashers Record: 4-4-1 (3rd in the Southleast)

Senators Record vs. Thrashers Since 2005: 9-7-1-0

Senators Likely Goalie: Pascal LeClaire

Thrashers Likely Goalie: Ondrej Pavelec

Senators Top Scorer: Daniel Alfredsson (5 goals, 15 points)

Thrashers Top Scorer: Rich Peverley (5 goals, 11 points)

Injury Report: Jason Spezza is a game time decision for Ottawa. Anton Volchenkov is out (elbow). Ilya Kovalchuk is out for the Thrashers (broken foot). Boris Valabik (back) and Kari Lehtonen (ankle) are on the IR.

Preview Notes:
- Senators won first meeting this season, 4-2
- Sens looking to rebound from a Maple Leafs like effort against Tampa
- Not exactly a news flash, but Thrashers not doing so hot since Kovalchuk went down
- Spezza may not play... but has he really been playing all season?
- Ottawa could use the two points to keep pace with those pesky Sabres
- Is anyone in Atlanta even paying attention to this team now that Kovalchuk is out?
- Who will Chris Neil cheap shot tonight?
- The Thrashers' Kane has never punched a cab driver

Recap: Montreal Beats Thrashers In a Shootout...Umm..what?

Three Stars:
1. S. Gomez
2. O. Pavelec
3. B. Gionta


Final Score:
Montreal: 2
Atlanta: 1

Goalie Stats
J.Halak SV: 23 SV%: 95.652
O. Pavelec SV: 34 SV%: 97.143

Recap Notes: So...yeah. My foot is in my mouth as I am simultaneously eating my words, nice job Montreal, didn't think you had it in you. Brian Gionta opened things up late in the 1st with a goal on a Cammalleri assist. The score would remain 1-0 until the 3rd when Armstrong scored, making it a 1-1 game and ultimately sending it to a shootout where Gomez and Gionta scored, and Atlanta didn't.

Up next, Montreal hosts the winless Islanders on Thursday.

Montreal won the battle... but Colby Armstrong made Marc-Andre Bergeron forgot who he is:

Atlanta Kovalchuks Blow Past Sabres

Three Stars:
1. Ilya Kovalchuk
2. Johan Hedberg
3. Rich Peverley

Final Score:
Buffalo Sabres: 2
Atlanta Thrashers: 4

Goalie Stats
Patrick Lalime (L): SV: 23 SV%: .851 GA: 4
Johan Hedberg (W): SV: 40 SV%: .952 GA: 2

Recap Notes: Johan Hedberg made 40 saves en route to the Thrashers giving Buffalo their first regulation loss of the season. Hedberg has historically done well against the Sabres, and improved his record against them to 11-2-1.

Ilya Kovalchuk continued his torried start, scoring two goals just three minutes apart in the first to bring his season total to 7.

"You can't start a game like that," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "If you start a game like that you're asking for a loss. We didn't deserve to win."

Former Sabre Maxim Afinogenov scored for Thrashers as well.

"We have a good team," said Afinogenov, who signed with Atlanta after nine seasons with the Sabres. "Our goalies are playing unbelievable for us and that helps make our leads safe."

Preview: Thrashers Visit Sabres

Verses: Atlanta Thrashers

Buffalo Sabres Record: 4-0-1 (1st in the Northeast)

Atlanta Thrashers Record: 3-1-0 (2nd in the Southeast)

Sabres vs. Thrashers Record Since 2005: Buffalo leads 6-3-3-4

Sabres Likely Goalie: Patrick Lalime

Thrashers Likely Goalie: Johan Hedberg

Preview Notes: This is the first of four meetings between the two teams this season. Last year the Thrashers won all four of their meetings, however none of the games were decided in regulation (two went to overtime, two went to a shootout).

Ryan Miller will be on the bench tonight as Patrick Lalime gets the start in the second of back to back games for the Sabres.

Kovalchuk has 5 goals in his first 4 games, however the Sabres defense is allowing a league low 1.60 goals per game. Should be a great match up tonight.

The Thrashers enter the game healthy, while the Sabres will definitely be without Andrej Sekera (rib injury) and Thomas Vanek is a game time decision.

Preview: "Undefeated Thrashers" Visit Ottawa

The Ottawa Senators welcome the Atlanta Thrashers. If you listen to any hockey talk show or read anything from ESPN, you will see they are referred to as the "Undefeated" Atlanta Thrashers. The season is only two games old for the Thrashers boys.

Brian Elliot and his awesome Casey Jones mask will get the start for Ottawa tonight. Pascal Leclaire will take a seat despite allowing just 3 goals in his two starts this season.

Elliot will likely be tested early as Ilya Kovalchuk is a machine and has had two goals in each of the Thrashers first two games this season, finally topping the 300 goal mark. Kovalchuk is also a Senator killer with eleven goals and six assists in 13 road games against Ottawa (despite the impressive stats, the Atlanta Thrashers are only 5-8-0 in those 13 games).

A good match up to watch will be the Thrashers penalty kill vs the Senators power play. Atlanta has killed six of seven power plays thus far this season with rookie Evander Kane contributing effectively on the kill.

On the other side Ottawa has not scored in seven power play chances. Despite the power play woes the Senators have pull out two straight wins (against the lowly Islanders and Maple Leafs).

The Atlanta Thrashers will be without defenseman Boris Valabik (out 4-6 weeks after surgery) while the Ottawa Senators will be missing defenseman Filip Kuba and forwards Jesse Winchester and Ryan Shannon.

Spezza has started slow this year, but perhaps a match up against the Thrashers will help: