Like I said, it's hard to win when you have to play the Leafs and the refs.
That's the last you'll hear about that in this post.
Let's go with a good/bad format tonight, shall we?
Good
- Six goals on 27 shots. Two less than thirty seconds apart. I think this may have spooked the boys, because the second half of the first period, well, that goes in the "bad" section.
- Fredrik Modin with a multi-goal night against the team that drafted him. Nice work.
- Tobias Enstrom was the star tonight - 2G, 2A, +3, 6 blocked shots. Is Our Little Swede the most under-rated defenseman in the NHL?
- Ondrej Pavelec. Someone alert Webster, we're running out of superlatives.
- Speaking of blocked shots: 33 on the night. One of the things I've enjoyed most about this teams' transformation has been watching them become a hard-working fundamentally sound squad that will do things like sacrifice the body.
- So far in December 18 different Thrashers have scored 35 goals. This means there is always someone on the ice that is a threat to score goals. This team is on pace to have something like eight or nine 20 goal scorers. Insane.
- Back in first, baby.
Bad
- The second ten minutes of the game. And extended stretches of the third. You may be able to get away with some of that against the Leafs, but other teams won't be so forgiving. To my eyes, this is the last remaining issue with this years' Thrashers, and just about every stat-related issue in the bad column comes from this one hangup. If they can put up 60 minutes of work consistently, they could be dominating. These lean-back-and-sit-on-the-lead stretches don't do anything but wear out goalies. This team is young enough, they've proven they have the skills, now they just have to learn to hate losing rather than simply like winning.
- 1-4 on the penalty kill. Not acceptable. Doesn't matter how bad the... ok, i promised I wouldn't.
- Yea, so I lied. Just one quick thing: I don't consider myself an angry person, but the Dustin Byfuglien minor, the Enstrom double-major(!!)... frustrating.
- 40 shots allowed. Yep, we get it, you guys can still win, even when being outshot. Yer a buncha statistical anomalies, arentcha? Couple the 40 shots with the 33 blocks, and that's 73 chances at the net. Not even Colby Armstrong can miss that many times. Wait...
- 20 giveaways. I'd like to see the breakdown on that, because there were times when the Leafs had jump, and would press and attack like an actual NHL team. I think the turnovers came in bunches, but memory fails, because I was busy playing the...
- Attendance Woes Drinking Game! It's simple really: whenever an announcer for the other team mentions "Atlanta's Attendance Woes," drink! Drink twice when they mention disgruntled Winnipeg Jets or Quebec Nordiques fans. Instant blackout!
Well, looks like no Postgame with Rammer this evening. Just put on a bald cap and a sweet tie, grab a mini Dasani, and calmly recite thoughts on the value of hard work and the importance of a team ethic to yourself in the mirror. Make sure you mention that you don't look the standings. That's important.
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