The Thrash Shoots for 5 in a Row Against the Bruins

The Thrashers are riding a 4 game win streak into tonights matchup against the Bruins at Philips Arena.Tonights game is against a Bruins team that has struggled to score goals as of late without key players like Marc Savard and Milan Lucic in the lineup.   As of this writing it appears Savard will not play and Lucic is a game time decision.  Lets hope he decides to stay out of the lineup for just one more game.

The Thrashers have been playing very good hockey as of late.  Starting with the comeback victory against the Blues, the teams has really come together over the past 2 weeks and is playing how I expected them to be at the start of the season.  The offense is flying around making plays and the defense is keeping most opponents shots to the outside.  This is a far cry from the constant odd-man rushes and breakaways of years past.  Most shots against now are of a much less dangerous variety.

Evander Kane and “Mad” Max Afinogenov have both been playing absolutely stellar in the past few games.  It looks like both guys are really starting to get comfortable with this team and its’ high octane style of play.  Max has great chemistry with Kovalchuk and Antropov on the ice.  I think those three will be together for quite a while.  Kane finally seems to be getting used to dealing with the bigger men in the NHL compared to in juniors.  He has to alter his power forward style just a little bit until he grows some more, but so far it is working well.

Pavel Kubina and Bryan Little will both be game time decisions tonight but are expected to be in the lineup tonight after skating this morning. Little has missed two games and Kubina missed the third period of one game and all of the next.  To think we are playing this well without those guys makes me even happier.

The game tonight looks like it is one that the boys in blue(wait……..maybe its red tonight?) should win.  The Bruins can’t find the back of the net very much lately and have to rely on Tim Thomas to try and steal games for them.  I expect Thomas to play very well, but if we can sneak 3 past him that should be enough for a victory on home ice.  Interesting note,  the Thrashers have only been held to 2 or less goals twice in the 17 games this season.  3 or 4 goals most games seems like it will be the norm.

This is another 3 games in 4 days weekend and I would love nothing more then to see the team continue its hot streak and take at least 2 of 3 this weekend.  There are some tough tests with the Pens on Saturday and a Lightning team on Sunday that has been playing much better.  The Lightning may have realized after the opening night loss that Nittymaki is the Thrashers kryptonite, so look for him in goal on Sunday.

I am going to write a few blogs over the next week focusing more on specific players or stats.  Leave any suggestions for topics in the comments or hit me up on twitter.

-Chris Telford

telfo1@gmail.com

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