THRASHERS DONT FULLY SHOW UP, BUT STILL WIN 5-4 IN OT TO TAKE A 2-0 SERIES LEAD!!!
(AP - Florida)
6 games, 6 wins. That's all that matters to the Atlanta Thrashers. However, this was the first time in the playoffs that you can say the Thrashers were outplayed in a game. After winning games 6-4, 6-2, 7-1, 5-2, and 6-1 and outshooting their opponents in all those games, the Thrashers were outshot 35-24 and were trailing in a game for the 1st time these playoffs. But the Thrashers showed heart and overcame a 4-1 deficit to win their closest game of these playoffs on Tomas Holmstrom's overtime winner. The goal came less then a minute into overtime and gave the Thrashers a 5-4 win and a 2-0 series lead in the Gretzky Conference Semifinals.
"I wasn't doing much offensively this post season so it's very nice and gives me confidence that I got that goal. Our top 2 lines were carrying us offensively so it's huge that we contributed with that winning goal. " - Holmstrom
The Thrashers got off to a slow start in the 1st period as the Panthers came fully at them. Marek Zidlicky and Erik Cole had the home town Panthers up 2-0 within the 1st 5 minutes of the game. Darryl Sydor got the Thrashers within 1 in the second but then the Panthers opened up a 3 goal lead on goals by Ilya Kovalchuk and Glen Murray. The Thrashers who were fighting to get a positive before the end of the 2nd got that when Shawn Horcoff scored to cut the lead to 4-2 after 2.
"That was a huge goal for us. It gave us a chance to come back in the 3rd and that's what we did." - GM Sutaria
Come back is what Atlanta did. Scott Walker scored on a PP less then 8 minutes in to make it a 4-3 game. Then at 11:26 Steve Sullivan tied the game up before Holmstrom's heroics in overtime won the game.
"This is the first time in the playoffs that we got outplayed in a game. But the guys showed tremendous heart to come back and win. That's what good team's do. They win games that maybe they didn't deserve. Our 5 wins up to now we dominated the games, but this was a test as we won a game alot of people would say that we didn't deserve. It's nice to be up 2 games to 0. Now we have to go back to our home ice and take care of business there." - Thrashers GM Sutaria
Both teams finished 1 for 3 on the powerplay. Game 3 goes back to Atlanta on Saturday Afternoon.
Notes: Some major news was made right before the game as Panthers GM Dave Penney was let go by the organization. Penney led the Panthers to the Presidents Trophy and a 1st round win over the Lightining in round 1.
"That was huge news to me before the game. I don't know what to say other then that I wish him all the best in the future with everything. It kind of shocked me but their organization feels it is the best move for them at this time otherwise it wouldn't have been done." - Sutaria
Last edited by OILFAN #81; 04-19-2007 at 04:59 PM.
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