Atlanta Thrashed In A Statement Game (6-2)

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Mar 17, 10:36 PM | Hype this story!
Atlanta Thrashers
1 2 3 OT SO Tot.
1 1 0 - - 2
 
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tot. 1 2 3 OT SO
6 2 3 1 - -

 
Summary
"Get the dog off my lawn!"

Game notes…
  • Evgeni Malkin had five points, but could have had seven or more.
  • Sergei Gonchar flew a bit under the radar with a four-point night, giving him 15 points in 15 games this season.
  • Boris Valabik got what he had coming when he left in the third period with what appeared to be a shoulder injury suffered in his fight with Eric Godard.
  • The reconfigured power play netted three goals on seven opportunities.  Not bad.
  • The penalty kill, meanwhile, killed off all seven penalties.  Also not bad.

Games to watch, and who the Penguins need(ed) to win…

  • NY Rangers 4, Montreal 3 (OT)
  • Ottawa 4, Buffalo 2
  • Detroit 3, Philadelphia 2
  • Washington 3, Florida 0

So all four teams the Penguins "needed" to win won, though the most important of the games, which featured the two teams closest to the Penguins in the standings, went to overtime, thus issuing three points rather than the standard two.
 
Three Stars
# Player Team Pos. Stats
1 Evgeni Malkin Pit C 2 goals, 3 assists
2 Sergei Gonchar Pit D 1 goal, 3 assists
3 Sidney Crosby Pit C 2 assists
 
Stat Line
  Shots Faceoffs Power Plays
  1 2 3 OT Total Won Lost Convert Total
Penguins 14 14 3 - 31 28 28 3 7
Thrashers 10 4 6 - 20 28 28 0 7
 
Scoring Summary
Per. Time Team Goal Assist 1 Assist 2
1 0:34
9:03
19:34		 Atl
Pit
Pit		 Little, 30
Gonchar, 6 (PP)
Kunitz, 22 (PP)		 White
Guerin
Crosby		 Koslov
Malkin
Malkin
2 2:47
12:25
13:08
13:53		 Pit
Pit
Pit
Atl		 Staal, 20
Malkin, 31
Malkin, 32 (PP)
Boulton, 3		 Kennedy
Gonchar
Gonchar
Throburn		 Letang
Letang
Crosby
Perrin
3 7:47 Pit Eaton, 3 Gonchar Malkin
OT -        
SO -        
 
Penalty Summary
Per. Time Team Player Penalty
1 7:02
7:45
10:02
13:00
15:59
19:13		 Atl
Atl
Pit
Pit
Atl
Atl		 Valabik
Stuart
Cooke
Guerin
Valabik
Sterling		 Tripping – 2:00
Tripping – 2:00
Interference – 2:00
Roughing – 2:00
Cross checking – 2:00
Tripping – 2:00
2 3:25
10:31
12:20		 Pit
Pit
Atl		 Kennedy
Cooke
Peverly		 Holding – 2:00
Tripping – 2:00
Tripping – 2:00
3 5:37
8:30
15:44
15:44
15:44
15:44
15:44
15:44
15:44
16:03
16:56
19:44		 Pit
Pit
Atl
Atl
Atl
Pit
Pit
Pit
Atl
Atl
Pit
Atl		 Eaton
Eaton
Thorburn
Boulton
Boulton
Godard
Talbot
Talbot
Valabik
Exelby
Crosby
Peverly		 Roughing – 2:00
Hooking – 2:00
Misconduct – 10:00
Roughing – 2:00
Misconduct – 10:00
Fighting – 5:00
Roughing – 2:00
Misconduct – 10:00
Fighting – 5:00
Roughing – 2:00
Roughing – 2:00
Tripping – 2:00
OT -      

Comments

  1. bag o' pucks

    Mar 17, 10:50 PM

    During that scrum that resulted in Godard & Valabik dropping the gloves, what was Boulton doing? He had a chance to go with Godard, then weaseled out of that just to move over and pop Talbot in the face. What a bum.

    Sure would have been nice for Geno to score on that penalty shot. MVP.

  2. Jim

    Mar 17, 10:52 PM

    It’s “Kozlov” not “Koslov”. and great game boys.

  3. Matt Bodenschatz

    Mar 17, 10:59 PM

    @Bag, no clue. I love how Godard stays so calm, even though you know he’s ticking like a bomb inside.

    @Jim, typo.

  4. LGP8771

    Mar 18, 01:37 AM

    I like the summary but honestly I would not say this was a statement game at all. The Thrashers not only played yesterday on the road while the Pens were rested and waiting for them, but also were missing Kovalchuk and started Hedberg instead of Lehtonen.

    So while the Pens did play great, I think they need to beat a team like New Jersey next Monday. That’s definitely an opportunity for a real statement to be made and I can’t wait for that one.

  5. DaBich

    Mar 18, 05:40 AM

    Darn, I missed the fight! Fell asleep…drove all day yesterday and that kills me…

  6. LGP8771

    Mar 18, 06:04 AM

    Ooh Pens don’t play the Devils next Monday, I don’t know where I got that from…

  7. bag o' pucks

    Mar 18, 10:09 AM

    @LGP8771, that is true, that Atlanta was playing a back-to-back with travel. But the Pens were playing their fourth game in six days. No easy feat, either. I wouldn’t have been too surprised if they had been a bit sluggish due to that, but the Pens were in high gear last night. Great to watch.

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