Thrashers struck by Lightning

Another lopsided loss as goalie crisis continues

By JOHN MANASSO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 10/21/05

Even with a porous Thrashers goalie making his second NHL start, it's
hard to explain how 18 skaters could be so absent.

Michael Garnett was pulled less than 14 minutes into the game after he
allowed three goals in that span and was replaced by another rookie,
Adam Berkhoel, making his second NHL appearance ? focusing further
urgency on the team's goaltending woes ? as the Thrashers trailed 4-0
after 20 minutes.

With all of the big names and high-priced talent, this group of
Thrashers looks no different from its predecessors, both prone to long,
ugly losing streaks.

After Thursday's 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning
before 12,913 at Philips Arena, the Thrashers have lost four in a row by
the combined score of 22-2 and failed to score in three of their seven
games. They stand at 2-5 and are in danger of falling into the kind of
hole from which they could have difficulty getting themselves out.

Words like "embarrassing," "absolutely unacceptable," and "very
disappointing" came from captain Scott Mellanby and coach Bob Hartley,
as the Thrashers were outshot 36-15 and played so listless they only
mustered three power plays.

"I know we're much better than this, but it's four straight games we
have basically the same reasons, the same excuses and technically
there's no excuses," Hartley said. "We're just not there. It's a
mindset. Confidence, when things are not going in your way, there are so
many things around us right now that are much worse than a hockey game
that you have to be able to overcome this and we will."

Fredrik Modin scored two goals and Vincent Lecavalier had three assists
and a goal with 5 minutes, 31 seconds left in regulation, the game's
final tally. Three minutes later, Thrashers winger Eric Boulton
delivered an elbow to the head of Lightning defenseman Paul Ranger,
playing his third NHL game, and received a major penalty for elbowing
and a game misconduct.

Boulton set off a fracas last Friday against Toronto when he threw an
elbow and missed at the Maple Leafs' Eric Lindros. Hartley visited
Lightning coach John Tortorella after the game, but Tortorella remained
livid. Tortorella would not comment on the meeting, which occurred after
Hartley's press conference.

Asked how Ranger was doing, he replied, "I'm not sure, I'm not sure. . .
.. The [expletive] guy should be playing in the [expletive] East Coast
Hockey League. . . . Nobody wants him on the ice anyway."


Final 1 2 3 T
Tampa Bay 4 1 1 6
Atlanta 0 0 0 0


Scoring
Goals Team Time Scorer Assists Type

1st period Tampa Bay 01:25 Martin St. Louis (2) Vincent Lecavalier
Brad Richards Power play
03:37 () unassisted
Tampa Bay 04:18 Fredrik Modin (3) Vincent Lecavalier Even
Tampa Bay 11:34 Ruslan Fedotenko (2) Vaclav Prospal
Paul Ranger Even
Tampa Bay 13:42 Fredrik Modin (4) Dave Andreychuk
Brad Richards Power play

2nd period Tampa Bay 17:54 Vaclav Prospal (5) Pavel Kubina
Vincent Lecavalier Even

3rd period Tampa Bay 14:29 Vincent Lecavalier (5) unassisted Even

Goaltender change
Team Period Time In Out
ATL 1 11:34 Adam Berkhoel Michael Garnett

Penalties
Period Team Time Player Type Level

1st period ATL 1:13 Ronald Petrovicky hooking minor
ATL 12:16 Ilya Kovalchuk hooking minor
ATL 16:01 Serge Aubin holding minor
ATL 20:00 Marc Savard hooking minor

2nd period TB 10:11 Nick Tarnasky hooking minor
ATL 10:20 Scott Mellanby interference minor
ATL 10:35 Greg de Vries hooking minor
TB 17:08 Dan Boyle roughing minor
ATL 17:08 Garnet Exelby roughing minor
ATL 19:45 Jaroslav Modry hooking minor

3rd period TB 2:53 Rob DiMaio cross-checking minor
TB 3:52 Cory Sarich tripping minor
ATL 8:48 Garnet Exelby cross-checking minor
ATL 10:57 Peter Bondra hooking minor
ATL 17:29 Eric Boulton elbowing major, game misconduct

Shots on goal/Power play
Shots on goal 1 2 3 Total
Tampa Bay 11 16 10 37
Atlanta 3 5 7 15
Power play
Tampa Bay 2 for 10
Atlanta 0 for 3


Lineup
Goalies Player Game stats W-L-OL
Tampa Bay John Grahame 15 shots, 15 saves 3-2-1
Atlanta Adam Berkhoel 29 shots, 27 saves na
Atlanta Michael Garnett 7 shots, 4 saves 0-2-0
Officials
Referees: Mike Hasenfratz, Shane Heyer; Linesmen: Andy McElman, Mark
Pare