SLAM! Sports
SLAM! Hockey
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
COLUMNS
NHL
The Teams
Full Schedule
Monthly Schedule
Standings
Statistics
Rosters
Injury list
Movement
Trades
Hits Gallery
INTERACTIVE
JUNIOR
MORE HOCKEY
ALSO ON SLAM!
Maple Leafs 4, Thrashers 0
Leafs Thrash Atlanta
ATLANTA (AP) -- Darcy Tucker used some inside information to help the Toronto Maple Leafs to their fourth straight win.
Tucker had a goal and an assist Tuesday night to victimize Atlanta rookie goalie Scott Langkow in the Maple Leafs' 4-0 victory over the expansion Thrashers.
Following a faceoff, Igor Korolev made a sweeping pass to Tucker -- wide open in the center of the slot. The left wing, acquired from Tampa Bay on Feb. 9, ripped the puck under Langkow's leg to put Toronto up 1-0 with 1:42 left in the first period.
"I played against Langkow in juniors, so I knew a little bit about him," Tucker said. "I tried to put it about 15 inches off the ice, just below his glove and pad. Fortunately, it went in."
Tucker, who has eight points in seven games, has 17 goals.
"That was a good goal late in the first period," said Leafs backup goalie Glenn Healy. "That set the tone for the second period."
Atlanta, which lost for the 15th time in 16 games, managed only 14 shots. The Thrashers are 1-11-2 against Northeast Division teams.
Toronto got a second-period goal from Cory Cross and third-period scores from Nik Antropov and Steve Thomas as the Leafs maintained their four-point lead over Ottawa in the Northeast Division.
Toronto took a 2-0 lead 4:14 into the second after Cross' slap shot appeared to ricochet off the right skate of Atlanta defenseman Brett Clark. It was the first goal since Dec. 21 and third of the season for Cross, who played two years for Atlanta's defunct IHL team in 1993-95.
"My hand was shaking after that one," Cross said. "It was my first time back here in six years, when I was called up by Tampa Bay. I saw some old faces. Some fans were yelling at me. They remember my time here in Atlanta."
In making his first start in six games, Healy earned his first victory since beating the New York Rangers on Jan. 27. Healy improved to 6-7-0.
Healy faced only three shots in the third period in his second 4-0 win over the Thrashers. Atlanta managed only one shot, despite a 5-on-3 advantage, during a two-minute stretch early in the period.
"At the start of the year, if you told me I'd play the number of games I've played, I would have been happy, but that's not good enough anymore," said Langkow, who dropped to 3-10-0. "We've got to go out there, and I've got to start winning some games."
Antropov scored his eighth goal to make it 3-0 just 2:58 into the third. Thomas increased the lead to four at 8:02 with his 16th goal from five feet out after Jonas Hoglund made an uncontested pass from the left circle.
Summary
-----------------------------
Toronto 1 1 2--4
Atlanta 0 0 0--0
-----------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Toronto, Tucker 17 (Korolev), 18:18.
Penalties: Lambert, Atl (hooking), 14:05.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Toronto, Cross 3 (unassisted), 4:14.
Penalties: Galanov, Atl (holding), 1:30; Sundin, Tor (hooking), 10:27;
Kaberle, Tor (holding stick), 15:33.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Toronto, Antropov 8 (Tucker, Adams), 2:58.
4, Toronto, Thomas 16 (power play) (Hoglund, B Berard), 8:02. Penalties:
Cross, Tor (interference), 4:26; Markov, Tor (illegal stick), 4:26;
Lambert, Atl (holding), 7:45; Tamer, Atl (interference), 9:24; Ferraro,
Atl (Obstr tripping), 14:29; Cross, Tor (cross checking), 17:29; Lambert,
Atl (roughing), 17:29.
Shots on goal:
---------------------------------
Toronto 6 10 10--26
Atlanta 5 6 3--14
---------------------------------
Power-play Conversions: Tor - 1 of 5, Atl - 0 of 4. Goalies: Toronto,
Healy (14 shots, 14 saves; record: 6-7-0). Atlanta, Langkow (26, 22;
record: 3-10-0). A:17,106. Referees: Mcgeough, Roberts. Linesmen:
Driscoll, Racicot.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS
Toronto Atlanta
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
Adams 0 1 +1 2 Brunette 0 0 -1 2
Antropov 1 0 +2 2 Buchberger 0 0 -1 0
B Berard 0 1 even 1 Clark 0 0 -2 1
Cross 1 0 +2 1 Domenichelli 0 0 even 2
Di Yushkevich 0 0 even 1 Emerson 0 0 -1 1
Diduck 0 0 +1 1 Ferraro 0 0 -1 0
Domi 0 0 even 0 G Murphy 0 0 even 0
Hoglund 0 1 +1 3 Galanov 0 0 -2 1
Kaberle 0 0 even 0 Garpenlov 0 0 -1 2
Karpovtsev 0 0 +2 0 Johnson 0 0 -1 0
Korolev 0 1 +1 3 Lambert 0 0 -2 3
Markov 0 0 +1 1 Ndur 0 0 even 1
Mccauley 0 0 +1 0 Stapleton 0 0 even 1
Perreault 0 0 even 4 Stefan 0 0 -1 0
Sundin 0 0 +1 3 Svartvadet 0 0 even 0
Thomas 1 0 even 1 Tamer 0 0 even 0
Tucker 1 1 +2 2 Tremblay 0 0 -2 0
Valk 0 0 even 1 Vasiljevs 0 0 even 0
Khristich Groin Buzek Healthy
Clark Healthy Sylvester Back Injury
Mcallister Healthy Donovan Foot Injury
S Berezin Hamstring Karlsson Shoulder
E Ward Ankle Injury
 Bert's back on blades Blue Jays boot game Bombers drop Peterson Felicien rebuilds race | Visit our Polls Archive |