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Thrashers 4, MAPLE LEAFS 1
Ex-Leaf Rhodes solid in the pipes
After losing 4-1 Saturday night to the expansion Atlanta Thrashers, last overall in the NHL, the Leafs looked like the only subject they could pass with flying colours was nap time.
The Thrashers, who snapped a 10-game losing streak, got the passing grade with some outstanding special teams play and solid goaltending by ex-Leaf Damian Rhodes, who gave himself a bright spot in a dismal, injury-plagued season.
The Leafs aren't happy, but they're not alone in their embarrassment. It's that time of year when the NHL's bottom feeders get their turn at the trough. The Leafs lost earlier this week to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Nashville Predators stole a point from the Colorado Avalanche and then beat the Phoenix Coyotes.
The lowly Tampa Bay Lightning cut a swath through the Eastern Conference this week (a tie against the New York Rangers and wins over Montreal and New Jersey). The meek might not be inheriting the Earth, but they are stealing some points.
"That's a typical situation," said Quinn, who wasn't excusing his team's lack of preparedness for Saturday night's game. "When you get teams that no longer have a chance and they're relieved of the pressure of performance, for some athletes that's terrific. When they're no longer expected to perform or win, that allows them to be better.
"We weren't ready to play what should have been a big game for us. I'm not sure of the reason why. As a coach you feel pretty inadequate when your team performs like that."
Instead of looking at catching the Devils, who have been spinning their wheels a bit lately, for first place in the Eastern Conference (a win Saturday night would have pulled Toronto to within a point), the Leafs must still be concerned with the Ottawa Senators. They went into Saturday night's game in Vancouver seven points behind the Leafs with a game in hand in the Northeast Division. The two teams meet Thursday in Ottawa.
"We looked at the standings before the game. We were three points behind (New Jersey) and still have one game left to play against them," said Leafs captain Mats Sundin. "We let a great chance slip away, there's no doubt about it.
"But we keep saying it all the time, if you don't play your best, it doesn't matter who you're playing. You're going to lose."
Trying to catch the Devils is an immediate goal.
Of more concern is the Leafs getting their game to where they want it to be for the playoffs.
To that end, the coaching staff has been conducting what amounts to Introductory Leafs Hockey 101 in practice for about 10 days now.
A team works on various aspects of its "system" on a daily basis according to need. The Leafs staff has been using video and on-ice instruction to try and make second nature the reactions necessary for them to be effective defensively.
"You want to see them make decisions just like that and not think about them," said Quinn. "When you have to think, the opportunity to do something passes you by. There are still situations that come up in ever game, loose pucks, 3-on-2's that you have to respond to. You can give them the mechanics of the game, but your system should only be a guideline. It you're too systematic, your players become robotic and don't respond well.
"The guidelines give them their responsibilities in certain situations. If the puck is turned over, you don't necessarily pursue it. They should think 'Where do I go?, go there and wait for it to come to me.'
"You prepare them for whatever can happen and then you still have to pray."
The Thrashers didn't need any divine intervention Saturday night.
They outworked the Leafs 5-on-5 and their special teams were outstanding. They outscored the Leafs 2-1 on the power play.
Having Hnat Domenichelli score his eighth goal of the season just 40 seconds into the game when he squeezed a screened shot under the arm of Leafs goaltender Curtis Joseph was a huge boost for the Thrashers.
They got a power-play goal from ex-Leaf YannickTremblay at 5:13 of the second to open up a 2-0 lead.
When Toronto's Igor Korolev beat Rhodes to the stick side at 9:25 of the second on the power play, the big question was how they would react.
You didn't have to wait long to find out.
Just 63 seconds later, Steve Guolla restored the Thrashers' two-goal lead when he saw his pass deflect in off Leafs defenceman Dmitry Yushkevich on the power play.
Donald Audette scored with just over three minutes to go on some good hustle in the Leafs zone by Guolla and Domenichelli to make it 4-1.
"There was a chance to close the gap and those missed opportunities you never get back," said Quinn. "It deepens how you feel and I'm feeling sour now."
HEAR AND THERE: Leafs defenceman Bryan Berard will undergo exploratory surgery on his injured right eye Tuesday in New York "to restore as much vision as possible," said the Leafs in a press release. He was examined by leading retinal surgeon Dr. Stanley Chang Friday. Berard is with his family in his native Rhode Island. "It was originally planned that he would come back to Toronto Monday, but that's been changed and we're supportive of that change," said Leafs coach and general manager Pat Quinn...Speaking of eye injuries, the stitches are dangerously close to his right eye, seven of them neatly lined up. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Igor Korolev took a high stick from Detroit's Chris Chelios the other night, yet another scary incident in a week of them. But despite the close call, Korolev reflects the attitude of many NHLers, an attitude people outside the game find hard to understand: he won't wear a visor. "It's just not comfortable. I can't see good enough," he said yesterday. "I'd only put one on if a doctor said I can't go without it." It's the professional athlete's mentality. Nothing can interfere with their edge, not even the threat of losing an eye. "It's like I told you you have to write with your left hand to do your job," he said. "Could you keep up?"...
Summary
-----------------------------
Atlanta 1 2 1--4
Toronto 0 1 0--1
-----------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Atlanta, Domenichelli 8 (Audette, Buzek),
0:40. Penalties: Lambert, Atl (tripping), 2:25; Toronto bench, served by
Domi (too many men on the ice), 3:22; Audette, Atl (hooking), 10:58;
Markov, Tor (hooking), 11:46; Kaberle, Atl (holding stick), 16:07;
Ferraro, Atl (interference), 18:53.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Atlanta, Tremblay 9 (power play) (Kaberle,
Brunette), 5:13. 3, Toronto, Korolev 19 (power play) (Sundin, Markov),
9:25. 4, Atlanta, Guolla 9 (power play) (Audette, Domenichelli), 10:28.
Penalties: Diduck, Tor (interference), 3:16; Adams, Tor (tripping), 4:25;
Tamer, Atl (holding), 8:15; Antropov, Tor (interference), 9:50; Sundin,
Tor (Obstr holding), 13:14; Galanov, Atl (cross checking), 17:59.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 5, Atlanta, Audette 13 (Guolla, Domenichelli),
16:49. Penalties: Tremblay, Atl (hooking), 2:06; Garpenlov, Atl
(interference), 5:38; Khristich, Tor (tripping), 12:41; Diduck, Tor (Obstr
holding), 18:21; Stapleton, Atl (roughing), 19:10; Tucker, Tor ( double
high sticking minor, misconduct), 19:10.
Shots on goal:
---------------------------------
Atlanta 11 9 12--32
Toronto 7 11 10--28
---------------------------------
Power-play Conversions: Atl - 2 of 9, Tor - 1 of 8. Goalies: Atlanta,
Rhodes (28 shots, 27 saves; record: 4-10-2). Toronto, Joseph (32, 28;
record: 32-17-7). A:19,309. Referee: B Mccreary. Linesmen: Scapinello, G
Devorski.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS
Atlanta Toronto
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
Audette 1 2 +2 5 Adams 0 0 even 0
Brunette 0 1 even 1 Antropov 0 0 even 0
Buzek 0 1 +1 1 Cross 0 0 even 1
Domenichelli 1 2 +2 4 Di Yushkevich 0 0 -2 1
Donovan 0 0 even 1 Diduck 0 0 even 0
Ferraro 0 0 even 1 Domi 0 0 even 0
Galanov 0 0 +1 1 Hoglund 0 0 -2 4
Garpenlov 0 0 even 1 Kaberle 0 0 -2 1
Guolla 1 1 +2 3 Khristich 0 0 even 2
Harlock 0 0 +1 0 Korolev 1 0 even 2
Johnson 0 0 even 0 Markov 0 1 even 2
Kaberle 0 1 even 4 Mcallister 0 0 even 1
Lambert 0 0 even 0 Perreault 0 0 even 2
Stapleton 0 0 even 3 S Berezin 0 0 even 4
Stefan 0 0 even 5 Sundin 0 1 -2 5
Sylvester 0 0 even 0 Thomas 0 0 -2 1
Tamer 0 0 even 0 Tucker 0 0 even 2
Tremblay 1 0 +1 2 Valk 0 0 even 0
Mcalpine Healthy K King Healthy
Karlsson Healthy Clark Healthy
Mccauley Healthy
Karpovtsev Unknown
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