Atlanta Thrashers defeat league leading Washington Capitals
The Atlanta Thrashers entered their game against the Washington Capitals on Friday with a three-game losing streak. For their part, the Capitals came into Atlanta’s Phillips Arena with
a record of 8-1-1 in their last ten games. The Thrashers dominated the game from start to finish, eventually beating the league-leading Capitals by a score of 5-0.
The Thrashers opened the scoring 2:42 seconds into the first period. Ben Eager scored the first goal of the game when he skated in front of the Capitals net after delivering a hit to
Tyler Sloan in the corner and tipped in a shot from Nik Antropov.
On Atlanta’s second goal, Eager put a shot on net from the face-off circle and Braden Holtby left the crease and dove at the puck. Holtby was unable to corral the loose puck and Antropov
swooped in and found the open net, scoring his fifth goal of the season.
The public address announcer was still reviewing the Antropov goal when the Thrashers struck again. Just 15 seconds after the second goal, Evander Kane shot the puck toward Holtby without
ever looking up. The puck found the back of the net, making the score 3-0 and chasing Holtby from the Capitals’ net.
Neuvirth was able to stand strong in the Washington net until the final minute of the second stanza. Atlanta’s Dustin Byfuglien took the puck near centre ice and threw it into the Capitals’
zone, he then gathered the puck from the boards and put a wrist shot past Neuvirth with 53 seconds remaining in the period. The goal put the Thrashers ahead by a score of 4-0 heading into the third and final period.
Atlanta saved the best for last, as Alexander Burmistrov scored a highlight reel worthy goal to make the score 5-0. Burmistrov took a pass from newly appointed Thrashers’ captain Andrew
Ladd as he crossed the Capitals blue line and turned Washington defenceman Jeff Schultz inside out with some nice puck handling. Burmistrov was then able to get Neuvirth out of position and backhanded the puck into the net for his third goal of the season.
Washington Capitals' coach Bruce Boudreau described the loss, which dropped the Capitals to 14-5-1 as, “Probably as bad a defeat I think I have had since I’ve been here. “
Atlanta goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who fainted on the ice in the Thrasher’s season opener against the Capitals, earned his third career shut-out with the victory. The Thrashers moved to
8-9-3 with the win. Pavelec had the following to say after the game, “It’s always nice to have a shutout, but most important are the two points against one of the best teams in the NHL.”
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