Haydar didn't factor in the scoresheet but who can blame him as he was on a line with Darcy Tucker. Atlanta started the scoring in the 1st period as newcomer Niclas Bergfors who used his speed to move into the Avs zone and fire a shot past Anderson. Bergfors was one of the players involved in the deal that sent superstar Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils.
Just 46 seconds after Bergfors scored, the Avs answered. They skated into the zone and Paul Stastny gave a cross ice pass to Brett Clark who looked like he was trying to make another pass but instead the puck ended up in the back of the net. That shot knotted the game up at 1 a piece.
In the 2nd period, the Avs looked like they didn't want to be part of the game. The Thrashers tilted the ice and made everything difficult for the Avs. Bryan Little took advantage of a poorly played puck by Craig Anderson and fired a puck right between Andy's legs. It was almost 3-1 with just over 2 minutes left in the 2nd as Atlanta thought they poked the puck past Anderson but replay confirmed that Adam Foote cleared the puck out before the puck crossed the line.
Whatever Sacco told the team during the intermission must not have gotten through to them as they started the 3rd period with as little fire as they had in the 2nd. Then, something turned on and the top line of Stewart, Stastny and Galiardi had a great shift that was capped off with a goal by Stewart with just over 11 minutes left. This goal would give the Avs life. They carried the play the rest of the game. In another hard working shift later in the period by Cody McLeod and Chris Durno, they held the puck in the zone and wore down the Thrashers. A shot from the point was kicked wide by Johan Hedberg and Durno dove to bat the puck into the open net to tie it up.
It would remain tied at the end of regulation so the Avs would receive a point for going to OT. That point would be enough to move them past Vancouver into 1st in the Northwest. But why settle with just 1 point when there's a 2nd to be had? Kyle Cumiskey answered that just 9 seconds into the extra frame. He carried the puck into the zone and wiggled through 4 Atlanta players and made pretty move past Hedberg to give the Avs the win. It was a perfect end to a game which the Avs had no business winning and should be all over the highlights tonight.
The 2nd period was one that the Avs really cannot afford to have against teams that are more skilled than the Thrashers. If this was a team like Chicago or San Jose, it would've been 5 or 6 to 1 after that period. The other thing that really needs fixing (and has all season) is the power play. They went 0-for again this time 0-5. There is simply too much passing going on between the guys on the PP. Someone has to just shoot the puck. It's the only way the PP will be effective.
Interesting stat of the night:
Niclas Bergfors recorded his 2nd goal since coming over to Atlanta from New Jersey. Kovalchuk has yet to record one in NJ.
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