Thrashers Vs Capitals 12/08/2007 Review

Thrashers 3 - Capitals 6

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Now, that's how it's done. After playing a game the night before in a way that even Coach Bruce Boudreau said was "unforgivable", the Caps returned to the dominant style of play they started the season with. Somehow, in between Friday night's embarrassment & Saturday's game, Bruce was able to bring back their confidence. This was their third game this season against the Atlanta Thrashers, the same team they got their first win against in the season opener. Neither team's Head Coach was the same though. Both had been replaced after it became obvious they weren't able to properly motivate their teams anymore. As a matter of fact, it was after the Thrashers pummeled the Caps 5 - 1 in their last match, that former Caps' Head Coach Glen Hanlon was relieved of his duties.

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Nicklas Backstom took advantage of a bad pass by Niclas Havelid, scoring one on one against Kari Lehtonen for the games first tally at 8:12 in the first period. Exactly one minute later at 9:12, Jeff Schultz slapped the puck to the back of the net for the games second goal.

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Less than five minutes into the second period, Matt Pettinger banged home a rebound from an Alexander Ovechkin shot. Shortly after that, Atlanta's Todd White got his team on the scoreboard with a Power Play Goal. White had received the puck from a pass that went under the splitting Olie Kolzig. But, with 5:45 left in the period Ovechkin tipped in another, making it 4-1 Caps. Less than a minute later Tomas Fleischmann passed the puck from behind the net to Mike Green who's rocketing slapshot zipped past Lehtonen for the Capitals' fith goal. Donald Brashear had a few words with Atlanta's Steve McCarthy just before the end of the period. I don't think it was anything too serious. Probably just exchanging their favorite Holiday recipies, right?

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In the third, Green got his seventh goal of the season & also his second of the game with a short side wrister. White, later also got his second of the game off his own rebound making it 6 - 2 . Then, half way through the period, Bobby Holik got around Tom Poti & sent the puck five hole for the Thrashers' & the game's final tally.

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In this game, Kolzig's unbelievably excellent goaltending (again!) wasn't wasted, as the whole team showed up. The Capitals put in a great effort throughout sixty minutes & just plain dominated. Yeah, that is how it's done!