So Far, So Good On West Coast
Preparation has been the key to the Thrashers Great Goal Rush of ?09
The Atlanta Thrashers scored 15 goals in the first two games of their four-game West Coast road trip. It took them nearly nine full games to score that many goals prior to hitting the road. As impressive is that the bonanza came against the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks, the fifth- and ninth-stingiest teams in the Western Conference.
Looks like they adapted just fine to the West Coast.
So what’s the deal with the left coast lamp lighting? After all, it’s tough enough for fans to adjust to the three-hour time differential in just staying up for the 10:30 start. Imagine how the players feel doing that after traveling.
Perhaps, the key to the Thrashers’ success out West was something they packed before they left Atlanta — the proper attitude.
“Just know you’re going out there to play some great hockey,” said right wing Chris Thorburn. “Obviously you’re playing against the Western Conference and they’re a pretty strong conference. We’ve got to be prepared, rested and try to come back with a few wins.”
“We’re there for business. We’re there to win games,” added center Eric Perrin. “That’s the main thing and you go from there.”
The Thrashers, who next take the ice Thursday at Jobing.com Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, are two-for-two, outscoring their opponents 6-3 in the first period, yet another statistical anomaly for the team, which had been outscored 66-46 in the first 20 minutes heading into the trip. Interestingly, they’ve had this first-period epiphany on rinks that are unfamiliar to most of the team. Atlanta hadn’t played in Anaheim, Phoenix and San Jose since December 3-6 of 2005, and hadn’t been in Los Angeles since January 19, 2006. Of course not remembering that last visit isn’t so bad, as the Thrashers lost all four games and were outscored 20-12.
Defenseman Garnet Exelby, who was in his second full NHL season during that trip, has certainly put any bad feelings behind him.
“I look forward to seeing some of these teams in the Western Conference that we never really get to see,” he said. “It’s all that much more exciting to play against them. You see a lot of these people on TV but you don’t really ever get to play them. Sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re even in the same league the way the schedule is set up. It’s nice to just have a change of pace and play against some new players.”
Perrin believes that the lack of familiarity with the visiting players can be trumped by the familiarity Thrashers players can gain with each other during the trip and especially during the off-days.
“The positive is the bonding that you do as a team,” said Perrin, who is one of several Thrashers to have never played in any of the cities on the trip. “Usually that’s what brings a team closer together, so that’s why some of those trips are better off at the beginning of the year than at the end of the year. Everybody’s looking forward to it. We’ve got some days off during that trip so that will be a chance for everybody to get together and maybe that’s what we need, maybe to relax a little bit. Especially if we get some wins.”
Actually several Thrashers are more at home being away from home.
“Being at home you have some routines that you try to stick to,” said left wing Colin Stuart, who has recorded shorthanded goals in each of the first two games. “In my current situation, I’m in a hotel either way. So going on the road for me isn’t that big of a deal but I’m excited to go to the West Coast. I haven’t played there as a pro. The furthest West I’ve played was College Hockey in Anchorage going from CC. So it’s exciting.”
“I was staying at the hotel for three months in Atlanta, so I’m kind of used to hotels,” added defenseman Boris Valabik, with a laugh. “I think I’ve only been on a long road trip like this my first year in Chicago (2006-07).”
Defenseman Nathan Oystrick, who was a teammate with Valabik on that Wolves trip, admitted his first West Coast swing as a pro will be different than previous trips to the West Coast, but he was looking forward to going out and exploring, when time permitted.
“I’ve been to L.A., I’ve been to Hollywood a couple of times. That’s nothing really new,” he said. “But I’m sure there are some things that I’ll find to do out there, some sightseeing. I’ve never been to Phoenix, so that will be a cool experience to be out by the desert. It should be fun.”
Oystrick added that he might try to combine work and pleasure while in Phoenix, by taking advantage of the opportunity of being in the same rink as current Coyotes’ head coach, and legend Wayne Gretzky.
“I think he’s officially the enemy’s coach, but it would be kind of cool to be able to talk to him and get an autograph,” he said.
