First intermission from Atlanta (is Tocchet sending MVP line a message?)

Posted Jan 4, 2009 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Jan 4, 2009 at 06:55 PM

That was an efficient period. Not good - not a ton of offensive pressure, with a couple of exceptions. Not bad - they didn’t give up a whole lot in their own end.

So not bad. Wound up outshooting the Thrashers 13-7.

Steve Eminger has the only goal with a nice shot from the right point on the power play. Yes, I said the power play.

Speaking of the power play, don’ t know if a message is being sent by the coaching staff or not, but the first power play unit over the boards was Ryan Craig, Mark Recchi and Matt Pettinger with Andrej Meszaros and Marek Malik at the points. OK, Vinny’s line was on the ice when the penalty was called. I get that…..... but, the second power play unit over the boards after 42 seconds consisted of Jeff Halpern, Adam Hall and Jussi Jokinen with Steve Eminger and Steven Stamkos running the points. Hmmmmm?

And, after one period, Vinny Lecavalier’s ice time is 4:49, Marty St. Louis played 4:45 and Vinny Prospal played 4:38.

By comparison, the so-called fourth line featured Steven Stamkos playing 4:40, Adam Hall logging 4:20 and Jussi Jokinen on the ice for 5:00.

The rest of the forwards: Evgeny Artyukhin (5:15), Mark Recchi (5:40), Jeff Halpern (5:22),  Ryan Malone (5:13), Matt Pettinger (5:09) and Ryan Craig (5:11)

I’ll try and keep track of how it all breaks down through two periods.

And one more note, Paul Szczechura is a scratch tonight. And it looks like Ty Wishart will be sent back to Norfolk after the game. Wishart was on an emergency recall, but with both Krajicek and Meszaros in, Wishart will have to go back.