After spending the first few years of their existence as the doormats of their division, the Atlanta Thrashers are quickly establishing themselves as one of the brightest young teams in the NHL. And what sets the Thrashers apart from many other NHL teams is they have no weaknesses — they are solid in every aspect of the game and rank in the league's top 10 in many vital statistics.
Atlanta, which takes the ice Friday night against Washington and is -$125, currently ranks 8th in the league in goals scored per game (3.36), 10th in goals allowed per game (2.71), 9th in power play conversions (18.8%) and 9th in killing off power play advantages (86.4%). This solid all-around play has led the Thrashers to an 8-3-3 record and first place in the Southeast Division.
The Thrashers' offense is led by RW Marian Hossa who has scored 11 goals (second in the league), and LW Ilya Kovalchuk , who ranks 5th in the league with 17 total points. RW Scott Mellanby and LW Jon Sim have also chipped in with 6 goals a piece. The Thrashers' offense could become even more dangerous if C Bobby Holik can find his goal scoring touch again, as he has only scored 3 goals and added 3 assists this season.
G Kari Lehtonen has been rock solid in net for Atlanta and is tied for second the NHL in wins with 8. If Lehtonen is able to stay healthy for the entire season, the Thrashers could be a very dangerous playoff team.
Burnin' Down The House
Pittsburgh rookie sensation Evgeni Malkin became the first player in 89 years to score a goal in his first six games when he scored against the Kings on Wednesday. & New Jersey Devils G Martin Brodeur has already logged three shutouts this season. & Minnesota C Mikko Koivu is perfect in shootouts this season, scoring three goals in his three opportunities. & Edmonton's Petr Sykora , Minnesota's Brian Rolston and New Jersey's Zach Parise each have tallied three game-winning goals this year.
Cold As Ice
Colorado is 3 for 46 on the power-play in its past seven games. & Toronto LW Alexi Ponikarovsky is 0-for-4 in shootouts this year. & Phoenix is 2-8-0 in its past 10 games. & Chicago G Brian Boucher has gone 0-6 with a 4.04 GAA and .864 save percentage for the struggling Blackhawks.
Significant Transactions
No significant transactions to report.
Injury Report
Florida RW Todd Bertuzzi had back surgery to repair a herniated disc on Thursday and will miss 6-8 weeks. Bertuzzi was the Panthers' first-line right winger, and his loss will severely hurt Florida's offensive attack. &Carolina D Frantisek Kaberle was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and could be out until mid-January. & Montreal D Mathieu Dandenault is out indefinitely with a partially torn calf.
WagerWeb.com Odds Updates
The Pittsburgh Penguins, who were listed at +5000 to win the Stanley Cup before the season started, are in first place in the Atlantic Division. With emerging stars Malkin and Sidney Crosby playing well together, and G Marc-Andre Fleury playing up to his potential, don't bet against the Pens making some noise in the playoffs. Get more NHL Point Spreads Here
