Thrashers Return Favor; Take One From Florida

Atlanta scored three third period goals to knock off the Florida Panthers and avenge an earlier loss to the Cats. The Thrashers scored two power play goals, while the Panthers scored one. Matt Foy had a pair of goals for Atlanta while Olli Jokinen scored Florida's two goals. Rick DiPietro stopped 22 of 24 shots in net for Atlanta while Roberto Luongo etched back to the .500 mark and made 28 saves on 32 shots. For the game, Atlanta outshot the Panthers 32-24.

                     Atlanta Thrashers at Florida Panthers                       
DATE : 03/02/2008 
 
GOALS                          1  2  3 OT  F 
Atlanta Thrashers              1  0  3  0  4  
Florida Panthers               2  0  0  0  2  
 
SHOTS                          1  2  3 OT  F 
Atlanta Thrashers              10 13 9  0  32 
Florida Panthers               9  3  12 0  24 
 
S C O R I N G  S U M M A R Y 
1. ATL. ILYA KOVALCHUK(15)( BILL GUERIN, TOBIAS ENSTROM ) (PP) : 1st 1:04 
2. FLA. OLLI JOKINEN(13)( SHELDON SOURAY, JAY BOUWMEESTER ) (PP) : 1st 8:38 
3. FLA. OLLI JOKINEN(14)( BRENDEN MORROW, NATHAN HORTON ): 1st 11:16 
4. ATL. MATT FOY(1)( PASCAL DUPUIS ): 3rd 14:08 
5. ATL. MATT FOY(2)( ILYA KOVALCHUK ) (PP) : 3rd 15:27 
6. ATL. RANDY ROBITAILLE(7)( ILYA KOVALCHUK ): 3rd 17:41 
 
 P E N A L T I E S  S U M M A R Y 
1. FLA. SHELDON SOURAY - 4 Minutes: 1st 0:34 
     EXTRA PENALTY SERVED BY NATHAN HORTON 
3. ATL. MARK STREIT - 2 Minutes: 1st 0:34 
4. FLA. TRAVIS MOEN - 2 Minutes: 1st 5:38 
5. ATL. CRAIG ADAMS - 2 Minutes: 1st 5:38 
6. ATL. TOBIAS ENSTROM - 2 Minutes: 1st 8:19 
7. ATL. RICK DiPIETRO - 2 Minutes: 1st 13:30 
     EXTRA PENALTY SERVED BY MATT FOY 
9. FLA. STEVE MONTADOR - 2 Minutes: 1st 18:07 
10. FLA. BRENDEN MORROW - 2 Minutes: 2nd 1:07 
11. FLA. ERIC BREWER - 2 Minutes: 2nd 19:56 
12. FLA. NATHAN HORTON - 4 Minutes: 3rd 14:36 
     EXTRA PENALTY SERVED BY SHELDON SOURAY 
14. ATL. PASCAL DUPUIS - 2 Minutes: 3rd 14:36 
15. FLA. JAY BOUWMEESTER - 2 Minutes: 3rd 19:59 
 
 I N J U R I E S 
NONE 
 
Player Stats For Atlanta Thrashers 
PLAYER                        +/- SOG  G  A PIM PP SH  FO-W AC    IT TA HIT SP AS 
ILYA KOVALCHUK                  0   4  1  2   0  1  0   1-0 37 20:37  0   0  1  1  
BILL GUERIN                     0   3  0  1   0  0  0   0-0 35 19:37  0   0  1  0  
MARK STREIT                     0   2  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 43 24:15  0   1  0  2  
RANDY ROBITAILLE                0   3  1  0   0  0  0   8-4 32 17:51  0   0  2  0  
STEPHANE ROBIDAS                2   4  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 44 24:57  1   1  0  1  
PASCAL DUPUIS                   1   4  0  1   2  0  0   1-1 30 16:38  0   0  1  1  
CURTIS BROWN                    0   0  0  0   0  0  0   2-1 12  7:21  0   1  0  0  
MATT FOY                        1   4  2  0   0  1  0   0-0 31 17:19  0   0  2  1  
JEFF FINGER                    -1   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 18 10:40  2   0  0  0  
KENT HUSKINS                   -1   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 26 14:36  1   1  0  0  
TOBIAS ENSTROM                  0   0  0  1   2  0  0   0-0 42 23:36  1   1  0  0  
JIM SLATER                      1   2  0  0   0  0  0   3-2 30 16:53  0   0  0  0  
CRAIG ADAMS                     0   0  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 12  7:21  0   0  0  0  
JOEL LUNDQVIST                  0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 12  7:21  0   0  0  0  
BYRON RITCHIE                   0   2  0  0   0  0  0   4-0 24 14:05  1   0  1  0  
GARNET EXELBY                   2   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 37 21:40  1   3  0  0  
SAMI KAPANEN                    0   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 26 15:16  0   0  1  0  
CRAIG MacDONALD                 0   0  0  0   0  0  0   1-1 26 15:16  0   1  0  0  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
TOTAL                           5  32  4  5   8  2  0  20-9           7   9  9  6 
 
Player Stats For Florida Panthers 
PLAYER                        +/- SOG  G  A PIM PP SH  FO-W AC    IT TA HIT SP AS 
OLLI JOKINEN                    0   3  2  0   0  1  0   6-4 28 16:16  1   0  0  1  
BRENDEN MORROW                  0   2  0  1   2  0  0   1-1 36 20:09  0   0  0  2  
NATHAN HORTON                   1   2  0  1   4  0  0   2-1 26 15:36  0   0  0  1  
NIKLAS HAGMAN                  -1   2  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 31 17:03  0   0  1  0  
SHELDON SOURAY                  0   1  0  1   4  0  0   0-0 41 23:27  0   3  0  0  
STEPHEN WEISS                   0   2  0  0   0  0  0   4-1 17  9:47  1   0  0  1  
KRISTIAN HUSELIUS              -1   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 26 14:53  0   0  0  0  
DAVID BOOTH                     0   3  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 23 13:46  2   0  0  1  
ROSTISLAV OLESZ                 0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 23 13:46  0   0  0  1  
JAY BOUWMEESTER                 0   1  0  1   2  0  0   0-0 46 25:27  1   0  0  1  
STEVE MONTADOR                 -1   1  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 15  8:54  0   0  0  0  
KAMIL KREPS                     0   2  0  0   0  0  0   3-3 23 13:46  1   2  0  0  
BOYD GORDON                    -1   2  0  0   0  0  0   4-1 33 17:51  0   0  0  0  
CORY MURPHY                     1   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 18 10:40  0   0  0  0  
GREG de VRIES                  -2   2  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 38 22:21  1   0  0  0  
TRAVIS MOEN                     0   0  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 17  9:47  0   0  0  0  
ERIC BREWER                    -2   0  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 41 23:45  1   1  0  0  
LADISLAV SMID                   1   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 26 14:04  0   1  0  0  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
TOTAL                          -5  24  2  4  18  1  0 20-11           8   7  1  8 
 
Goalie Stats For Atlanta Thrashers 
PLAYER                          MIN  SHOTS GA  ENG GR GRS 
RICK DiPIETRO                    60     24  2    0  5  3   105  
MIKE SMITH                       0      0   0    0  0  0   0    
 
Goalie Stats For Florida Panthers 
PLAYER                          MIN  SHOTS GA  ENG GR GRS 
PETER BUDAJ                      0      0   0    0  0  0   0    
ROBERTO LUONGO                   60     32  4    0  7  5   105  
 
POWER PLAY                    OPP   GOALS 
Atlanta Thrashers             6         2 
Florida Panthers              2         1 
 
STARS OF THE GAME 
1st star - MATT FOY from Atlanta 
2nd star - RICK DiPIETRO from Atlanta 
3rd star - ILYA KOVALCHUK from Atlanta 
 

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Panthers Shutout Visiting Blues

Roberto Luongo earned his second shutout of the season and helped the Panthers to a home victory against the visiting St. Louis Blues. The only goal by David Booth came at the 11:56 mark of the first period. He was assisted by Kamil Kreps and Sheldon Souray. Florida outshot St. Louis 36 to 24. Both goalies were very good as Luongo stopped all 24 shots against him and the Blues' Chris Osgood stopped 35 of 36 shots. The Blues were 0-4 on the power play, while the Panthers were 0-3. One surprising statistic of the game was that Osgood only faced one GR and stopped it. Luongo was 4-4 on GRs. Luongo was named first star of the game while Booth was honored with the second star and Kamil Kreps was named third star.

                      St. Louis Blues at Florida Panthers                        
DATE : 03/01/2008 
 
GOALS                          1  2  3 OT  F 
St. Louis Blues                0  0  0  0  0  
Florida Panthers               1  0  0  0  1  
 
SHOTS                          1  2  3 OT  F 
St. Louis Blues                8  6  10 0  24 
Florida Panthers               10 15 11 0  36 
 
S C O R I N G  S U M M A R Y 
1. FLA. DAVID BOOTH(5)( KAMIL KREPS, SHELDON SOURAY ): 1st 11:56 
 
 P E N A L T I E S  S U M M A R Y 
1. STL. DUNCAN KEITH - 2 Minutes: 1st 2:50 
2. FLA. STEVE MONTADOR - 4 Minutes: 1st 6:48 
3. STL. D.J. KING - 4 Minutes: 1st 6:48 
4. FLA. BENCH PENALTY - 2 Minutes: 1st 15:18 
     EXTRA PENALTY SERVED BY NATHAN HORTON 
6. STL. CHRIS PRONGER - 2 Minutes: 2nd 10:48 
7. FLA. TRAVIS MOEN - 2 Minutes: 2nd 14:14 
8. STL. JAMAL MAYERS - 4 Minutes: 2nd 19:11 
     EXTRA PENALTY SERVED BY MATT CULLEN 
10. FLA. KRISTIAN HUSELIUS - 2 Minutes: 2nd 19:11 
11. FLA. KRISTIAN HUSELIUS - 2 Minutes: 3rd 8:29 
12. FLA. GREG de VRIES - 2 Minutes: 3rd 18:37 
 
 I N J U R I E S 
NONE 
 
Player Stats For St. Louis Blues 
PLAYER                        +/- SOG  G  A PIM PP SH  FO-W AC    IT TA HIT SP AS 
MIKE SILLINGER                  0   0  0  0   0  0  0  12-8 49 26:29  1   0  0  0  
MATT CULLEN                     0   5  0  0   0  0  0   3-1 36 20:36  0   0  1  1  
CHRIS PRONGER                  -1   6  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 48 26:06  2   1  1  3  
FERNANDO PISANI                 0   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 28 16:24  0   0  0  0  
DENNIS WIDEMAN                  0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 18 10:42  1   0  0  0  
JAMAL MAYERS                    0   3  0  0   4  0  0   1-0 40 22:20  2   0  0  0  
DAVID BACKES                    0   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 41 22:44  0   1  0  0  
CHRISTIAN BACKMAN               0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 21 12:12  1   0  0  0  
DUNCAN KEITH                    0   2  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 40 23:00  0   1  0  0  
DOUG WEIGHT                    -1   1  0  0   0  0  0   1-1 22 13:12  0   0  0  0  
ERIK JOHNSON                    0   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 37 21:45  0   1  0  0  
LEE STEMPNIAK                   0   3  0  0   0  0  0   1-0 33 19:15  0   2  0  1  
MATHIEU DARCHE                 -1   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 22 13:12  0   0  0  0  
BARRET JACKMAN                 -1   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 33 19:06  0   1  0  0  
D.J. KING                       0   0  0  0   4  0  0   0-0 10  5:51  0   0  0  0  
RAITIS IVANANS                  0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 10  5:51  0   0  0  0  
JOHNNY POHL                     0   0  0  0   0  0  0   1-1 10  5:51  0   0  0  0  
DARCY HORDICHUK                -1   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 20 11:50  0   1  0  0  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
TOTAL                          -5  24  0  0  12  0  0 19-11           7   8  2  5 
 
Player Stats For Florida Panthers 
PLAYER                        +/- SOG  G  A PIM PP SH  FO-W AC    IT TA HIT SP AS 
OLLI JOKINEN                    0   5  0  0   0  0  0   9-4 39 21:38  2   0  0  1  
BRENDEN MORROW                  0   6  0  0   0  0  0   1-0 50 27:15  5   2  1  1  
NATHAN HORTON                   0   2  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 30 17:07  0   0  0  0  
NIKLAS HAGMAN                   0   2  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 32 18:08  1   0  0  1  
SHELDON SOURAY                  1   0  0  1   0  0  0   0-0 43 24:13  0   0  0  0  
STEPHEN WEISS                   0   3  0  0   0  0  0   2-0 12  7:13  0   0  0  0  
KRISTIAN HUSELIUS               0   0  0  0   4  0  0   0-0 23 13:37  0   0  0  0  
DAVID BOOTH                     1   4  1  0   0  0  0   0-0 20 11:50  1   0  1  1  
ROSTISLAV OLESZ                 1   2  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 20 11:50  1   0  0  0  
JAY BOUWMEESTER                 1   3  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 52 28:28  1   1  0  1  
STEVE MONTADOR                  0   1  0  0   4  0  0   0-0 10  5:51  0   0  0  0  
KAMIL KREPS                     1   5  0  1   0  0  0   0-0 20 11:50  1   0  0  0  
BOYD GORDON                     0   1  0  0   0  0  0   7-4 34 19:14  0   0  0  0  
CORY MURPHY                     0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 18 10:42  0   0  0  0  
GREG de VRIES                   0   1  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 33 19:23  2   0  0  0  
TRAVIS MOEN                     0   1  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 12  7:13  0   0  0  0  
ERIC BREWER                     0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 35 20:45  1   1  0  0  
LADISLAV SMID                   0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 29 16:19  0   1  0  0  
BENCH                                         2 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
TOTAL                           5  36  1  2  14  0  0  19-8          15   5  2  5 
 
Goalie Stats For St. Louis Blues 
PLAYER                          MIN  SHOTS GA  ENG GR GRS 
CHRIS OSGOOD                     58     36  1    0  1  1   103  
JOSE THEODORE                    0      0   0    0  0  0   0    
 
Goalie Stats For Florida Panthers 
PLAYER                          MIN  SHOTS GA  ENG GR GRS 
PETER BUDAJ                      0      0   0    0  0  0   0    
ROBERTO LUONGO                   60     24  0    0  4  4   105  
 
POWER PLAY                    OPP   GOALS 
St. Louis Blues               4         0 
Florida Panthers              3         0 
 
STARS OF THE GAME 
1st star - ROBERTO LUONGO from Florida 
2nd star - DAVID BOOTH from Florida 
3rd star - KAMIL KREPS from Florida 
 

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FLYERS SET FOR BIG BLOCK

3 Division & 2 Conference Opponents

Philadelphia,PA- Block 3 looks to be an interesting one on Broad St. and although the Flyers are off to a 15-3-2 start, the feeling in the locker room is that they need to make a statement with a minimum of 7 wins in this stretch. With 3 home & home's with divisional rivals, including the 15-5-0 Stanley Cup Champion Buffalo Sabres, a poor run can cost them 12 points within the division. The Penguins & the Rangers will also be tough.

The other two home & home conference matchups have the Flyers pitted against the up & coming Columbus Blue Jackets led by Rick Nash, who is currently tied with the Flyers' Dany Heatley for the league lead with 17 goals, and the Nashville Predators. When asked about the Nashville series, Captain Mike Richards said "I haven't followed their games too closely, but we know they are a better team than the 2.1 goals per game they have. We don't care about the stats. Most of us in this room remember how we ended the regular season last year. We had more goals than they did, but we went into the playoffs & they beat the crap out of us, beat us 3 times in our building by a total score of 14-5! Will we take them lightly? No. Do we want revenge? Yeah."

FLYERS OUT OF THE GATE FAST

Open Up Season With A 9-1 Start

Philadelphia,PA- The Flyers have litterally flew out of the starting gate of 2008-09 HBMHL campaign by compiling a 9-1 record, which includes a perfect 5-0 record away from the Wachovia Center. The first place Flyers lead the Sabres by 4 points, Bruins by 6, Devils by 8, Penguins by 10, & the Rangers by 11.

"Getting of to a fast start was our goal coming out of camp." said 2nd year head coach Keith Jones who added "We have to continue playing well, we saw what happened last year when all of the sudden we couldn't find the net."

The Block 1 report card:

GOALTENDING: A+

J.S. Giguere went 6-1, with a 1.72 GAA & a league leading .946 SPCT and one shutout. Of the 12 goals he gave up, half of them were scored while the opposing team was on the PP. He also stopped 41 of 48 GRs for an 85% rating. Antero Niittymaki was not stellar, but compiled a 3-0 record with a 3.28 GAA & a .891 SPCT. Overall, the goaltending has a 2.19 GAA & .930 SPCT.

OFFENSE: A+

43 goals scored in 10 games. If that pace can continue, 4.3 goals a game will win a lot of hockey games. The line of Dany Heatley (12-5-17) -Mike Richards (4-18-22) -Patrick Sharp (5-8-13) has been roaring with 21 goals, 31 assists & 52 points as the number one line & number one PP unit. Heatley leads the league in goals with 12 while Mike Richards leads the league with 18 assists and 22 ponts. Jeff Carter (shown scoring one of his 2 goals in Minnesota) & Brooks Laich each have scored 6 goals.

DEFENSE: A+

22 goals against and not one defenseman with a minus rating and they have a combined +41 which is led by Randy Jones & Mike Commodore who are each +9. Braydon Coburn leads the team with 13 hits (81% Intimidation) & followed by Andreas Lilja's 10 hits (77%) and Michal Rozsival leads the team with 13 takeaways.

POWER PLAY: B+

The Power Play went 9/38 for a 23.7% which currently ranks them at 10th in the league, which is averaging 23.0%. Heatley is tied for 2nd in the league with 5 PPGs. Four Flyers have one each. They need to get more scoring from players other than Heatley. Richards leads the team with 7 (1g 6a) PP points.

PENALTY KILLING: A+

83.7% (40/48) gets an A+ because they have also scored 9 Shorthanded goals, which is just as many PP goals the team has scored. They have killed off 24 of 25 penalties on the road. Carter has scored 4 SHGs to lead the league & Sharp has scored 2. The team has an overall 73% skating success which is led by Rozsival (88%), Laich (80), and Richards (79).

"We just want to keep playing at the level that we are now" added Keith Jones.