Biggest Day in Thrasher History, Part 2

Wow, the fortunes of the Atlanta Thrashers continue to twist and turn like a M. Night Shyamalan movie. After a stirring come from behind victory on Saturday I went home to watch the Lightning Carolina game. I had been planning to go see the Gladiators 1st ECHL playoff game on Saturday, but I realized that I would be sitting in the stands obsessing about the score in the Tampa game so I stayed home instead. My friend JK Sockey came over and we agonized as the Tampa and Montreal games played out.

Tampa won in OT versus Carolina and it seemed that the Thrashers chances were going down in flames. Carolina had a 5 on 3 where they didn't score and a clean cut breakaway that John Grahame snuffed out. Each Carolina missed scoring opportunity was like a kick in the stomach.

When the Tampa game went to commercial break, I switched over to see the end of the Montreal game where to my surprise Buffalo had taken a 3-2 lead. Montreal only needed to get a point in their final three games to clinch a playoff berth, so I had given up hope of catching them. But here they were losing in regulation to Buffalo and still lacking that single point that would punch their playoff ticket.

Then today (Sunday) New Jersey beat Philadelphia, which has huge effect on the final Montreal game. New Jersey not has the possibility of home ice in the first round if they win their final game and so we can expect to see Brodeur and a regular lineup on Tuesday night.

If the Thrashers can beat Washington on Monday night, the NHL will see an extraordinary night on Tuesday as three NHL teams battle to see who will get the final two Eastern Conference playoff berths. The CenterIce remote will get a workout as the three different games start at 7:00 and 7:30 for the ultimate climax to a crazy season. If the Thrashers pull this out and make the playoffs this will be a run that fans will talk about for years.