The Atlanta Thrashers are off to a solid start for their four-game West Coast visit. The team kicked off the road trip with a dominant 8-4 victory of the Anaheim Ducks, then followed that up with a 6-3 victory over the L.A. Kings. To make things even better, Captain Ilya Kovalchuck scored a hat trick against the Ducks.
Needless to say, the back-to-back victories are a much-needed confidence boost for the Thrashers, especially considering the competition they will be facing when they return home next week: the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes. In the meantime, though, the Thrashers will be facing off against the Phoenix Coyotes and the San Jose Sharks before heading home. The Coyotes are the first up, with a game this Thursday.
One of the biggest questions lately is "Who's going to be in the net?" Goaltender and perennial fan-favorite Kari Lehtonen has been hit-or-miss in his performances lately. Still, coach John Anderson has been favoring the young player over Johan "Moose" Hedberg. Despite the win at Anaheim with Lehtonen in goal, though, Hedberg took over goaltending duties against the Kings. Lehtonen let four shots get past him at Anaheim, while Hedber's total at L.A. was three. The team hasn't announced who will stand in the net for the next game, but it's looking like Anderson isn't afraid to change things up in his effort to build a winning team.
Keywords: Atlanta Thrashers, hockey, Johan Hedberg, Kari Lehtonen, Moose
