Thrashers use late surge to ground Lightning Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Kari Lehtonen made 30 saves and Colby Armstrong
scored the game-winner as the Atlanta Thrashers bested the Tampa Bay
Lightning, 4-1 in the season finale for both teams.
Armstrong's goal at the 15:51 mark of the third period sparked a three-goal
barrage in less than four minutes for the Thrashers, who ended the season with
two wins in three games.
Bobby Holik and Jim Slater each tallied, while Eric Perrin logged two assists.
Mathieu Darche netted Tampa's only goal, and Mike Smith allowed three goals on
23 shots. The Lightning fin... More...
Ilya Kovalchuk isn't happy with the way that the season went in Atlanta this year, and he wasn't shy about it while speaking to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "I want to win something before my contract is up," Kovalchuk said. "Hopefully, we can make the right moves and go forward. Not stand in the same place..."It's six years here now and nothing really changed." When a guy with 50 goals in two of the last three seasons speaks, you would hope the organization will listen. The team lost Marian Hossa at the deadline this year because they couldn't pay him, and the same thing could happen in two years when Kovalchuck's contract runs out.
Colby Armstrong scored the game-winning goal on Saturday night for the Thrashers. He also added an assist. Armstrong finished the year with four goals and 11 points in 18 games as a Thrasher and will be one of the youngsters they build around moving forward.
Kari Lehtonen ended the 2007-08 season on a high note by stopping 30 of the 31 shots that were fired his direction by the Lightning on Saturday night. Lehtonen finishes the year 17-22-5, and while his GAA approached three, his save percentage of .915 is a better representation of his talent level. If the team can just play some defense in front of him Lehtonen could possibly sneak his way into the top-12 of goaltenders next season.
