Defensemen Dustin Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom were named 2011 NHL All-Stars this week. They will both compete in the newly formatted exhibition in Raleigh, N.C. on Jan. 30. This year’s game will be unlike any previous All-Star contests. The fans will select the first six players to start the game. The other 36 players remaining will be selected in a “fantasy draft” conducted by the captains and alternate captains. It’s the equivalent of elementary school kids picking teams during recess. This format will create some interesting scenarios, including seeing Byfuglien and Enstrom on different sides.
LEAF-BLOWN …
The Thrashers were looking forward to a home match-up with the mediocre Toronto Maple Leafs last Friday night. Surely, this would be an easy two points for Atlanta, since Toronto had played subpar this season. The game was a total meltdown and a flat-out embarrassment for the Thrashers, as they lost 9-3.
The game was particularly perplexing for head coach Craig Ramsay. “Sooner or later you’re going to have a game that you just don’t understand, and I hope they use it as a wake up call,” he said.
After taking a 1-0 lead on a Toby Enstrom goal, Atlanta looked as bad as any team could look. The second period was a horrible display of penalty killing. The Thrashers allowed six goals, including three power-play goals in the final two minutes of the period and trailed 8-1 at that point.
“We’ve got to understand that our work ethic has to be there every game. We cannot play when we feel like it and we cannot take a period off,” added Ramsay. It definitely looked like Atlanta took a vacation during the second period.
Two days later, the Thrash put a better effort together and gained a point in a 4-3 overtime loss at Carolina. The point was well earned because Atlanta was trailing 3-1 midway through the second period. Goals by Nic Bergfors and Bryan Little tied the game at three, and Ondrej Pavelec made some key saves to send the game to overtime.
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