Capitals 3 - 1 Thrashers
Final
  for this game

Thrashers, Capitals set to battle in season opener

Oct 5, 2007 - 1:52 PM Washington (0-0-0) at Atlanta (0-0-0) 7:30 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Thrashers will welcome the Washington Capitals in the season opener for both clubs on Friday.

Despite winning the Southeast Division and posting a club-high 43 wins last season, Atlanta was swept by the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs as the third seed.

To make matters worse, the Thrashers lost a host of key role players in the offseason, highlighted by the retirement of former captain Scott Mellanby.

However, Atlanta looks to once again rely on the efforts of Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa. Kovalchuk is coming off his third consecutive 40-goal campaign, while Hossa had a career-best 100 points to finish sixth in the league.

Washington returns with superstar Alexander Ovechkin, who posted another impressive campaign with 92 points. The third-year pro finally gets his chance to play with rookie Nicklas Backstrom, who was taken fourth overall in 2006.

Backstrom is making his much-anticipated NHL debut after spending all of last season playing in Sweden.

Veteran goaltender Olaf Kolzig comes back for this 13th season for the Capitals, who were just 6-18-8 without the 37-year-old between the pipes.

Last season, Atlanta went 5-1-2 in the season series against Washington, which has allowed 11 career goal by Kovalchuk.








  • NHL
    FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
    --- --- --- -----
    WASHINGTON 2 0 1 3
    ATLANTA 0 1 0 1 FINAL
    GOAL SCORING:
    1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) MICHAEL NYLANDER 1 (NICKLAS BACKSTROM) 10:41
    WAS - JOHN ERSKINE 1 (UNASSISTED) 12:03
    2ND PRD: ATL - BRYAN LITTLE 1 (ILYA KOVALCHUK, ALEXEI ZHITNIK) 14:54
    3RD PRD: WAS - VIKTOR KOZLOV 1 (MIKE GREEN, ALEXANDE

    Oct 5 10:14 PM
  • 20
    roots
    LAEASTFAN Added 5 roots

    Capitals vs. ThrashersOct 5 10:12 PM


  • NHL
    END OF THE 3RD 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
    --- --- --- -----
    WASHINGTON 2 0 1 3
    ATLANTA 0 1 0 1 END OF THE 3RD
    GOAL SCORING:
    1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) MICHAEL NYLANDER 1 (NICKLAS BACKSTROM) 10:41
    WAS - JOHN ERSKINE 1 (UNASSISTED) 12:03
    2ND PRD: ATL - BRYAN LITTLE 1 (ILYA KOVALCHUK, ALEXEI ZHITNIK) 14:54
    3RD PRD: WAS - VIKTOR KOZLOV 1 (MIKE GR

    Oct 5 10:12 PM


  • NHL
    WASHINGTON 3
    ATLANTA 1
    3RD PRD: WAS - MIKE GREEN 1 (ALEXANDER OVECHKIN, TOM POTI) 5:27

    Capitals vs. ThrashersOct 5 9:49 PM


  • NHL
    END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
    --- --- --- -----
    WASHINGTON 2 0 2
    ATLANTA 0 1 1 END OF THE 2ND
    GOAL SCORING:
    1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) MICHAEL NYLANDER 1 (NICKLAS BACKSTROM) 10:41
    WAS - JOHN ERSKINE 1 (UNASSISTED) 12:03
    2ND PRD: ATL - BRYAN LITTLE 1 (ILYA KOVALCHUK, ALEXEI ZHITNIK) 14:54
    SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TO

    Oct 5 9:20 PM
  • goCapsRavens The Thrashers don't have a chance.

    Capitals vs. ThrashersOct 5 9:13 PM


  • NHL
    WASHINGTON 2
    ATLANTA 1
    2ND PRD: ATL - BRYAN LITTLE 1 (ILYA KOVALCHUK, ALEXEI ZHITNIK) 14:54

    Capitals vs. ThrashersOct 5 9:11 PM


  • NHL
    WASHINGTON 2
    ATLANTA 0 0:00 LEFT, 1ST PRD

    Oct 5 8:26 PM


  • NHL
    WASHINGTON 2
    ATLANTA 0
    1ST PRD: WAS - JOHN ERSKINE 1 (UNASSISTED) 12:03

    Capitals vs. ThrashersOct 5 8:14 PM


  • NHL
    WASHINGTON 1
    ATLANTA 0
    1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) MICHAEL NYLANDER 1 (NICKLAS BACKSTROM) 10:41

    Capitals vs. ThrashersOct 5 8:09 PM
  • 15
    roots
    goCapsRavens Added 5 roots

    Capitals vs. ThrashersOct 5 6:45 PM
  • 10
    roots
    pclifton86 Added 5 roots

    Capitals vs. ThrashersOct 5 12:18 PM

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