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Thrashers hope to end struggles, face Devils

Oct 13, 2007 - 2:09 PM New Jersey (1-3-0) at Atlanta (0-4-0) 7:00 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The struggling Atlanta Thrashers hope to turn their fortunes around.

Ilya Kovalchuk and the Thrashers look for their first win of the season when they face the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Atlanta was crushed, 6-0, on Thursday in Buffalo, its season-opening fourth consecutive defeat. It is the worst start for the reigning Southeast Division champions since beginning with a franchise-worst nine straight losses to open the 2002-03 season.

"Right now we're not playing good hockey," Thrashers coach Bob Hartley said. "We're so tight and anxious to get that first win that we forget to do the right things."

Kovalchuk, the Thrashers' second-leading goal scorer from last season, has just two points for a club that has tallied a league-low four goals. Making matters worse is the absence of star right wing Marian Hossa, who missed his second straight game Thursday with a groin injury.

Both Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg must play better as well as the two goaltenders have combined for a 4.32 GAA through four games.

Atlanta hopes to get well when it takes on New Jersey, a club it beat three of four times in 2006-07.

The Devils have also had trouble generating offense in their first four games, totaling only seven goals. New Jersey was shut out for the first time this season Thursday in a 3-0 loss at Florida and is off to its worst start since 2001-02, when they opened 0-3-1.

Future Hall of Fame netminder Martin Brodeur is winless in three contests for the first time since 2001-02 when the 15-year veteran opened that season with three consecutive losses. Backup Kevin Weekes was in net for New Jersey's lone win - a 4-1 conquest at Florida last Saturday.

The three-time Veznia Trophy winner has had some success vs. Atlanta, going 13-6-4 with three ties, four shutouts in 26 contests against the Thrashers.