GAME THREAD: NHL: ATLANTA (10-10) at WASHINGTON (6-14)

NHL: ATLANTA (10-10) at WASHINGTON (6-14)

<h3>Capitals looking to turn around woeful start to season</h3>

<div class="pre">Atlanta (10-10-0) at Washington (6-13-1) 7:00 pm EST</div>

WASHINGTON (Ticker) - Despite two major offseason acquisitionsand a talented rookie, the Washington Capitals have not shownmuch improvement since last season.


The Capitals will look to snap a four-game losing streak whenthey host the Atlanta Thrashers on Wednesday in a matchup ofSoutheast Division clubs.


Washington was able to lure talented centers Viktor Kozlov andMichael Nylander in the offseason, but it has not translatedinto wins. Nylander has five goals and a team-leading 12assists, while Kozlov has tallied three goals and 12 points forhis new team.


The Capitals also expected more production from 19-year-oldrookie Nicklas Backstrom, who has just one goal this season.The Swedish center has been held to just one point during thelosing streak.


The Thrashers, on the other hand, have already begun to turnaround a terrible start. After losing six straight to start theseason, a coaching change propelled Atlanta back up to the .500mark.


A major reason for the comeback has been the play of IlyaKovalchuk, who has a league-leading 16 goals. Over the lasteight games, the 24-year-old Russian left wing has 11 talliesand six assists.


The Thrashers have won three consecutive games and six of theirlast seven.

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL AT WASHINGTON
STARTING GOALIES: ATL - JOHAN HEDBERG
WAS - OLAF KOLZIG

OFFICIALS: REF - BRAD MEIER, FRANCOIS ST. LAURENT
LIN - ANTHONY SERICOLO, MICHEL CORMIER</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">ATLANTA VS WASHINGTON - SCRATCHES

ATLANTA WASHINGTON

S MCCARTHY HEALTHY M BRADLEY HEALTHY
D HAYDAR HEALTHY M JURCINA HEALTHY
S EMINGER HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 0 15:51 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 0 15:30 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 0 11:36 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 0 7:30 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 0 3:54 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
ATLANTA 0 0
WASHINGTON 0 0 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: NONE

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
ATL 4 4
WAS 9 9

GOALIES: ATL - JOHAN HEDBERG
WAS - OLAF KOLZIG</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">------------------------
Atlanta 0 --0
Washington 0 --0
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: J Schultz, Was (hooking), 0:22; J Slater,
Atl (tripping), 4:09.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Atlanta 4 --4
Washington 9 --9
-----------------------------

Goalies : Atlanta, Johan Hedberg (9 shots, 9 saves). Washington, Olaf
Kolzig (4 shots, 4 saves). Referees: Brad Meier, Francois St.
Laurent. Linesmen: Anthony Sericolo, Michel Cormier.</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 0 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 1
2ND PRD: WAS - (PP) ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 14 (BRIAN POTHIER, VIKTOR
KOZLOV) 2:27</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 0
WASHINGTON 1 15:46 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 1
WASHINGTON 1
2ND PRD: ATL - ILYA KOVALCHUK 18 (NICLAS HAVELID, TOBIAS ENSTROM) 6:55</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 1
WASHINGTON 1 12:31 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 1
WASHINGTON 1 7:45 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 2
WASHINGTON 1
2ND PRD: ATL - (PP) BOBBY HOLIK 2 (MARIAN HOSSA, TOBIAS ENSTROM) 16:05</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 2
WASHINGTON 1 1:45 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: ATLANTA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL ATLANTA 3
WASHINGTON 1
2ND PRD: ATL - NICLAS HAVELID 1 (ILYA KOVALCHUK, MARIAN HOSSA) 19:28</div>