Mark Popovic News

The Thrashers didn't quite measure up. Hyosub Shin, hshin@ajc.com Thrashers' goaltender John Hedberg searches for the puck after blocking a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins' Maxime Talbot in the second period.

The Thrashers are getting goals in Ilya Kovalchuk's absence most of it from their defensemen.

On Sunday night, the Thrashers hosted the St. Louis Blues in the Philips Arena. It's surprising just a few days ago I had written that the Thrashers needed to change up their defensive pairings, which would guide them to better defense and wins.

The Thrashers were willing to try anything to break their four-game home losing streak.

Back from the morning skate for tonight's game against Rick Nash and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Columbus star Rick Nash entered Thursday's game fourth in the NHL with 21 points, including 10 points in his past six games.

Colby Armstrong scored 13:14 into the third period and the Atlanta Thrashers earned their first regulation win in Montreal in over five years, 5-4 over the Canadiens on Tuesday night.

Jim Slater returned to the Thrashers' lineup Thursday after being a healthy scratch the past seven games.

Alex Ovechkin scored twice to add to his NHL-leading total, Semyon Varlamov stopped a penalty shot and the first-place Washington Capitals held on at the end to hand the Atlanta Thrashers their fourth straight loss, 4-3 on Thursday night.

Life without Ilya Kovalchuk begins now. The Thrashers host Washington Thursday, their first game without their star captain Kovalchuk, who is expected to miss four weeks with a broken bone in his right foot.

Reporting from Thrashers practice Tuesday. Before the players take the ice and we get an idea of what the new lines will look like without Ilya Kovalchuk, a couple of updates.

Reporting from Thrashers practice Monday morning and Ilya Kovalchuk is not on the ice.

For Johan Hedberg, every game is a chance to make an impression. Hedberg made his second start of the season, and third appearance, in goal Saturday for the Thrashers against San Jose.

You won't hear Mark Popovic bad-mouthing the Kontinental Hockey League. "It was a great experience," said the Atlanta Thrashers defenceman, who spent last season playing for SKA St.

The Thrasher won Saturday 4-2. They won Friday 4-2 in New Jersey. They lost 4-2 in Ottawa the game before that and won 4-2 in St.

It's early in the season, but the Thrashers' attention to its penalty-kill unit is paying some dividends.

Before the season began, Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said that rookie Evander Kane would get an eight or nine game look-see toA start the season before decidingA whether or notA the 4th overall pick in last Junea s draft would be sent back to Vancouver of the WHL.

Yes, they still play hockey in Atlanta. The Atlanta Thrashers resume their 2008-09 schedule with a Friday night tilt against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center .

There's no easy way to tell a veteran -- or even a promising youngster -- he will not be a part of the organization on opening night.

There have been a few very memorable opening night games at Philips Arena over the past decade.