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Trying to turn the corner

Thrashers' hardest hurdle to overcome in South? NASCAR

Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News

Published February 8, 2007 at midnight

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Competing with NASCAR and football might be more of a challenge for the Atlanta Thrashers than facing any NHL opponent.

Hockey can be a hard sell in the South, where most sports fans are more familiar with the exploits of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart than, say, Bobby Holik, but the Thrashers are making inroads.

The Thrashers, now in their seventh NHL season, are following the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning as a Southeast Division power with the potential to contend for the Stanley Cup.

Coach Bob Hartley knows what it takes to win hockey's top prize, having done it with the Avalanche in 2000-01.

The immediate objective for Hartley, now in his third full season behind the Thrashers bench, is to guide the club to its first playoff berth in franchise history.

"That's the only thing we have in mind," Hartley said Wednesday after arriving in Denver for the game tonight against the Avalanche at the Pepsi Center (7, Altitude). "We're at the point where we can't say forever that we're a young franchise or an expansion franchise. This has to come to an end, and we really believe this is the year."

Led by Kari Lehtonen, a star goalie in the making, and high-scoring forwards Marian Hossa, Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava Kozlov, the Thrashers are first in their division and own the third-best record (29-18-9) in the Eastern Conference.

They seem a shoo-in for the playoffs but can't take it for granted after missing by two points a year ago after setting team records for wins (41) and points (90).

"Last year, we made a big push and we learned a lot from it," Hartley said. "This organization has been built with a plan since Day One. (General manager) Don (Waddell) has worked with a good vision and we're approaching that goal of making the playoffs."

The Thrashers are averaging almost 16,000 fans per game - that's an increase of about 500 from last season - at 18,545-seat Philips Arena, which they've filled six times in the past 19 games.

"Our rink is called Blueland (the team colors are blue, red and gold), and people really have jumped into that bandwagon," Hartley said.

It should grow even louder next season based on the success this season and the arrival of the NHL All-Star Game in January.

"That's going to be huge," said Hartley, adding that hockey leagues and clinics have sprouted throughout the Atlanta area. "Especially in a nontraditional hockey market, these are the efforts we have to do.

Hartley said Denver remains a "very special" place even though the Avalanche fired him 31 games into the 2002-03 season despite his .618 winning percentage in regular- season play and franchise-record 49 playoff wins.

"You don't live to prove people wrong," he said. "You live to prove people right. Atlanta gave me a second chance, and my job is to prove that those guys did the right thing by getting me in there."

Hartley said plenty of pleasant memories remain from his Cup-winning 2000-01 season.

"It was a great love story between a team and a city," he said.

MAY'S DEBUT TONIGHT: Avalanche forward Brad May is expected to be activated from injured reserve today and make his regular- season debut tonight.

May, 35, suffered what he called a "fluke" shoulder injury in a fight with Detroit's Darryl Bootland in a Sept. 25 preseason game. He underwent reconstructive surgery three days later.

"I've worked hard for the last 4 1/2 months, done what I've had to do to get back," May said. "Now I just want to be a contributor to this team. Am I afraid of getting hurt again? Not a chance, and I'll do whatever it takes."

Once May is activated, the Avalanche will have to trim the roster by one to get to 23 players, the league maximum.

Thrashers at Avalanche

• When: 7 tonight.

• Where: Pepsi Center.

• TV/radio: Altitude; KKFN-AM (950).

Leading scorers

Atlanta (29-18-9) G A P

RW Marian Hossa 31 36 67

LW Ilya Kovalchuk 31 26 57

LW Slava Kozlov 17 37 54

C Glen Metropolit 11 15 26

RW Scott Mellanby 10 16 26

Coach: Bob Hartley

Colorado (26-23-4) G A P

C Joe Sakic 23 36 59

RW Andrew Brunette 19 27 46

C Paul Stastny 15 28 43

LW Wojtek Wolski 18 20 38

RW Milan Hejduk 16 18 34

LW Tyler Arnason 13 21 34

Coach: Joel Quenneville

• Injuries: Atlanta - RW J.P. Vigier (groin) is on injured reserve. Colorado - D Patrice Brisebois (back surgery) is on injured reserve.

• Sidelight: Avalanche goalie Jose Theodore is scheduled to make his second consecutive start for the first time since he started back-to-back Dec. 23 and 27.

• Notes: The Avalanche and Thrashers haven't met since skating to a 1-1 tie Jan. 22, 2004, in Atlanta. . . . The Thrashers, 1-3-1 in their past five games, are beginning a six-game trip. . . . Kovalchuk has eight goals and three assists in nine games.