The opening series of the 2015 Atlanta Thrashers Qualifying Tournament begins with the top-seeded ’06-’07 Atlanta Thrashers simply over-powering the 8th-seeded ’02-’03 Atlanta Thrashers. Marian Hossa was too much for the ’02-’03 Thrashers in Game 1 as he totaled four points (2 G, 2 A). The ’06-’07 Thrashers took that opening game 6-2 and really dominated Game 2, but goaltender Pasi Nurminen was a brick wall i net for the ’02-’03 Thrashers making 64 saves on 68 shots. However, three goals over a span of just over two minutes late in the second period gave the ’06-’07 Thrashers a 4-1 lead heading into the third. Ilya Kovalchuk and Dany Heatley both scored for the ’02-’03 Thrashers in the third to make it a 4-3 game, but they could never get the equalizer.
In Game 3, the ’06-’07 Thrashers dominated by outshooting the ’02-’03 Thrashers 72-39, but yet again, Nurminen was great in net. He posted 70 saves on 72 shots against for a .972 save percentage. Meanwhile, Marc Savard and defenseman Chris Tamer, along with Heatley, scored for the ’02-’03 Thrashers to give them a 3-2 win. At some point, the ’06-’07 Thrashers’ dominance would catch up with the lower seed and it did in Game 4. A hat trick from Hossa led the way as the ’06-’07 Thrashers took Game 4 by a final of 6-2. Then, in the series-deciding Game 5, two goals apiece from two unlikely contributors, Glen Metropolit and Keith Tkachuk, led the ’06-’07 Thrashers to a 5-1 win and a spot in the Semifinal.
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’02-’03 Thrashers | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | 2 |
| ’06-’07 Thrashers | 2 | 3 | 1 | – | 6 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’06-’07 ATL – 6 ’02-’03 ATL – 2 (1-0 ’06-’07 ATL)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: RW – Marian Hossa (’06-’07 ATL) – 2 G 2 A 4 P +3 9 S
2nd Star: LW – Ilya Kovalchuk (’06-’07 ATL) – 1 G 2 A 3 P +3 11 S
3rd Star: G – Pasi Nurminen (’02-’03 ATL) – L 5.00 GAA .912 SV% (52 SV’s)
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’02-’03 Thrashers | 1 | 0 | 2 | – | 3 |
| ’06-’07 Thrashers | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | 4 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’06-’07 ATL – 4 ’02-’03 ATL – 3 (2-0 ’06-’07 ATL)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: C – Eric Belanger (’06-’07 ATL) – 1 G 1 A 2 P Even 5 S
2nd Star: G – Pasi Nurminen (’02-’03 ATL) – L 4.00 GAA .941 SV% (64 SV’s)
3rd Star: RW – Dany Heatley (’02-’03 ATL) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +2 6 S
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’06-’07 Thrashers | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
| ’02-’03 Thrashers | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 3 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’02-’03 ATL – 3 ’06-’07 ATL – 2 (2-1 ’06-’07 ATL)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: G – Pasi Nurminen (’02-’03 ATL) – L 4.00 GAA .941 SV% (64 SV’s)
2nd Star: RW – Scott Mellanby (’06-’07 ATL) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +2 3 S
3rd Star: RW – Dany Heatley (’02-’03 ATL) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +2 5 S 2 PIM
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’06-’07 Thrashers | 2 | 2 | 2 | – | 6 |
| ’02-’03 Thrashers | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’06-’07 ATL – 6 ’02-’03 ATL – 2 (3-1 ’06-’07 ATL)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: RW – Marian Hossa (’06-’07 ATL) – 3 G 0 A 3 P +2 13 S
2nd Star: LW – Slava Kozlov (’06-’07 ATL) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +2 6 S
3rd Star: LW – Ilya Kovalchuk (’06-’07 ATL) – 0 G 3 A 3 P +2 7 S
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’02-’03 Thrashers | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | 1 |
| ’06-’07 Thrashers | 2 | 1 | 2 | – | 5 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’06-’07 ATL – 5 ’02-’03 ATL – 1 (4-1 ’06-’07 ATL)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: C – Glen Metropolit (’06-’07 ATL) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +3 4 S
2nd Star: LW – Keith Tkachuk (’06-’07 ATL) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +2 6 S
3rd Star: G – Kari Lehtonen (’06-’07 ATL) – W 1.00 GAA .973 SV% (36 SV’s)
Next up is the 4-5 matchup between the ’10-’11 Thrashers and the ’03-’04 Thrashers!
