September 21, 200619 yr ATLANTA - Goalie Alex Auld looked solid in his exhibition debut. His second start was a different story. Auld allowed five goals on the first eight shots he faced and the Florida Panthers lost to the Thrashers, 6-3, at Philips Arena on Wednesday night. "It's not something you want as a trait to have, that once they get one on you, they start to come in bunches," said Auld, who finished with five saves. "But sometimes it happens that way. You can't really tiptoe around it. I wasn't that good and that's pretty much all there is to it." Auld didn't have much chance on the Thrashers' first goal, which came on a power play 3:34 into the game. Marian Hossa made a perfect cross-ice pass to Ilya Kovalchuk near the left post and Kovalchuk slammed in the puck. But Auld then allowed Hossa's long shot to squeeze through his legs. Jason Krog slipped one by from the crease and Kovalchuk struck again off a face-off. After the Panthers sliced the deficit with two goals in 42 seconds, Brett Sterling whizzed another shot past Auld. "They seemed to capitalize on all their chances on me and I gave them some too ... I've got to be a lot better," he said. Auld was pulled after the first period, half a period before the planned goalie switch to Jean Marc-Pelletier. "I thought it was better to get him out of there and regroup," coach Jacques Martin said. Pelletier, an Atlanta native trying to earn a roster spot with the Panthers' AHL or ECHL affiliate, made 10 saves on 11 shots. Auld's showing Wednesday, coupled with Ed Belfour's first start in goal (three goals on 14 shots vs. Calgary), might lead some to worry about the competition to replace Roberto Luongo. Not Martin. "You just score it as a bad performance, that's all," he said. "All goalies go through that. It's nothing major. We like what we see. So I'm not concerned with that at all." Belfour was sick Wednesday and didn't skate that morning. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...ts/15568723.htm
September 21, 200619 yr get the kinks out now Exactly. You don't pay attention to the preseason for anything meaningful till the final team roster plays which is the last few games.
September 24, 200619 yr luongo Luongo hasn't exactly been all that sharp this preseason. In 61 minutes, he as a 4.92 GAA and a .839 SV%, allowing 5 goals on 31 shots. Now this means next to nothing, but I just thought i'd point it out.
September 24, 200619 yr Auld played the full 60 minutes last night and gave up only 3 goals with 36 saves.
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