AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 07
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Oh No! We’re On The Power Play!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The New Jersey Devils came up short in Atlanta’s Philips Arena. By “coming up short” I mean, they were able to net two short-handed goals which helped them power their way to a 5-1 victory.
Yup…the Devils went 1 for 6 on their power plays…and 2 for 7 on ours.
The Devil’s first short-handed tally came while Mike Rupp was serving a goalie interference penalty halfway through the first and New Jersey up 1-0 already. John Madden took a drop pass from Patrik Elias and… BOOM …blasted it past Kari Lehtonen’s glove.
The second came 8 minutes and 8 seconds into the second with the score 4-1. Brian Gionta really didn’t even need the other three teammates on the ice for this one as he beat Rich Peverley on the face off, beat the Peever to the puck behind him, then beat Kari for the goal…three “beats”, all by his lonesome.
After Gionta’s shorty, Kari Lehtonen’s evening had come to a forgettable end. After two stellar starts, Kari was able to stop only 19 of the 24 shots that he faced. Johan Hedberg finished up the final 31 minutes and 52 seconds turning away all 7 shots that he faced.
Hmmm…Kari faced 24 shots in 28:08 and Moose only had to deal with 7 in 31:52. I wonder if Lehtonen has a serious case of “defense-envy” this morning.
Anyway, it got to the point where we were screaming for the Thrashers bench to decline any penalty whistled against the Devils. But I guess we don’t do that in hockey…do we? No.
The best penalty taken by a Thrasher Friday was when Mathieu Schneider took a boarding call in the third period. It happened about a minute or so after Bobby Holik took a seat in the sin-bin for interfering with Hedberg, thus taking the Thrashers … OFF the POWER PLAY!
Some of us in section 119 stood and cheered…it was such a relief! Don’t wanna give up a third shorty in one game, eh?
Nice work, Schneids.
Scenes From A Taco Mac Restaurant
A bottle of red, a bottle of white…it all depends upon your appetite.
I’ll meet you anytime you want…in our Taco Mac restaurant.
So, I’m hangin’ out with my buddy Glenn at the Taco Mac at Philips before the game last night. Glenn’s a Ranger fan, but somewhat tolerable nonetheless. RStroz…bullhorn in hand…joined us there as well. We were sharing a chunk of the bar with this chap from Toronto, Jason, who was attending his first ever regular season NHL game last night.
Yes, you read that right…first time ever at an NHL game for someone from Canada. And here I thought it was a national law that by age 13 each and every native Canadian is mandated to have attended at least one NHL game and declare a blood-oath allegiance to one of the six teams from their fine country… the Leafs, Sens, Habs, Flames, Oilers or Canucks.
Go figure.
Anyway, I’m just as pleased as can be that we down here in Dixie were able to help introduce this fine lad from the Great White North to the NHL experience. He seemed to have had a good time.
While there, JZ…not J(Z)…introduced himself during the conversation at the bar and I did enjoy making his acquaintance. Same is also true for Braveheart and the lovely Beth as well.
Glenn the Blueshirt and I then made our way to the game and…well, we’ve already discussed that train wreck.
During the game, Glenn…the Ran-JUH fan… and I were treated to being in the same row as The Heat Meister and the lovely Gretchelby along with Marco and his girlfriend Polo…just kidding, Sara. Hockey Biltong and the adorable Mrs. Biltong were just behind us with friends while The Blueland Chronicle boys settled into their regular first-row upper deck seats just above us. Sean Grace and the wonderful Mrs. Grace cheered from just in front of us. Nix to the right of me… Goose to the left, who came over to share with me his hockey insight, as I always look forward to.
Post game, back at Taco Mac… waiting for The Grand Kamalian to make his Grand Kam-entrance with Darren Eliot…a young lady approached Glenn and myself. She told us that we looked like two true hockey fans that we must have the answer to her inquiry.
Obviously…the lovely lady is a fine judge of character, indeed.
Seems she had the game program with the autograph in it that wins one lucky fan a special prize from the Customer Relations counter. You know, I always wondered if anyone ever really won that thing. But her problem was that, not being a regular Thrashers attendee, she knew not where that magical Customer Relations place would be.
I guided her back into the concourse, introduced her to a personal friend of mine who works security there, got her in touch with someone at the desk and…ta-da…Brandi now has her fabulous prize package.
Meanwhile, back in the confines of T-Mac, listening to Kamal and Eliot…as The Hockey Wench and Rose from The Thrashers 411 sat up front to listen…Der Warme Meister and I just shook our heads at one another… at a loss for words over the latest entry in the debacle that is the Thrashers 08-09 season.
So…why do I tell you all this?
Well, for one…I really didn’t want talk much more about yet another horrific loss. But really, let’s go back to Jason…the gentleman who came to Georgia to attend his first ever NHL hockey game. Actually, as I stated, he was “introduced to the NHL experience”…Atlanta Thrashers style. It’s where the entirety of fun and enjoyment expands well beyond the game itself or team…and is completed by those who make up the body of Blueland.
Oh, make no doubt…the game can be exiting to watch, even when the team’s Suck-O-Meter spins off its axis all season. But the people that make up Blueland are some of the best people around…and they are what make the NHL experience what it is in these parts.
And I’m glad Jason got to experience that for the first time…here.
A bottle of red, a bottle of white…whatever kinda mood you’re in tonight.
I’ll meet you anytime you want…in our Taco Mac restaurant.
