January 31st, 2007

Yahoo! Sports - "The South Has Risen"
AJC.COM - "Coburn still sits"
AJC.COM - "Power play, Lehtonen down Devils"
AJC.COM - "Thrashers Horde Points by Beating Devils"
TSN.CA - "Thrashers edge Devils in a shootout"
ESPN.COM - "Hossa, Thrashers win battle of division leaders"
FOXSPORTS.COM - "Kovalchuk's pair lifts Thrashers"
SCREENSHOT - ESPN.COM - "Thrash Money"



Thrashers vs. Devils 1/30

I'll start off by saying I have a special affinity with the New Jersey Devils. I once "dated" a Jersey girl. She was and still is a huge Devils fan. Well, every time the Thrashers get a W against the Devils, I like to stick it in her face, usually by making sure she sees a picture of the final score. I try to make it subtle but I do it good fun. But it always feels a little bit extra special when the Thrashers win over the Devils. Tonight was no different. It was good to see Sutton back on the ice; our D looked a lot better. Kovy nearly had a hat trick but I'll take two goals from Kovy any night! These are also my favorite kind of Thrashers games - weekday games where the crowd is smaller and you can always find a pair of good seats to sneak into.

I still don't know how that puck went over the line in the SO past Brodeur. But I'll take it - whatever works! Despite my hatred of the Devils, I do respect and am a big fan of Brodeur, so a little piece of me always feels bad for him when something like that happens. Neither ESPN's or TSN's video highlights have the video of that part of the SO, so I'm hoping to see it in the Thrashers video highlights when they come online in the morning.

But tonight was good. I look back at the Flyers game and realized that had we beat them, and we should have, we would have been up TEN points tonight rather than 8. But somehow, some way Toronto... yes the Maple Leafs... beat up on Carolina 4-1. I don't know how nor do I care... I'm glad they lost and we won and were able to gain a bit more comfort room in the standings.

But the story of the night was having Sutton back. It was a big confidence booster for the team and I hope it just gets better.

On a side note, in regards to the Thrashers Blog Night, there is a posting on the Thrashers main homepage and a posting in Blueland Blog from both Ben the Web Guy and also from the Fan Correspondent, so we're all over the place. Since I'm in the photo, you can see me on both pages too. I feel special being on the Thrashers home page... it's an honor to say the least. I hope another Blog Night is already being planned!

Now you know putting Kovy in the SO wasn't the best idea. He never scores in the SO... granted he hasn't had a chance in the SO in quite a while so I don't blame Hartley for giving him the rare chance... but you just knew he wasn't going to score. But he is excused, so to speak, with his two goals tonight.

Tomorrow...well make that later today.... look for a post about Chief. Anybody who is a Thrashers fan should know Chief... yes, the same Chief that will be honored this year by the Braves for attending 755 games. He's just as loyal to the Thrashers. I'd like to honor Chief myself with a post about him. It's a rarity that we don't talk up some hockey and other sports before Thrashers games. I could go on and on about Chief, but he'll get his own write up sometime later today.

Lastly, and as a kick in the ass to the state of New Jersey, tonight during the Family Feud game with J-Bird, which was being done directly behind us, I yelled and yelled "the smell" as one of the things most popular about Jersey... and, yes, it was right up there in the top of the popular things about NJ. It was all too funny.... yet sad but true.

What's with this schedule...we don't see certain teams all year but we see the Islanders twice in a period of six days? Where's the guy that made the NHL schedule? He needs a good kick in the rear.

We are supposed to have tickets on the suites side of the arena for Thursday's game - it's been a long time since I've sat there... my dad, may he rest in peace, used to always get us tickets there, but that was years and years ago. We are supposedly sitting in row B and C...right near were Lil John and other celebs usually sit. I'm hoping that maybe the one time Lil John attends a game that it will be Thursday... I have no idea if he'll be there, but he'll be all too close to not try to say hello if he's there. I'll have my camera ready either way! BRING ON THE ISLANDERS!!!!..... again.....