Preseason Game Against Nashville: Thrashers Win 5-4

Killer floods in Atlanta didn't stop me from going to the last preseason game, I'll be damned if a sinus infection is going to stop me! Yeah, I feel like crap and maybe it's not a great idea to get on the crowded germ infected MARTA and then go to a freezing cold arena, but be damned if I'll miss hockey over that!


The crowd was better this time, still not close to our usual crowd. Oh well, made mooching a good seat easier.


Warm ups!


Boris played tonight. I was really impressed with his improvements. He did have some issues including a penalty that led to a goal, but I see big improvements in his skating. He was also on the ice. Penalties were ridiculous, we had nine. Boris was on the ice for 6:42 of short-handed ice time without Nashville scoring a goal. Nice job, Bobo.





Probably the last pictures of cute little Tim Stapleton for a while. Roster cuts are tomorrow and I'm thinking he'll be headed for Chicago. He did have an assist on one of Gratton's goals tonight.





Our newest baby, Evander Kane.





We want Manny!!





Boris: Geez, why is that chick always taking pictures?
Toby: She has a blog.
Boris: So? Any hack can have a blog.





A nice look at the Fox Theater on Pav's mask.





Nik Antropov





More Boris! It's like cowbell, you always need more.





Everyone was super excited to check out Max Afinogenov. He's super fast, but didn't put up much of a game tonight. He's not playing at 100% though, he's been ill. I feel you on that one, Max!





Popovic, despite getting owned by Legwand tonight which led to a goal, has played well and continues to impress.





Peverley looking very intense. Maybe he's thinking about how much he wants to beat his old team that tried to send him down on waivers.





Game time!


So I'm directly on the ice for warm ups. I asked Serge where he wanted to go sit. He said "here." I'm a kind of a goody-goody and was nervous to be that ballsy and sit on the glass, but went with it. No one came for the seats and we stayed. My first game directly on the glass. It was AMAZING!


Opening face off.





Action coming up the ice.





The meanest nastiest little pit bull in the league...and Boris. I love Jordon TooToo (I even have a TooToo train whistle) when I'm in Nashville, but not tonight. Boris is is 6'7'' and Jordan is 5'9'' and I'm not sure where I'd put my money if I were a betting woman.





Bobo has a little talk with Hornqvist.





Pevs in the face off.





My favorite picture of the night. For some reason it cracks me up how much water he is spitting out. It looks like the stream from a water hose.





Shea Weber looking very serious and mean.





Pevs, our face off master.





Pavs getting out of the way while all hell breaks loose.





They even turned Pavs' net over.





I like this picture because you can see the puck against his leg.





Pavs laying down on the job.





This is a scary picture. Look how close Martin Erat's skate is to Toby's face! He just got his sweet little face fixed! Don't go messing it up again.





Antropov in the face off. He's no Pevs. He's so big, face offs are a challenge sometimes.





Woo hoo we scored! It's the line for the victory taps.





Second period!


Action down on the other end of the ice.





Hi Dan Ellis! Good luck getting your job back from Pekka. I'm pulling for you, although I DO love Pekka, too. Dan has bears on the back of his mask, too. Not Care Bears though, only Drew is that cool.





This happened so fast I barely even got photos of it. Olvecky tripped up Kovalchuk and Kubina went ape shit on him. Don't mess with Kaptain Kovy! I didn't mind that 4 minute penalty at all.





Josh Gratton scores AGAIN! Way to go, Josh!





Yeah yeah Dan, I know, not a big crowd. But hey, our preseason game would be full too if it were FREE like the Nashville preseason opener.





Dan working hard.





Nashville did a goalie tandem and half way through the second period, Pekka game in. Welcome to the game, Pekka!





Third Period!


Face off.





Because of the glass and glare, I couldn't see much of Manny on the bench during the game. When I saw that little blond head pop out to watch a disagreement, I had to snap a picture.





Boris brooding.





Smithson thinking he's going to have a discussion with Bogosian (hidden behind Fritche).





The unlikely super star of the game, Josh Gratton. Josh netted 2 of the 5 goals (as many as he has had in the past 3 seasons) and was voted the first star of the game.





Pavs sat down on the job during the last 10 minutes, literally and figuratively. Actually, all of the Thrashers took their foot off of the gas. Late in the third the Thrashers almost let Nashville tie the game when they scored 2 goals only 68 seconds apart.





Fortunately the Thrashers woke up and prevented Nashville from scoring. Victory hugs for Pavs! (Pavs was the 2nd star of the game)





Goalie love fest!





Josh Gratton, first star of the game, being interviewed.


God those seats were awesome. Screw a job, I need to win the lottery so I can get those seats!