Crazy Night In Atlanta: Thrashers vs Panthers

A cold, nasty, rainy Monday night in Atlanta...Who's ready for some hockey??? Apparently just me and a handful of others. Attendance was abysmal at this division rivalry game. I was expecting it, but it is so different from the full and exciting crowd we had for the Philly game.




One awesome thing, my buddy Randy called me and said his ticket rep had just comp'ed him some club tickets! WOOT WOOT! (I should really talk to my rep, I haven't gotten shit from him). So Randy, Kerry and I head over to section One-Oh-Douche. Kerry made a good point that I had thought about before. Being in the corporate club section at Phillips Arena is kind of like this:


But hey...the food is amazing and the seats are AWESOME!
I need to smell me some smoked chicken nachos to know I'm alive!





Plus it was cool to get to take pictures from a different vantage point. I don't get to see Moose in the classic goalie stance much because I'm usually behind the goal.



Warm ups!


Moose showing off those fine puck handling skills he has.





An ominous conversation
Vokoun: Enjoy the night off.
Clemmenson: Sure thing, I'll just be on the bench if you need me.
Vokoun: Nah, I've got this one.





Moose getting ready to take some shots.





Our super stud, Rich Peverley.





Look who is back on the ice after a reconditioning stint in Chicago!!!





I think I'm the only Atlanta fan glad to see Boris.




As much as I love Boris, I love winning more. We've got a good chemistry going. If he doesn't fit into the system or into the groove, we'll have to figure something out. I'm hoping he can!





Swoon.





Nik Antropov





Max blowing some bubbles. They love their gum during warm ups.





Peverley getting ready to take some shots.





Swarming Pavs.



First Period!


Opening face off





Action by Vokoun.





Vokoun having a drink. Too bad there wasn't some vodka in that bottle. Tomas' night is about to go VERY badly.





This is one of the most amazing pics I've seen of the events that lead up to Vokoun's injury and imagine this, Mr. Fred took it! This is a fantabulous shot of Kovy getting his own rebound and putting it past Vokoun. Note Ballard to the side. Vokoun's night ruined in 3...2...1





If you missed what happened next, you can see it here.


I jumped up to celebrate the goal. I looked over and saw Vokoun in the net. I thought he was upset about the goal, so I started snapping away.





Nobody really knew what was going on. You can see that they are still blinking the goal light on him.





Here you can see him looking at his hand to see if he is bleeding.





Stay down, Tomas!





They bring out the stretcher.





Clemmer starts warming up. I bet he's glad he didn't start!





All of the players are milling about very concerned. It was very quiet and scary.





After about 10 minutes, they wheel Vokoun off and clean off the ice. I have to say even for the horrible attendance, I was proud of the volume of the cheers we gave Vokoun as he was taken off the ice. It was the first and hopefully the last time I've seen that.





Clemmer is now seeing some action.





Attendance was so bad I was worried they wouldn't have enough people to hold up the Mooooose! signs. They did though.





Clemmer making a save.





Besides the horrific Vokoun injury, the first period was entertaining. The Thrashers were outshot 12 to 9 and the game was tied at 2-2 going into the second period.


Second Period!


Clemmer on our end. I like his yellow stick.





Clemmer pouring some for his injured homie.





Get in there, Thor!





And he did! Thor scored. Woot Woot!





Peverley working hard in front of the net.





The Russians are coming! Actually 2 Russians and a Kazakh.





Clemmer trying to see around that particular Kazakh.





Clemmer watching the video replay.





More watching.





Some action in front of Clemmer.





Kaptain Kovy.





Max getting ready for the face off.





Clemmer tracking the puck.





I love this picture! See the puck in the air in front of the Florida player?





Wow, they really have hit bottom when finding ways to entertain during intermission. So now they can entertain AND advertise. Applebee's is a Thrashers sponsor, to they dress people as menu items and have them run around an obstacle course.
The chicken fajita wrap is in the lead.





The ribs and the filet are having some problems.

Fortunately the second period was not as exciting or as frightening. The Thrashers took the lead with Thor's goal, but Florida tied it up and we headed into the 3rd period tied at 3-3


Third period!


Hainse's customary 3rd period stretch.





Moose tracking the puck.





Pevs is so fierce at face offs, he doesn't win them...the other guy just gives up.





Moose getting his pad over to make a save.





Can you ever have too many drinking Moose pictures? We all know the answer to that.





Moose on the bench for the extra attacker. I didn't think Florida was ever gonna get a penalty.





In the final seconds of the game (5.6) Mad Max scored and put the Thrashers ahead!
Thrashers win!!
Hainsey: Sorry about that goal that deflected off of me.
Moose: That happens a lot with us.
Hainsey: Yeah, I'm sorry.
Moose: Hey, at least you didn't hit me in the ear!





Everyone comes to congratulate the Moose.





Third Star...ERIC BOULTON!





Second Star: NIK ANTROPOV!





First star: MAX AFINOGENOV


Thrashers win so we probably had a guest at the post game show. I however did not go. I took MARTA and since it was a Monday I didn't want to get down there too late and be the only person down in the bowels of MARTA.

Reports are that Vokoun is fine. There was no inner ear damage and he flew home with the team after getting some stitches. He should be back in net as soon as he can fit his mask over his stitched ear. He is also telling Ballard "no hard feelings." I'm sure there will be some nice gifts and dinners in Vokoun's future.