Playoff Action...ECHL Style!!!!

Well the Thrashers are finished for the season, but that's not my only source for live hockey. Out in the burbs, we have the Gwinnett Gladiators, our ECHL team. I'm embarrassed to say I've been here almost 8 years and have not been to a game yet.


It's really embarrassing because this team is technically how I got my start as a hockey team. From 1995 to 2002 the team was known as the Mobile Mystics. What is a mystic? It's actually a tie in to Mobile's history with Mardi Gras. If you didn't know this, Mobile had the first Mardi Gras in the United States. A lot of the Mardi Gras societies refer to themselves as the Mystics of this and Mystics of that.


Our mascot was Puck the Mystic dragon. I went to several games while they were in Mobile and discovered that this was the coolest sport EVER! Good times!







I moved to Atlanta in 2001 and the Mystics followed me and moved up here becoming the Gwinnett Gladiators in 2003. I live in the city and they are out in Gwinnett so it's not easy for me to get out there for a game, especially on a week night with the traffic. The Glads are in the first round of the playoffs though and I'm desperate for hockey, so I finally made it out to a game. The Gladiators were taking on the Florida Everblades in round one of the Kelly Cup.




Best thing about watching new teams....new fresh goalie meat :) Before I went to the game, I'd been studying up on the teams and players.


My husband commented "the demographics of fans for this game are a bit different." Just a little different, but they know their hockey. The crowd turn out was abysmal and I was kind of worried. I found out that it was opening day for the Gwinnett Braves, the Atlanta Braves minor league team, and that's why attendance was bad. I was told games frequently sold out and usually had good attendance. We sat by the scariest fans ever. One guy really scared me. He had the loudest voice I'd ever heard and CONSTANTLY yelled stuff at the players...ours and the other team.
Fallon would make a save the the guy would yell "DENIED" (I kind of liked that one)
Then there would be individual heckles for each player.
The guy really scared me...oh wait...IT'S A WOMAN!!! Holy crap. WOW.
Words just can't do him..I mean her justice.



Josh Johnson in warm ups.











Hello Joe Fallon.
Goalie...check
fun mask...check
cute....doesn't matter it's a goalie but he IS pretty cute check
new crush...CHECK!











Sorry sweetie, closing your eyes isn't going to make that scary man/woman go away. Maybe he needs to borrow some of Kari's eye juice.







I liked his mask because it had the Blackhawks logo on one side and a little Snoopy as Joe Cool on the back.

Some info on my new crush:

Joe was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the sixth round (#167 overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He played four years of college hockey for the University of Vermont. Holds the Catamounts' all-time record with 20 shutouts, and also holds the school's single-season record of six shutouts. Nice stats Joe.

The guys warming up Johnson.

Game time!

A shot of the other side and top of Joe's mask. I love the way the top looks like an old school lace-up jersey.

Some action heading down to the Everblades side of the ice.

Bringing the action back down to Fallon.

The Everblades celebrating a goal...BOOO!

Does it get any better than a mascot riding a hummer shooting Tshirts with a cannon??? This is Maximus, the Gladiators mascot.

So it's 2nd period and it's time for the Everblades to be on our side.

Hello there!!!

Welcome to the this side of the ice David Leggio.

Face off

A shot of Leggio's mask.

Every time the action would come towards our end, chick/man/fan would bellow "THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU LEGGIO." I bet he hears that in his nightmares for months.

Leggio doing some stretches.

The boys had some stuff to talk about.

ECHL goalies are thirsty, too.

Getting ready for more action.







Third period and Fallon is back in my end.

and he's thirsty. He flips his lid more than any goalie I've ever seen. Maybe he doesn't like to wet the mask, maybe he hasn't mastered drinking through the mask, not sure, but every stoppage, he flips his mask up. How weird that I notice these things.

The Everblades were up 2-0. The Gladiators tied it up, but the Everblades pulled ahead. The Gladiators also lost Sunday, so that means they are out of the Kelly Cup run :( I'll definitely be back next season though. I figure I can make some of the weekend games that don't conflict with the Thrashers schedule.

Let's go Glads!