Thrashing the Blues in Atlanta

Hockey in Atlanta, y'all! I was thrilled to be invited to join my friends David and Ritchie and their friend Lisa at an Atlanta Thrashers (pro hockey) game last weekend! I had never been to a pro hockey game before. My only experience was an Olympic match between the USA and Slovakia a couple of years ago.

It was a first-time experience for me also to be inside Philips Arena, where the Hawks and the Dream also play pro basketball. It's a beautiful facility, and it sure didn't hurt to find ourselves seated in the Club Seat section with access to fancy restaurants, private bar, and extra-comfortable seats. Woo-hoo! No hot dogs for us, but instead I had fish tacos from the Atlanta Fish Market between periods two and three.

The match itself was also fun, as Atlanta took on the St. Louis Blues. Both teams had so-so records, so they were actually well-matched. The Blues took a two-point lead in the second period, but the Thrashers came back to tie it up in the third, throwing them into a five-minute overtime of four-on-four (plus goalie), which then led into a shootout, where the Thrashers WON!

Whenever the Thrashers scored, a giant Thrasher-head (bird) would come down from the ceiling and shoot out flames. It was quite impressive. The team mascot is "Thrash," who was hanging around just waiting to have his picture taken with us before the game! (Notice David covering up his St. Louis Blues shirt under his jacket.) Thrash is quite tall, and he sure can dance, too!

There just might be more hockey in my future, as the guys go to several games a season. Stay tuned.