Devils left out in the cold as Thrashers win 7-1
Saturday night as I was driving up Marietta Street on my way home from the game, I noticed a Salvation Army truck motoring down the road. As it passed by, I thought to myself that it was probably an emergency shipment of sweaters and coats being rushed down to Satan and his band of demons…because Hell has officially frozen over.
Why do I say this? Well…where do I begin?
First of all, there was this 7-1 beat-down of the New Jersey Devils that had just taken place down at Philips Arena. The Thrashers had jumped all over them like the visiting in-laws would your holiday dessert tray. And much like those tasty Christmas treats, when they were through all that remained were crumbs thrown all about the place.
It was as if they’d ripped the number 17 off an old Ilya Kovalchuk jersey left over in the supply closet and tossed it up on the scoreboard…backwards.
But that’s really not all that bizarre mind you. I mean, a good team is supposed to take care of business at home when the second-worst team the league pays you a call. Especially when said team had just been beaten up the night before by the Nashville Predators.
Eric Boulton reacts to scoring his first ever hat trick. Yeah...it was so bizarre that even the ref had to turn and see if was #36 that scored again (AP Photo/David Goldman)
But the victory, coupled with the Washington Capitals 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, allowed Atlanta to not only take over sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division, but they will awake Sunday morning to find themselves firmly ensconced in the second spot overall in the Eastern Conference. Washington, on the other hand, will find themselves in third place in the division…tied with Tampa Bay but having played 2 more games than have the Lightning. The Caps are now seventh in the conference.
I’ll now pause to give you a moment to collect yourselves after dealing with that little piece of 411
All in all…just about everything that could go right this night did go right. About the only thing that did not is that Miss GritsandPucks didn’t win the Two Minute Drill contest. Too bad kid, maybe next time.
Also consider this…with the six-goal victory, the Thrashers now are a +12 in goals for/goals against this season. Consider that the year they actually played beyond the mandatory 82 game minimum, the Thrashers were merely a +1 in that stat. They were +6 the season prior to that, the highest it’s ever been to finish a season.
Then there is the fact that Ron Hainsey finally got off Schnide Island by opening up the night’s scoring. Very fitting given his picture was on the cover of the game program.
Hmmm…I wonder if we can find a way to get Tim Stapleton on Tuesday night’s handout.
Just prior to Hainsey’s score, an Atlanta Police squad car had flashed its way near the ice from the tunnel where the Zamboni normally comes out of. Out from the back popped Thrash, who had just been sprung from the Gwinnett County lockup. I guess the transfer was made somewhere in DeKalb County.
But even witnessing a jailbird fly the coop and be rushed rink side wasn’t the most unusual occurrence on this winning night.
No…what made this evening go from odd, to weird, to bizarre to something akin to an artic blast in the underworld was Eric Boulton scoring not once…not twice…but thrice, causing the hats of Thrasherville to fly out of the stands down into the ice. They were goals number two, three and four for Bolts on the year and now moves him to with just four of Ilya Kovalchuk’s total for the season.
“I honestly did not believe I would get that last one”, Boulton said after his first-ever multi-goal game. “I thought this was too good to be true”.
Boulton finished the game a +3 and is now a +10 overall. In fact, he is the lone player remaining in the league who has yet to finish a game on the wrong side of the +/- rating.
Since Boulton had taken on the role of goal scorer Saturday night, Rich Peverley decided to play the part of the tough guy and took on Travis Zajac in the third period of the 7-1 win against the New Jersey Devils (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Making matters even that much stranger-er-er was the fact that Rich Perverley ended up in the sin-bin for five minutes after a fight with Travis Zajac. Really now, if I were to have pointed at both Peverley and Boulton before the game and said, ”One will get into a pretty good fight and the other would notch a hat trick”, how many of you would have figured it would turn out the way it did?
looking around the blogosphere…Uh-huh, me either.
The loss and his team’s ever-deteriorating season left former Thrasher Ilya Kovalchuk using words like “embarrassing”, “unacceptable” and “Everything went wrong”.
Of course, nothing Kovy said there about him team after a game is truly remarkable. He could have used those exact same words many times over during his time here. Glad to see he packed them in his bags with him last February and has found good use for them.
When asked his thoughts on the position he now finds himself in, he quipped, “Yeah, I mean, what do you think. We’re still100 points out of the playoffs”.
Well, really maybe only 70 or so. But we get the point.
As loud as the booing was for Kovy from most of the season-high crowd of 17,024, there were plenty of “Moose” calls for another former Thrashervillian, Johan Hedberg. Moose came on in relief of Martin Brodeur after captain Andrew Ladd put the Thrashers up 4-0 in the second period.
Yes, the “Booooooooooo”s for Kovy were loud, as were the “Mooooooooooooose” calls for Hedberg. But it was Eric Boulton and the now-first place in the southeast and second place in the east Atlanta Thrashers that are making most of the noise in the hockey world these days.
Boultsy with a hat trick…the Thrashers beat the Devils by six…Hainsey off The Schnide…Atlanta fans cheering for a New Jersey backup goalie…Atlanta scoring 12 more goals than they’ve allowed all year…the Thrashers atop the division and second in the conference almost halfway through the season…Atlanta on an11-2-2 tear over the past month or so…and a large rowdy crowd at Philips Arena, all beginning to believe the playoffs this spring are a real possibility.
My goodness. I hope that Salvation Army truck got where it was going…’cuz el Diablo must simply be shivering.
What’s that I see Mr. Devil…a snowflake? Better bundle up…it’s gonna be a long winter.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
106 comments Add your comment
Tom
December 19th, 2010
1:01 am
First on a great thread! What a game and what a night!
Tom
December 19th, 2010
1:06 am
Here is my question and it is a serious one.
Who would you rather have on your team, Eric Boulton or Ilya Kovalchuk?
Boulton is +10 with 4 goals, Kovalchuk is -21 and has 8 goals.
Bolts is cheap and year to year. Kovy is 15 years and 100 million dollars in the hole.
Honestly, I think the Thrashers are better off with Eric Boulton in their line up than Ilya Kovalchuk.
That is something I never would have imagined…
Eric Boulton
December 19th, 2010
1:09 am
Tom,I may be cheap….but I’m NOT easy.
Nuts for Boults
December 19th, 2010
1:17 am
I am just glad I witnessed the Boulton hat trick.
LAC
December 19th, 2010
1:21 am
Great Game & Great Crowd, But TSN story seems to dampen things. Seems the NHL will not stand by Atlanta like in Phoenix… Sorry to see, hope NOT true, but Bill Daley seems to think hockey is over here for good.
The look on old worn out #17 was priceless, just priceless, he looked wreched, haggared and just plum Stunned, I really wonder if he now knows he made a BIG mistake, The Thrashers will win The Cup before any old worn out NJ team does, they are toast and so is #17, glad to see he is STILL a solid COASTER !
Alan R.
December 19th, 2010
1:29 am
Ilya Yashinchuk.
SomaAtl95
December 19th, 2010
1:33 am
This victory brought to you by the number 7 and the phrase “Kiss our FIRST CLASS @SSES #17″
What a complete joy to see. Was telling Mr Heat Miser the other day that it would be fitting to leap into first place over the Caps by beating IK. Hows Karma now #17? Funny when that big steamer that you took on Atlanta fans with your lies last season comes back to you. #17 shall now be known as “The Newark Steamer”
GO THRASHERS!!
Nate
December 19th, 2010
1:33 am
LAC – I wouldn’t be too worried about it right now. 17,000 plus has to be near the top of any Thrashers December home game in the last five years. It will only get better in January and February as football season ends if the team keeps winning. Hard to justify moving a team drawing that well even if it is in the south. Plus, as others have pointed out, the buyout clause for the Philips deal is enormous making it difficult to move the Thrashers (or Hawks for that matter).
Brendan
December 19th, 2010
1:34 am
It is amazing that Boulton has yet to have a minus game, this season. I didn’t know he was the only player in the NHL for whom that stat is true. Good for Boulton. The Greek Gods line has a great game.
If it were Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and it were tied, late in the 3rd period or in overtime, and my favorite team was slated to go on the Powerplay … and I had to pick four forwards and a defensemen, NHL-Wide, to be on that ice … in that situation … I can guarantee you … I’d never pick Eric Boulton. I would, without hesitation, put out Ilya Kovalchuk. Who has scored more goals, since 2001, than Kovalchuk? Someone will chime in, “Jerome Iginla, of course.” And that’s not really the point, now is it? If you’re looking for a gamebreaker, a sniper … a multi-million dollar piece of talent … you’d include Ilya Kovalchuk in the discussion.
Rawhide, I peeked out my window for signs of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but found none. So, everyone who bet the world would end before Boulton got a “hat trick” … owe Vegas some money.
I didn’t much care for the “booing” of Ilya Kovalchuk, but then again, I am a gargartuan fan of “freedom of speech/expression,” so I cannot say anyone shouldn’t do it. I can merely be disappointed that they did. Like I am when they continue to yell “Knights!” during the anthem. And sometimes, I see a 11-year old doing it. Which prompts the question, “Were you even BORN when the Knights played at the Omni?” And the obvious answer is, “no.” Therefore, an 11-year old cannot be honoring his time-tested, pattented tradition, carried over from his support of the IHL and the Atlanta Knights Hockey Club. He wasn’t even in his mother’s stomach. “Monkey see, monkey do,” I guess. Now, if we could only get the monkey mimics to scream something useful. That continues to be my wish.
Great win, Thrashers! Wonder if Ilya is spending the night at his lavish mansion, here in Atlanta?
Rawhide
December 19th, 2010
1:45 am
Rawhide, I peeked out my window for signs of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but found none. So, everyone who bet the world would end before Boulton got a “hat trick” … owe Vegas some money.
Brendan – Ya know…I spoke with Anthony Stewart after the morning skate. We got around to his hat trick in SoCal earlier in the season and I told him about the little cyber-wager we had about who was going to notch the first hat trick and when it might come. When I told him no one guessed his name, he responded by telling me that was “surprising”. After all, he told me, he DID have all of 4 goals coming into the season. So why would anyone count him out of that consideration?
Maybe I should ask Boulton what he thinks about not being anyone’s guess in the “Which Thrasher will Score a Hat Trick”contest this fall.
Sure, he wasn’t the first, but who woulda thunk he and Stewey would be the first two?
Strange times,my friend…strange times.
Smoothie
December 19th, 2010
2:17 am
Every miss begins with K!
Lrts hope the weird carom off the end boards that resulted in Boults’ first, and probably last, hat-trick has officially negated the bad karma that has hung like a dark, hopeless pall over this franchise since April 12th, 2007. Yeah, Moose was “in net” then too. When the Devil comes down to Georgia and gets his horns handed to him by the long arm of Ten Gallon Dick Peverley, you best believe the curse has been reversed…fo’ shizzle my Blueland bizzle!
_evils_fan – cuz ur team has no ‘D’, whatta ya think of Kovy and his -21 now?
litz
December 19th, 2010
2:28 am
You know … I went and read through that TSN article ( http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=345914 ) …
1) there is nothing new in there .. it’s full of rehashed quotes, etc.
2) read the comments – nothing but quebec whiners and people telling ‘em where to stick it
3) as DW pointed out … until you can figure out how to move the building with the team, the team is not moving (the financial hit for buying out Philips is something like 80-100mil)
I still say – watch the Islanders in 2015, if the municipality up there continues to refuse to build a new arena …
R. Stroz
December 19th, 2010
3:20 am
It’s just a shame no one had a Mickey Mouse hats with those big ears to toss on the ice when Boulton scored his third goal.
That would have been PRICELESS!
Cornbread
December 19th, 2010
4:22 am
The Boulton – Slater – Thorburn line is the best fourth line in the NHL.
Eric Boulton is one Hell of a hockey player.
Ben
December 19th, 2010
5:29 am
Why are people hating on Kovy? He was, and still is, the best player this franchise has ever had. And what did we reward him with? He gave us his all for seven or eight years, and what did we ever give him? A good supporting cast? No. When he left us, it didn’t look like we were going anywhere. Who could blame him? Do people not realize how long almost a decade is? Granted, I’m kind of off and on with hockey, so maybe there is something I’m missing. And you can tell how humble he still is by his comments on expecting to get booed. Makes me sad…
MRE
December 19th, 2010
6:15 am
BEN—He was offered a much better deal than the one he finally signed to stayin ATL and thumbed his nose at it. Thats where most of the angst comes from.
ben
December 19th, 2010
6:34 am
hey Ben, bro we gotta work out who is who here. So hows about I go by lc_ben, or just ben? Anywho, as I’ve said before I think it’s just a bunch of 51st State whining. Why can’t Bettman drag the Maple Leafs management into his office and make them get more competitive? I bet most of this crap disappears if the Leafs got a lot better. Anywho great win! Watch for the Isles to stay right where they are. Moving that team to Vegas or KC does nothing in the long term. Because they’ll just keep right on sucking there, and that would be a lot of egg on the NHL’s face.
lola
December 19th, 2010
6:47 am
What a night indeed. I’m like little Susie from Miracle on 34th Street when dreaming about Santa Claus: “I believe. I believe. I know it’s silly, but I believe!” lola has always believed in ERIC BOULTON!!! who says after the game: “This is only the beginning, so here we go.” GO THRASHERS!
Marcus Valdes
December 19th, 2010
8:36 am
Great post Rawhide. Here’s hoping we stay at #1 until the end of the playoffs!!!!
Rawhide's cat
December 19th, 2010
8:39 am
Brrrrrrr…hell isn’t…t-t-t-the…only…p-p-place…t-t-ttthat’s….c-c-c-cold. It’s s-s-s-still freaz-z-z-z-zing out here t-t-t-too.
C-c-c-can I p-p-p-please c-c-c-come inside…n-n-n-now?
rob
December 19th, 2010
8:48 am
I had to relive the excitement with the replay. What a game to have missed for the in laws party!!!! Anyway….fans? Who has fans? We have fans. Dyed in the wool true blue hockey fans. Boo’ed the bum Kovy, gave Moose a moment, and then threw their hats on the ice for one Eric Boulton! Who says the south knows nothing about the game and it doesn’t belong here? Keep the freight train in motion boys….and don’t look back at the carnage being left behind by YOUR ATLANTA THRASHERS!!!!!!!!!!!
How you like me now? Click click BOOM!
suzy-q
December 19th, 2010
8:49 am
When will the sweater number 17 be assigned to a new Thrasher? I hope soon.
Glad this game is over. We beat them, IK said appropriate words, Moose was honored, first place in division today and Thrash is sprung from Gwinnett sin-bin. Now …..
Good Morning Maple Leafs!
Hoof Arted
December 19th, 2010
9:00 am
I went straight home from the game and went to bed. I was tired. But I get up this morning to flip through the sports pages on the internet to find our BlogMaster was posting a new entry for us around 1 o’clock in the ever loving morning? Simply the hardest working man in blogbusiness.
What was that final vote selection in the previous blog, “Kovy who”? Very appropriate after last night’s showing I’d say.
I think they should raise the #17 Kovalchuk Thrashers jersey to the rafters of Philips Arena. Yes, I really do. Right in front of where one of the Thrashe heads spew fire. That way the next time we score a goal, poof, up in flames it goes.
Eric Boulton? Are you serious, Eric Boulton? The hockey gods must finally be smiling on us. Really though I’m happy for him. He’s been one of our hardest workers and I’m glad to have seen this happen for him.
World Be Free
December 19th, 2010
9:05 am
LAC-TSN has NEVER supported hockey in Atlanta for one minute, especially when there are Canadian cities that would love the steal this franchise. So their “report” is not surprising. The Canadian media is much more slanted that U.S. media, which is why I learned to ignore them long, ong ago. And why won’t Bettman support the game here if he already has in Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Nashville and Buffalo? He seems like a consistent guy.
World Be Free
December 19th, 2010
9:11 am
lola-that was your early Christmas present.
Does Bolts read Rawhide’s blog? I called out Boulton earlier in the week for his lackluster play, lack of hitting. I was unaware at the time that he was a + player, which is an achievement even though he usually plays against the other team’s 4th line. Guess he saw the light and went back to crashing the net. Good things happen when you go to the net.
If there was a game I should have made, it was last night’s game. Oh well, at this pace, I hope we have many more just like it. I think we should all now be over Kovalchuk, cuz he is just another opposing hockey player now. The Kovalchuk Era in Atlanta has been put to rest.
Jake
December 19th, 2010
9:11 am
Seems that the point about Kovalchuk is, “Does he make the players around him better?” And the conclusion would have to be no. Yes, he’s a great individual player, but it’s a team game and it appears that neither he nor his coaches have been able to integrate him into a productive team concept.
Fause
December 19th, 2010
9:11 am
Note to Ilya,
If the Devil offers you $100. million, it comes with a catch. Been there, done that. signed, your friend. Faust.
mike
December 19th, 2010
9:12 am
great win. major point after 2 years of searching nobody want to invest to keep thrashers in atlanta. what this mean? no money to resign star players like buff., endst., pav. to big contracts. what it’s mean? people leaving thrashers, again bad team and finally relocation. could happen in two years. even sold out building not going to replace real money from investors or new buyers needed to make franchise stay here. so far rich folks including blank not interesting and this is no good.
Lee
December 19th, 2010
9:13 am
Heck of a game last night….and the Boo’s and the Moose’s were loud too. Best of all, Boults got the trick! I didn’t really care if the goal was good, bad, or ugly, it still counts and he deserves every bit of it….
Zoomo
December 19th, 2010
9:18 am
ALl I can say is “that was FUN”! Always nice to get an easy one. Loved the Kane>Stewart>Kane goal. Happy for Boults. Great guy. Loved Darren Eliot’s comment after the 3rd goal “you might as well throw hard hats”.
I didn’t boo Kovy. Hate the way it ended here. Like where things are now.
Kovy was a good solidier while he was here. And a very good person off the ice – as I was reminded last night by a story from a pal about Kovy going to the hospital to spend a few hours with a terminal kid that loved the Thrashers. He did a lot of that – without much prompting and with zero publicity.
hoosier_hoser
December 19th, 2010
9:57 am
I sit behind the Devil’s attacking goal in the 1st and 3rd. I haven’t rewatched the match yet, but Kovy was a threat every time he had time and space. He was fast, he had a good handle on the puck and his shot always targeted a scoring area.
I was surprised that when the puck was on the right, the PK point of the Thrashers moved back into the slot. Kovy had a lot of ice to receive a clear pass and get off a 1-timer. On his goal Slater couldn’t possibly get from the slot to mark Kovalchuk.
Watching from the Thrasher perspective, Kovy is superb offensive talent. His +/- speaks to the rest of his game.
Largo65
December 19th, 2010
10:07 am
Hilarious, one win against an aging team and all of a sudden the fans of this joke franchise are planning the Stanley Cup parade route. The ONLY reason 17,000+ fans showed up to that game was for one reason only, Ilya Kovalchuk. So it seems that fans are not interested in watching anyone in the current roster play, only a former player who they show up to boo. This is Atlanta’s second kick at the NHL can and once again fans are staying away in droves. This team will go the way of the Flames before long.
Tony B
December 19th, 2010
10:09 am
People of Atlanta.
If you love this team, and want to keep it here, you need to get out and buy some tickets. Last night, I took two extra people, and they had a blast. I would encourage all fans to do the same. This city needs to show the NHL it will support a team. Attendance is on the rise, and I was very encouraged by last nights crowd. We are in first place, and there are no excuses. If you have problems with the ASG or DW, well stand in line, But don’t let that stop you from supporting the team. I have made a commitment to be in the building for every game. If 9000 others will do the same and bring one person along for the ride, then Canada can go find someone else to bother.
This team is for real. It has that magic season feel, much like the 1991 Braves. The talk is no longer can we sneak into the playoffs. Its no longer can we win a playoff game. Its no longer can we actually win one playoff series. No,the expectations now are, Can we win the Stanley Cup.? Read it again, Can we win the Stanley Cu?p. Because that is the new standard for which this team must strive. Amazing to even see those words.
Go Thrashers.
World Be Free
December 19th, 2010
10:14 am
Tony B-great post, well stated
World Be Free
December 19th, 2010
10:16 am
Largo65-have a rgeat holiday season
Tony B
December 19th, 2010
10:19 am
So Largo65, so do you want to add Detroit, Washington, Colorado, San Jose, Boston, Montreal (do I need to keep going here) as aging teams the Thrashers have beaten. Really dude, you need to look up you facts before you spew you stupidity to the world.
I bet your from Canada. Or New Jersey.. .
Heather
December 19th, 2010
10:22 am
It seemed like the guys were taking it easy on Moose when he first came in. Any chance you can get any comments from anyone on that? I really miss the Moose and it seems like the guys do, too.
World Be Free
December 19th, 2010
10:30 am
Not sure if they were Heather. Maybe they were savings their strength for the coming week, 3 games in 4 nights leading up to the break. Tronna will be in a bad mood, St. Louis then Boston. Hope to see good support Tuesday against the Blues.
BeerDawg
December 19th, 2010
10:32 am
Kovy is to the Thrashers what Vick is to the Falcons. Forget about him people, bygones….if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have Buff, Ladd, etc. Move on!
My biggest worry is keeping the Thrashers here!!! All the regular fans need to take friends and family who don’t know hockey. What’s worse than bad hockey?….NO Hockey!! Boulton was right at the interview at the end of the game, they’re just gettin started….Come to the games!!!!
English Teacher
December 19th, 2010
10:38 am
What a remarkable season so far! The 11-2-2 stat just blows my mind. I’ve been saying all along that I’d rather have a TEAM of hard-working guys with heart than a one-way, cherry picking, “superstar.” I hope I’m proven right in the spring!
I’m very, very proud of the Thrashers.
jen
December 19th, 2010
10:39 am
Said it on the other blog and I’ll say it here. We have the best 4th line in hockey right now. I love how balanced this team is. I really hate that Bergie is on the clock now. I still don’t get why you sit the 3rd place scorer on the team for Freddy Modin
razorneck13
December 19th, 2010
10:39 am
Yeah, we’re in another dimension, we went through some kinda vortex at some point. Last night solidified that simpleton’s armchair theory hypothesized only with bogus scientific evidence. Still waiting to see Rod Serling in the booth on Sports South. Anywho…
This season everyone’s important, everyone’s relied on AND they’re pretty much ALL impressive…Rammer’s system works and the team knows that. I’d imagine that their collective momentum is soaring, this is seemingly sustainable play too. Beautiful, seriously I’m almost misty eyed over here.
Back to the odd stuff. We annihilate consistently, NJ with Kovy stink joints up consistently. One of our best lines is our 4th (I LOVE em, currently the baddest grinders on the block), they’ve got Bolts scoring a hat trick. Our attendance and atmosphere grew exponentially last night (maybe from NJ and Kovy, but I hope that’s not it) . Buff is beyond an all-star caliber defenseman, I’d say others besides just Enstrom are all-star ballot material too (PAVS, PEVS, LADD, KANE, IMHO). Thrashers lead division and are 2nd in the East. Our special teams especially our PP are amongst the very best. I could go on and on, but I digress. How does this not seem surreal?
Stuck in NJ
December 19th, 2010
10:40 am
While I’m as excited that the Thrasher’s are in first place and its a helluva an accomplishment, we have played 2 or more games than the Lightning, Hurricanes, Bruins and Habs. Until the number of games played evens out, being in first is somewhat illusionary.
Is it just me or does it seem to anyone else that thrasher’s have a more hectic schedule in the first half of the season. I guess it is better to have more of your back-to-back games early when you think about the grind of the whole season.
Mrs. Zoomo
December 19th, 2010
10:46 am
Adding to what BeerDawg said..if it wasn’t for Vick the Falcons wouldn’t have Matt Ryan.
What a fun game to watch! And we love Eric Boulton so it was great to see him get the Hat Trick. And it was little Zoomo’s first live Hat Trick. All in all a great night!
DWTOO
December 19th, 2010
10:52 am
Please return to your mother’s basement now, Largo. Your moment in the sun, along, with your witty comments, are OVER!
A Pev’s fight and a Bolts hat trick and 17,000 fans cheering for the same team! Along with the nice bottle of vodka from the tailgate white elephant exchange all in all a good night.
razorneck13
December 19th, 2010
10:54 am
I feel bad for Kovy, I know, I know…you don’t. Is it wrong that I kinda felt happy for him when he scored one goal in a clearly lost game during a debacle of a season? I wasn’t rooting for NJ, but I really hate it for him, again not regarding his paycheck, just his situation. I hope he’s not getting all the flack from NJ fans for their lack of quality hockey, he was the only impressive one out there last night for them.
Ditto that for Brodeur (I’d like to see him go out in a manner that doesn’t involve a monolithic drop in the quality of his play). I know I’m a sap…insert chastising here.
LET’S GO THRASHERS!!! (Sincerely)
moriler
December 19th, 2010
10:54 am
Fourth lines… fourth lines. Sherman, set the Wayback Machine. Where have I seen this 4th line before?
I’m thinking of a fourth line in a particular franchise, one that had been mocked for more than 20 years. This line had an undersized, quick-skating center, an enforcer with just enough hands to hold the stick in the right direction best 2 out of 3, and another big, physical guy with surprisingly better scoring talent than you’d think; he was never flashy, but somehow he managed to be in the right place a lot. It was the “energy line” for that team; the coach also believed in rolling 4 lines and expecting them all to do everything on every shift, especially play defense.
The center for that line suffered a major injury one year as well, but they came back the next playing even better. In fact, the enforcer was the one who scored the Cup-winning goal for them at the very end of that season.
Anyone else remember that line?
Archie Bunker
December 19th, 2010
11:09 am
I have a hangover and lost my voice BUT it is well worth it ! Thanks Santa !
Flagstaff
December 19th, 2010
11:18 am
Moral of the story: the Salvation Army is run by Satanists.
A27
December 19th, 2010
11:25 am
Awsome game…. Funny thing is I turned to my brother and said “if Boulton scores a hat trick the ice will crack open and hell will spew out.” Ha what game…what a night and what a hangover. GO THRASHERS!!!
Rhythmnpenguin
December 19th, 2010
11:31 am
After Boulton’s first goal I turned to my girlfriend and said, “You know, the biggest insult would be if Boulton scored a hat trick”…and the rest is history!
Phil Foley - Atlanta Thrashers Examiner
December 19th, 2010
11:49 am
World Be Free – that TSN report is just the AP story from Charles Odum based in Atlanta. The most important part of the whole article was buried in the last two graphs. Right now, it’s all about the naming rights.
There’s nine seasons left on the agreement with Philips, worth about $75 million. Any discussion to sell the team and move it comes at a premium at this point in time. That’s the main reason why they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
But if they continue to win, attendance won’t be an issue and Canada will move on to trying to steal the Florida Panthers out of the Miami market (unlikely) or another Sun Belt team. The Islanders aren’t going anywhere other than possibly Brooklyn when the Nets arena is built, if they can’t get a renovated arena on Long Island.
cousin Eddie
December 19th, 2010
11:52 am
A couple of points-
Liked when Opie made the comment about the score being 5-0 and the boys still blocking shots and still playing hard.
Liked all the hats in Boulton’s locker after the game. It had to put a huge smile on his face.
Don’t like that the SouthEast division is so tuff. Carolina will be right next to us with their games in hand. Florida’s points do not reflect how good they are playing now. I worry everytime we play them. Tampa is a really good team with rumors of Nabokov coming to town. We could actually see 5 SouthEast teams in the playoffs this year. How’s that possibility sound for those nagging Canadians.
cousin Eddie
December 19th, 2010
11:58 am
Would love to see the commercial “History will be Made” (Thrashers style) on the NHL channel.
Supes
December 19th, 2010
12:11 pm
I gotta say it was great to see the Thrashers lay the smackdown on the Devils last night.
Very happy to see some of the “grinders” have big games. I’m continually impressed with Kane’s development as an NHL player…I don’t know that he’ll be a “superstar” goal scorer but he’ll be one heck of a hockey player. Sweet assist to Thorns on the last goal, but that was a darn effort play…with the team up 6-1…speaks of the characters that coach Ramsey is installing into the young thrashers.
Another excellent game by Pavs at the net…I truly hope this is the season he becomes a top 10 NHL goalie.
OK last but not least…people booing Kovy, you all should be ashamed of yourselves. There were many times when I saw him busting his a&& for your Thrashers through seasons of mediocrity. Did he want out of Atlanta…yes, did he choose the Devils over our Thrashers, yes…but he gave us 8 years. He didn’t pull a Hossa (where u hop from team to team chasing a ring), he didn’t pull a Heatley (where he just cut and ran leaving us). He simply filled out his contract years and was going to be a FA….so Atlanta traded him.
Kovy did good things for the community, he was the face of the franchise. To be booed is low class and we are better than that (I can see some Yankee team doing that no problem b/c I expect less….)
As much as Moose was cheered people should have not booed Kovy. You don’t have to cheer for him, but the booing…lets all move on.
Spud Webb
December 19th, 2010
12:24 pm
ahahhahaah, largo, if thats the case, why didn’t 17,000 show up when Kovy played here? The point that it was jersey wasn’t the issue, the point that the thrashers are in 1st place is. It’s ok buddy, mis-placed the comics, tried to catch up on sports, i’ve seen it happen a million times on Sundays!! ahahhahah
English Teacher
December 19th, 2010
12:46 pm
The “Hockey Gods” smile upon gritty, hard work. Like the song says, “You Gotta Have Heart!”
glovesave29
December 19th, 2010
1:02 pm
WHY would Bettman fight for Phoenix and not Atlanta? Makes no sense.
Phil – totally disagree with you about the Isles. The Rangers will fight hard behind the scenes to keep the Isles out of their market just like the Maple Laughs did when Hamilton was trying to get the Yotes. Wang’s lighthouse project being rejected will lead to them vacating the area. Of the 3 NYC area teams – only the Rangers draw well. There are available seats for the Devils and Isles. Perhaps 3 teams is too much for that market in this economy. That being said, I can see Bettman fighting for them too. Expansion seems the only course of action for both Winnipeg and Quebec City.
rob
December 19th, 2010
1:09 pm
Tell Sopel how “nice” it was that Kovy scored!!!! Or how “mean” we are to boo our ex Captain. Anyone watch him chasing Ladd around throwing his checks as his feet left the ice or giving him the major league hacks?!?! Sopel threw his body in front of Kovy’s rocket slapshot without thought or consideration for the consequences….for the Thrashers. Ladd didn’t let Kovy’s child-like antics get under his skin, he kept his composure, kept playing the game, and scored one HELL of a goal…..for the Thrashers. We are the Thrashers…..a TEAM made up of some amazing guys brought together by THE coach. Everyone playing against this team deserves to be BOOED as loud and as frequently as possible……EVERYONE! Other GREAT players have suffered through horrible teams/owners and remained loyal, giving everything until it came back around……and that is why they were GREAT and why they are still worshipped by their teams/fans. So I will boo any and all players from the opposition every game they play us…..to do otherwise is a slap in the face to the players wearing the Thrashers jersey NOW and giving their all and making sacrifices NOW to make this team what it is. Brothers in Blue.
LET’S GO THRASHERS!!!!!!
Red Light
December 19th, 2010
1:09 pm
Thrashers are 7-1-1 in their last 9 homes games, and 11-2-2 in their last 15 overall since the Nov. 17 loss to Pittsburgh.
They’ve had 16 different goal scorers in the past 9 games.
Their top-6 defensemen have a collective 20 goals, 64 assists and a plus/minus rating of +18.
The Greek Gods line has 14 goals despite Boulton missing six games and Slater five.
Pavelec is 10-1-2 allowing only 19 goals and has a save percentage of .953 since Nov 19.
Chris Thorburn, Ondrej Pavelec and Dustin Byfuglien are the most pleasant surprises, IMO, during the first 34 games of the season.
Tom Lysiak
December 19th, 2010
1:10 pm
Gotta say that was a great game to attend. Crowd was good and getting into it more and more. It has been a long time since the “Let’s Go Thrashers” chant was going on in the Hawk Walk for several minutes after the game ended. Great to hear!
I was so glad for Boults too. Like Rhythm said above, I told my girlfriend after his 2nd goal that I would give anything for the hat trick for him. I didn’t realize he had never had an NHL multi-goal game before. If everyone tried like his line does, the sky could be the limit. Also loved hearing Ramsays post game later when he said he doesn’t tell Boulton and Thorburn to “just go and fight”. He said he tells them “to go and play”. You can tell they would go to war for Ramsay.
Also, I got a real chuckle out of Kovy saying afterwards that “This is just another game to me…”. With all those boos, the way things have flip-flopped for the two teams, and just the human nature of wanting to beat your former teams, you know that was salt poured in a very open wound. Karma?
World Be Free
December 19th, 2010
1:42 pm
Phil Foley-my distain for Canadian media outlets goes way beyond the TSN article. The anti-Atlanta BS has been flowing out of Canadian media for YEARS. It’s is nothing new and we are not alone. I saw the same garbage when I lived in Buffalo, when Hamilton wanted a hockey team, but their efforts were blocked because the Sabres were already in their backyard. “It’s all your fault that we don’t have a team” BS, especially when Canada lost 2 franchises in the 90’s for legitimate reasons.
So let’s go back to what you posted, the last 2 paragraphs of the article. Assuming all of this is correct, the liklihood of the Thrashers moving anytime soon is remote at best, which begs the question why we must continue to endure this garbage from people who continue to ingore the obvious? The Thrashers are working to regain the fanbase they lost – this isn’t just selling hockey to new fans. 60% of metro Atlanta are transplants, we grew up with hockey.
It would be nice if the media got it right for once.
Thrashers27
December 19th, 2010
1:53 pm
…soooo, holiday roster freeze goes into effect tonight. Anyone think we’ll see a move?
Obviously Duds is shopping Bergie, but what might we get in return?
Let’s hope he has something good up his sleeve!
Badger Bob
December 19th, 2010
2:09 pm
Unbelievable game!! RL, I’m definitely in the right seats now, as we are even getting featured on the AJC – photo #2 in the AJC slideshow is of Badger Bob, his lovely wife in the Santa hat just before I threw it over the glass to honor Sir Boulton, tax exemption #1 and friend: http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/sports/thrashers/devils-thrashers-121810/
This was so much better than even the 7-0 Kings beat down last year, because the Thrashers looked totally in control. This is vwhat Ramsay hockey looks like at it looks good. Best Thashers team ever!
Very cool to have people chanting OUTSIDE the arena after the game. And more than one vevuzela in attendance, but my count…
R. Stroz
December 19th, 2010
2:25 pm
There were no vuvuzelas last night, only elongated collapsible bullhorns.
lola
December 19th, 2010
2:38 pm
RStroz: Oh there was definitely at least one vuvuzela over in 306 — Luckily, I got upgraded for 3rd period to Center Ice for my man’s hat trick! Always nice to see you and especially Mrs. Stroz!
Cornbread
December 19th, 2010
2:52 pm
Rawhide- Hell definitely froze over last night when I made the Kiss Cam. And no, I wasn’t wearing any Devil jerseys.
Phil Foley - Atlanta Thrashers Examiner
December 19th, 2010
3:05 pm
glovesave29 – I am not sure if the Rangers have a say about the Islanders moving to Brooklyn because they already are in the market. The one thing the Islanders do have working for them is the NYC TV market and contract, which is more lucrative than just about anywhere they’d travel to.
World – There’s one reason and one reason alone that the Canadian media keeps on printing this absolute garbage about the Thrashers leaving for Winterpeg or Quebec City — it sells papers. You don’t know how many times I’ve written contra-articles and gotten slammed by these poor Canadian sheeple for stating facts. They’ll ignore the obvious to keep the hopes and dreams of getting a hockey franchise in their backyard. Honestly, I think the league would expand to Houston and perhaps even Las Vegas or Seattle before they’d go to Winnipeg or Quebec City. It’s the cities that don’t make noise that get teams and Houston is a Top 10 US Media market with a deep corporate base.
Cornbread
December 19th, 2010
3:14 pm
Screw Kovy because that is what he did to the Thrashers the whole time he was in ATL. There’s a reason he was booed and people were chanting “we want the Moose”. The ex-Kapitan quit on his team and city last year at this time. He’s a one-man show. Always has been and I see no reason to suggest that will ever change. The Moose call was awesome! It sent a very loud and clear signal to the NHL. The Greek Gods are not mere fourth line mortals. I have not seen that much fan passion at a Thrashers game since game 2 of their last home playoff game. Atlanta knows hockey. The Let’s Go Thrashers!!! chant on the way out – as opposed to the visiting winning team fans rubbing salt – sent chills down my spine. This team is for real and Atlanta finally knows it. Last night was a game changer and quite possibly one of the most important games in the team’s history.
FormerIslesFan
December 19th, 2010
3:33 pm
I totally disagree with whomever was speweing that garbage up here about the fans only showing up to boo Kovy. Likely a comment made by someone who was not at the game.
Now, some general thoughts…
1. When I was picking up tickets before the game, the guy buying tickets next to me said that he wanted “two of the cheapest tickets available.” He was in shock when the person behind the counter that they only had $32 tickets left (and I must admit it put a smile on my face). And that was about an hour before they dropped the puck.
2. While I didn’t boo Kovy, I whole-heartedly support other fans’ right to do so. They paid their money and if that’s the way they want to express their opinion, so be it. And whomever made that comment about it must be something that only “Yankee” fanswould do, I can only say, “Seriously??” Come on, you can do better than that.
3. On a related note, I was surprised when my older “tax deduction” (as Rawhide refers to him) booed Kovy during the intros. When I asked him during the game why he did that, he said, “I boo all the opposing players during the intros. Once the game started, I couldn’t care less.” Mind you, he’s 12. THAT is a hockey fan.
4. I was among those that called out for “Mooooooooose” when he was announced as Now Playing and then promptly cheered every time the Thrashers scored on him. I must admit, I smiled when I saw some Hedberg quotes today that he acknowledged being “touched” by the way the fans called for him. If he heard it, you KNOW that Kovy heard what was being offered to him.
5. As much as there was a sea of Borg Red in attendance for the nearly sold-out Wings game, there were VERY few Devils’ fans in attendance last night. This was clearly a 17K strong THRASHERS’ crowd…and what a game to see!
6. I’ve been doing my best to try to introduce new fans to the game (and hooked my administrative assistant and her husband at the ‘Canes game earlier this week). I’m planning on using some of the Toys for Tots vouchers to bring hockey-virgins to some of the January games with me. What about you guys?? How many of you are doing your part to bring new people into the fold?
7. I have to admit it…after being at the ‘Canes game on Thursday and the game last night, I can honestly say that I’m surprised just how much Thrash really adds to the game atmosphere and what he does to pump up the crowd (especially the kids). Think what you want about it, but I fully support the “Free Thrash” ad campaign and think not only was it inspired marketting, but also think that it had an effect to boost attendance last night.
8. Bouton with a hat trick and Pevs with a fight? You know you’re in a new era of Thrashers hockey when…
9. Note to Mrs. Zoomo: Boult’s hat trick was the first time Lilibeter ever got to see a home hat trick too!!
Whew…that’s enought for now. I’ll quit before I take over Brendan’s Throne of Verbosity!! (that’s a compliment, Brendan).
Cornbread
December 19th, 2010
3:35 pm
Rawhide you definitely need to tell Boulton about the preseason Hat Trick wager. For the record I had Kane in game one. It almost happened. I’ll gladly trade that lost wager for the Hatty I witnessed in person last night.
Chris16
December 19th, 2010
3:36 pm
Great game Thrashers if we play like that the rest on the season we are we are going to be hard to beat. Kovy looked good he was in the zone just the rest of the devils were not. The devils looked like the old thrashers with kovy doing all the work. Way to go bolts hat trick if I was not at the game to see that I would have thought it was a miss print in the paper. Go thrashers
litz
December 19th, 2010
4:09 pm
“Kovy is superb offensive talent. His +/- speaks to the rest of his game.”
Which, in a nutshell, sums up his game w/us, too …
“speaks of the characters that coach Ramsey is installing into the young thrashers.”
This consistent gritty play that Ramsay is preaching is the key right now … it doesn’t matter if they’re down 0-4, or up 4-0 … they PLAY THE SAME GAME … and more importantly (of late) they have been playing it the full 60 (or 65) minutes, no matter the score.
4-0 just means you try for 5-0 … then 6-0 … etc.
Both Ramsay and Dudley are absolutely right : this team is freakin’ fun to watch.
Smoothie
December 19th, 2010
4:14 pm
Now that Thrash has been sprung from the pen, don’t you think it’s time for the ASG to TEAR DOWN THAT DAMN BLACK CURTAIN?!!
http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/jbartyhi/28353/
Rawhide
December 19th, 2010
4:15 pm
Cornbread – I had Kane too…against the CBJs if I’m not mistaken. Not only did he not score 3 that night, we were shutout.
Along with my brother and sis-in-law, I spent last night’s game with Smoothie and his lovey girlfriend [new blog username to came]. He and I noted that the black curtain of doom must be removed. The only way that’ll happen, of course, is for fans to sell out the 100s, 200s and 300s.
To that measure,he penned this fine piece: “Mr. Levenson, tear down this curtain“!
Rawhide
December 19th, 2010
4:22 pm
Smoothie – er, uh…ummmmmm….that was freaky.
Thrasher Backer
December 19th, 2010
4:38 pm
Nice write up! Great game! Still wondering what the deal is with Bergs and Eager. I think that the Burmi, Stapleton, Modin line was the only line to walk away without even a +1 last night…it just doesn’t justify sitting Bergs and Eager. It would have been the icing on the cake for Bergs to score last night…maybe snagging the puck from Kovey…
Matt
December 19th, 2010
4:44 pm
Have MY tix for the Maple Loafs and stRangers for next month. Tear down the wall!!!!
Smoothie
December 19th, 2010
4:44 pm
I’m watching your every move Rawhide…..
…..with Bogoooosian Eyes! They’re watchin’ you! :-p
Thanks for posting a link to my article. I linked ya back of course! Cuz U R DA MAN!!
Hopefully Thrash will get wind of it on the twitter and take up the flag of Blueland and get the message out that it’s time to TEAR DOWN THAT CURTAIN!!!
Smoothie
December 19th, 2010
4:45 pm
Oh yeah, almost forgot:
POM (mutha truckin’) POM!!!!
Rawhide
December 19th, 2010
4:50 pm
Smoothinator – POM-POM, indeed!
Thrasher Backer – Thanks, glad ya enjoyed it. As for Bergie, I think Rammer is looking to get a message through to him. Thinks he can work harder than he has been.Just my 2 cents.
Matt – Great…seeyou there.
Remember guys and gals…while Thrash may be free, the promo still is in. click –>HERE<-- and enter promo code RAWHIDE. See you at Philips!
waffleboy
December 19th, 2010
5:55 pm
In his second season w/ ATL Ilya was a -24. He’s now a -21. In New Jersey. With Martin Brodeur in net. I can’t believe Lou misplayed this so badly.
Incredible victory last night. The superlatives are not enough. Ramsay’s presser was priceless: “It’s how drew it up, bolts and thor score ho hum.”
Red Light
December 19th, 2010
6:16 pm
FIF…”there were VERY few Devils’ fans in attendance last night.”
There are only 15,000 Devils fans in the entire world, and probably only four in the Atlanta area. That in itself is reason to smile.
Was able to say Hello and be introduced to one of my favorite players of all time last night after the game…former Habs’ great Larry Robinson. Still floating on air, which is tough for me to do!
Red Light
December 19th, 2010
6:17 pm
LA Kings vs Chicago Blackhawks at 7 pm on NHL Network tonight. Should be an entertaining contest. Enjoy.
Rawhide
December 19th, 2010
6:31 pm
Red Light – That does look like a great game to watch…but I’ll be keeping my eye on the Caps-Sens game. Gotta root for Ottawa there.
BTW, it was great to seee you and meet the lovely Mrs. Red Light last night. I guess I missed my final score prediction by two or three goals, eh?
Your Mammy
December 19th, 2010
6:54 pm
That was the most amazing game in Blueland in quite some time. I love my Thrashers! (I heard a rumor Bob Hartley was in the house)
AtlFlamesFan
December 19th, 2010
7:10 pm
Yes, Hartley was sitting just to the left of the center-ice cameras.
rob
December 19th, 2010
7:26 pm
Next big goal scoring game like that start the cheer….1,2,3,4,5 WE WANT 6! Or whatever the numbers may be….and if they should do that, then obviously we want even MORE! LOL
Ramsey’s post game still admits there were breakdowns. A smile on his face but still saying we need to do more…….you HAVE to love this guy!!!! The team is flying and he says…..HIGHER!!!! Incredible how he can motivate a group of good guys to become what we are witnessing now. Imagine what is possible if he gets ahold of a young top gun, shoot out the lights, speed to burn kind of player?!?!?
Brendan
December 19th, 2010
10:43 pm
FIF, I’m just glad Thrash got free. Thrash said, “the food in the joint is pretty bad. But it’s nothing like that wicked peppersteak, in Joliet.” I guess Thrash was originally from Illinois?
Brendan
December 19th, 2010
10:44 pm
No, I have that wrong. He said the “Cook County slammer.” Joliet’s food was way better.
injunjoe
December 19th, 2010
11:28 pm
We had a great time last night Bill. Looking forward to being there Tuesday night. I’m bringing the Mrs. as well as my boss and his wife too. They are from Missouri he’s a Blues fan, but he said he just wants to see some good hockey as its been many years since he’s been to a game. Amazing to be at the game last night where the Twilight Zone seemed to be in effect. Boulton scores a hattie, Pevs involved in fisticuffs, the crowd yelling Mooooooooose in a Devils jersey. The place was just going nuts for the Thrashers. We are stoked and looking very much forward to Tuesday nights game.
Joliet Jake
December 19th, 2010
11:30 pm
Got any fried chicken?
Badger Bob
December 20th, 2010
12:57 am
Rammer speaks, the players respond. That’s refreshing in these parts.
During the Hurricanes post-game presser, he says guys need to just hold the puck in the Dzone if they can’t clear or pass it in their own end, and never just give it away. One glaring difference between Les Thrash and the sad Devils last night was their willingness to take a hit, get worked over, whatever, rather than giving away the puck. The boys are committed to his system and his rules.
Rammer understands hockey at a very fine level and can communicate it effectively. Has to be an early Jack Adams candidate. Probably did more to help Julien and Tortorella win theirs than was ever appreciated. Well done Rammer and go Thrash!
World Be Free
December 20th, 2010
7:40 am
Phil Foley-your Sunday 3:05PM post is right on the mark. It would be interesting to see if the league will expand to other top U.S. markets, forgoing the possibility of going to Winnipeg or Quebec City. Neither market has the base to support and NHL team under current conditions, I have been to both “cities”.
Zoomo
December 20th, 2010
7:43 am
We’re on a mission from God.
Rhythmnpenguin
December 20th, 2010
7:55 am
I was thinking about the NJ game (and Boult’s hat trick) last night, how before the game I would have bet any amount of money that Boult’s would never get a hat trick, and being really happy for him. This morning when I was laying in bed and still thinking about the hat trick I realized that it is probably one of my favorites in Thrashers history; the perfect player against the perfect team. It’s been good to be a Thrashers fan ever since Kane knocked out Cook. =)
Rhythmnpenguin
December 20th, 2010
8:00 am
Zoomo, the team will have to make a movie called “The Blue Land Brothers”
KLS1
December 20th, 2010
8:44 am
Great game but frankly a game this team should win…now that we have expectations and all!
Lets keep it rolling tonight! Go Thrash!
JB
December 20th, 2010
8:48 am
Rawhide. Great chatting with you in taco mac before the game. Hope to see you again soon. Nice to meet Smoothie as well.
FormerIslesFan
December 20th, 2010
8:59 am
Brendan: Thrash is putting the band back together…
World Be Free
December 20th, 2010
9:04 am
Badger, if you talk to Ramssay’s former teammates they will tell you he was a student of the game in the early 70’s. His coaching style and professionalism have been a work in progress for many years. He has Punch Imlach’s eye for detail, with a Craig Ramsay delivery. Never gets too excited or upset.
jwizzle
December 20th, 2010
9:17 am
I am SO excited that Boultsy had his first career hat trick against the Devils. Fantastically fitting I would say… I just wish that I had been there to see it first hand!
Great write up as usual Rawhide!
Red Light
December 20th, 2010
9:42 am
Ramsay has done a spectacular job with creating a team foundation where everyone is responsible, both offensively and defensively. One comment he made Saturday night really stuck with me, and that is that it’s not right to pigeon-hole players in a particular role. That has been most certainly evident with the Greek Gods line, the defensemen’s key role in the entire offensive system (even forechecking when they join the rush) and the number of blocked shots as a team (averaging 3 more blocked shots per game so far this season over last year’s per game average).
Boulton is getting two minutes more of ice time and isn’t out there to fight. Thorburn is getting nearly four minutes more per game and isn’t just playing a shutdown or penalty-killing role. On the other side of the coin, Hainsey is averaging nearly six fewer minutes per game than last season, has played very well paired with Sopel for most of the season, and certainly hasn’t complained about reduced ice time.
So far, Ramsay’s system has worked much better than most of us had anticipated. Fun, isn’t it?
Sorry to have missed you Badger Bob. Rawhide and Smoothie…always a pleasure!
Rawhide
December 20th, 2010
10:06 am
G’Morning gang. I got a chance to speak with Andrew Ladd recently. Here’s what he had to say about the infuence Rod Brind’Amour had on him while in Carolina and how that’s helped him since being named team captain here.
R. Stroz
December 21st, 2010
1:09 am
LAST!
Rawhide
December 27th, 2010
10:06 am
R. Stroz - Nope.