1/8 Flyers v. Thrashers

Oh, Atlanta

The capitol city of Georgia. The hockey team that has to have it's city name, not the team name, on the jersey just to remind its players and the opposing teams about where they reside.

Question: Do any of the Thrashers' players stay in Atlanta over the summers?

My sister-in-law is from Georgia. I suffered through August weather for her wedding this past summer. I just can't imagine hockey players from the northern U.S., Canada, or various locations in Europe and Russia sticking around for it.

Dude, The Game!

Yep, we're injury-laden but we beat the Thrashers anyway! Here's my brief format game review, sponsored by my stupid superstition that allows me to watch only the game summary insta-refresh for away games.

This annoying guy named Kovalchuk scored first, in the first. (Annoying because he's not on the Flyers, I don't care if he is leading in goals-scored.)

Downie scores 32 seconds into the second period. This is his second goal in as many games. Fortunately, he didn't St. Jason Blake anyone tonight from what I can tell.

Cartsie scores at 13:42 on a power play, then Hedberg pulls a Britney Spears 13 seconds later when the teams are at even strength and Cartsie shoots it in again. (Hit Me Baby, One More Time.)

Hartsie decides he wants to have the most statistically impressive goal of the night and plugs in a short-handed goal at 19:59 of the second, just because he can. (It's also his 100th career goal.) ;p

About Those Injuries

A few HLOG sisters are upset about Lupul being out. It appears their fantasy teams will suffer. Sorry 'bout that. I feel your pain because my actual team could suffer without him also. (Dude has earned 35 points that seemed to accumulate faster than Canadians can say "eh.")

Lups met up with the not-so-nice side of Hatcher. It's not surprising that he sustained a mild concussion from the run-in. What really stinks is that Lups is out of all action for two weeks due to spinal contusions. Those aren't nice. My mom, a nurse with 37 years experience and the proud owner of three spinal fusions herself, says they're quite nasty.

An aside: I mentioned to Kristin in last night's semi-regular chat that Hatch may be a behemoth but he isn't really that scary. He's basically a Michigan-raised teddy bear, unless you're on the other team. Kristin seemed to be near-death from laughter following that remark.

Next, let's not forget my HH Sami (unlike most of those jerks at the major MSM outlets), who, after taking a puck to the face, received a fine Epiphany gift of 25 stitches to the face.

I don't know how the stitches to the face feel. I do know about being hit in the face by an object moving at a high rate of speed. At least I wasn't hit by a frozen galvanized rubber biscuit!

Sami, I hope you only have the stitches and tooth replacement to confront. Trust me, permanent jaw dislocations are a b...are awful.

Our injury line-up is rounded out by Scottie Upshall (ankle), our dear captain Gator (leg), and Simon Gagne (concussion). Gagne could return for Thursday's game against the Rangers, but I don't know how I feel about that possibility.

¡Felicitaciones Niittymäki!

Antero, just in case you actually read this, that first word means "congratulations" in Spanish.

Thanks for getting your injury issues resolved over the off-season. I knew you had it in you to work back to this. (I mean, you are a Finnish goalie.)

While tonight doesn't top the 54 saves on 56 shots, it does put you into the win column for back-to-back games. Keep up the good work!