(The following was submitted by Thrashers fan correspondent Sean Grace)

And you thought this would easy

This season, though successful, has been exhausting. Nothing has come easy for our hockey club. We’ve endured inexplicable losing streaks, freakish bad luck and frequent frustration. The elevated expectations may have altered our perception of the 2006-07 campaign, but in any case, it’s been a struggle. So when the puck behaved similarly to the “magic bullet” involved in the JFK assassination during game two, I was not surprised. The Rangers first goal was cheap and a fluke but also a representation of the difficult road to success that the Thrashers have traveled.

Despite the excruciating moments, this team has ultimately achieved. The means have justified the ends all season long. This is why I say that counting this team out is premature. This Thrasher team has a track record of getting it done in the end. Don’t give up hope Blueland, it ain’t over.

Game Three Victory = Game Seven

If you’ve been reading along with my rantings this year you may have noticed that I’ve made a few predictions that have been accurate. For example, in January I told you exactly how many points it would take to win our division. So now, here is the Mac Daddy of all predications:

If we win game three in New York, there will be a game seven in Atlanta, which will be won by Atlanta in OT.

Print it, put it on your refrigerator and believe it as truth. Here is why:

1. The Law of Averages – We have been on the business end of every bad break thus far. This is going to change. Also, Lundquist has been a little lucky. Pucks have been hitting him in the head, off the toe, etc. Eventually, these pucks will find the back of the net.
2. The War of Brothers Hossa – Marian is going to prevail in the end. He has been a ghost so far and this will change in game three.
3. The Power Play – Lets face it, our PP sucks. It’s been putrid for a long time. It’s due. Coach, I beg you, take Havelid off the PP unit. He is killing us by shooting directly into the chins of Defenders from the blue line.
4. The Hockey Gods – They don’t play favorites. Sometimes you just have to wait for your kiss from above. Early in game three, something is going to happen that will turn this series around.
5. Overall Talent – We are just better than they are if you compare rosters. Eventually this edge in talent is going result in wins.

Thrasher fans, the best we can do is call on our crazy superstitions on Tuesday. If you think that your Huey Lewis and the News tee shirt is good luck, for God’s sake, wear it! Light a candle, drink a warm glass of chicken fat, wear your underwear outside your pants, do what you do. I’ve got a pretty booklet of playoff tickets and I’d like to use most of them.

Night One

The rumor is true. There is a dramatic difference between a regular season and post-season atmosphere. To begin with, our arena looks great. There is bunting, flags, player’s numbers painted into the stairs of the lower bulb and neon blue lights outlining the ice. About 1000 people gathered for warm-ups. We were ready. The Ushers wore game faces. The beer vendors had looks of determination. A long time coming had arrived. Everyone, even the AJC, was ready. And then it began.

It started about eight minutes before the puck dropped, somewhere in the 200 section behind the goal. “Let’s go Thrashers”, grew and roared through the bulb and chills ran down my spine. We’ve pictured this moment since 1999. It was more electric than imagined. The energy is our building before play began was more intense than any sporting event I’ve attended and I’ve witnessed some great events. And then it began.

Exelby leveled Jagr, Sutton and Larsen connected on hard checks and Bobby Holik hit everyone. Game one versus the Rangers was played at a fever pitch. Ultimately we lost after a last-minute power-play frenzy failed to yield a goal. If there is such a thing as a good loss, this was it.

At long last, our city got behind our club. The Atlanta mass media “discovered” a local NHL team and helped to create a stir. The Thrashers are buzzing in the local consciousness, finally.

The highlight of our first playoff game was the enthusiasm of the crowd. The passion that the masses in blue brought to the party was shocking. The undivided attention of 18,500+ hung on every play. The crowd did there best to will this team to victory. My wife sounds like Kermit the Frog, if he smoked a carton of cigarettes, today. Her voice is gone.

Folks in cities like Toronto, Montreal and Boston will always thumb their noses at southern hockey. The fact is that hockey is being played by Atlanta this week and Toronto only has Blue Jay baseball to watch. We can thank the Islanders for knocking the sense of entitlement out of Leafs and their evil minions, (AKA fans), by capturing the 8th spot in the East.

Speaking of which, here is a little song I threw together for our friend and Captain of the Leafs.

Chins up folks!

You Loyal Servant,
Sean Grace