Hello!  I am a guest blogger, standing in for Goddess Kaatiya.  And, yes, I am a man.  Strong men can be goddesses too, without fear — except of their goddess wives.  Ha!  So, since her sister is having a baby as I type, I will stand in for Kaat and proudly be Mr. Goddess for tonight.  Here goes nothing  …

*  NHL Entry Draft begins with welcomes as always

* I think I see Goddess Sasha and Mr. Sasha!

* Pierre Mcguire is annoying!  Too bad he knows alot about hockey.

* Was that an audio problem or were they dubbing out obscenities?

* Number one pick for best hair- Taylor Hall!

* Yell really loud Edmonton fans!  They can hear you in LA!

* Gary Bettman is so exciting.  Wake me up when he is finished.

* Healthy snacks on the Edmonton table.  Plenty of fiber in those bananas.  These guys are going to be running to the toilet all night!

* Number one pick for best hockey player- Taylor Hall.

* No surprise with pick No. 2

* Any event in LA requires a shot of the Hollywood sign.

* I like the Florida Panthers approach.  No greetings or BS, just make the pick!

* What is Columbus waiting for?

* Johansen to Columbus.  I saw this guy going to Atlanta on several mock drafts.

* Keith Ballard to Vancouver.  Watch out Luongo, Ballard likes to club his own goaltender after giving up a goal.

* Alyssa Milano- an encyclopedia of hockey knowledge.

* Nino Niederreiter- does Pierre Mcguire have something against Swiss players?  “He may from Switzerland, but he does not have holes in him like Swiss cheese.”  Give me a break Pierre!

* Brett Connolly to Tampa Bay.  I could say something about Pierre’s commentary but I won’t.

* Let’s get excited Caniacs, your pick is Jeff Skinner!

* Thrashers are on deck.  Why is Waddell on the phone?  I thought Dudley was calling the shots.

* Alexander Burmistrov to the Thrash.  Hope he is the next Kovalchuk!

* Had to take a break for a couple of hours to entertain Annabelle.

* Hey, a cool Minnesota Wild jersey!  Never thought I’s say that.

* Dylan McIlrath- The Undertaker.  That is a great nickname.

* Mark Messier is annoying as well.  I know he is a legend, but he rubs me the wrong way.

* Joe Nieuwendyk- It is a crime he did not get selected for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

* The Dallas Stars pick a goaltender with their first pick.  Can’t trust that Kari Lehtonen will stay healthy.

* It looks like Scott Niedermayer just rolled out of bed, put on his suit and did not bother to brush his hair.

* Cam Fowler- American with a dad from Canada.  Is it just me or are there alot of Cams from Canada?

* Don’t have much to say about the Coyotes or the Blues.

* Being a geek myself, I know one when I see one.  Those Kings fans reacting to the trade with Florida are mega-geeks!

* I’ll try to be more positive with my comments.

* Bryan Murray makes me nervous.  Shifty eyes.

* Vladimir Tarasenko – great pick by St. Louis.

* I bet Goddess Sasha wanted Tarasenko in an Avs uniform.

* Joey Hishon – don’t know anything about him.  TSN rank is 46th.  Reach?

* Can Sidney Crosby just go away for the off-season?

* Why is Sidney Crosby there?  He can’t even go up to the stage to welcome the new kid!

* I’m trying to be more positive.

* Tinordi — great pick by Montreal, I guess.

* Kevin Hayes is going to kiss everyone in the arena.

* Can’t wait until next season starts!  Thrashers are taking the cup!

• Is the first pick really going to be a surprise?  Really?  I think they’ve been touting Tavares as the first pick for 3 years now.
• Poor Tavares.  Don’t hate me Islanders fans, but, yeesh.
• Garth Snow, you are younger than this goddess and look a decade older.  What happened to you?
• Oh damn it just pick, Tampa Bay!
• Oh my broken heart.  I wanted Hedman.  Excuse me for a moment while I shed a tear.
• He’s beautiful too, what can I say?
• Ok, refocus.  The Avs are next!
• I know I am in the minority here, but really, I don’t want to see another center.  Sorry Matt Duchene, I just would rather have someone that isn’t a North American.  Just one, ok?
• Interesting trade there, but who really thought that Pronger was going to stay in Anaheim.  He sure seems to wear out his welcome everywhere, doesn’t he?
• Lucas Sbisa.  I don’t mind seeing him more in the west at all.
• Blah blah blah. Why do I have to listen to Pierre McGuire?  Why?
• Surprise, surprise.  Can we get to round two now?  Wait.  Did we give that pick away too?
• OK, on to my second favorite team, who will hopefully get my sympathetic favorite.  I can only hope … and be jealous in the process.
• Poor kid has yellow teeth, but I like his personality.  Seems like a good head on his shoulders.  Can we just get him now?
• Evander Kane?  Sigh.  Where is my other Swede?
• Oh wait. He’s black!  Get him in Atlanta!
• Ah, good move.  And he wants to be a 50-goal scorer.  Sweet.
• Ok, refocus.
• Brayden Schenn.  The Kings have got to be good soon.  They’ve got incredible talent.
• Ahahah!  Brian Burke!  Lol!  Need I say more?
• No respect to Alex, but I believe that Luc Bourdon was a Ron Delorme draft pick.
• Ooooh….trade with Columbus?
• I want to go to another draft again.  It’s been over 10 years.  What do you say, Goddess Kaatiya?  Are you with me?
• Another Swede. We could have had.  Sigh.
• I’m noticing that all these guys have cut their hair for the draft.  Interesting.  I hope that it isn’t a sticking trend.
• Interesting.  Toronto is always good for the multicultural pick.
• Oh Brian Burke you’re such a politician.  Not.
• Ok. Now I feel old.  Joe Nieuwendyk is in management. I think this is a sign.

( Had to take a break and take the cats out.  What do you expect?  It’s the off season! )

• So it takes my how many picks to see my Swede go. Will the Russian still be around for the second round Avs pick? Yeah, I know I’m crazy, but I can hope.
• Nashville picks Ryan Ellis?   Poor kid.  Looks like a 13 year old.
• Ooh.  Drama!  NYI and Minnesota?  What’s the deal guys?  Ok, nothing terribly exciting. Get me all wound up for nothing.
• I want to care about Ottawa, I really do. But I just don’t.
• Damn Oilers!  They got my Swede!  Booo!  A division rival too.  Sometimes life is just not fair.
• Chris Pronger — what a prick.  Sorry, it had to be said.
• More picks I’m really not interested in.
• Oh wait! The Russian.  Dmitry Kulikov.  Picked by Miami no less.  Well, if he’s going to sign in the NHL and bring his parents here, Miami is probably the best bet.  Good call.
• The announcers are really trying to get interesting stories where there aren’t any.  No disrespect to the guys getting drafted, but the stories are all starting to sound the same.
• Another Swede?  Wow. This time to St. Louis.  And he still has his hair ;)
• OK, the host city deserves some attention. I’ll give Montreal a bit of love.  And they pick a Quebecois.  And the crowd goes wild!
• Nothing else of note in the first round, except the lovely Philippe Paradis, who looked so mature and intelligent with his little glasses.  In fact, so much so, it deserves a picture.

And in what’s been coined (by me) as “The Battle of the Bottom Feeders” I bring you the Avs fan point of view for this live blog.

1st period:

• Yay!  Paul Stastny is finally back!  We’ve missed him and his gap-toothed grin.
• Mike Haynes, Avalanche play-by-play guy starts by saying “Watch for #17 for Atlanta.”  Really? Duh!
• Toby Enstrom!  Short handed goal?  I can’t help but get excited.  It’s Toby!
• Ilya! Scores on a fantastic tip.   My fantasy! (On my Yahoo! Fantasy team.  Geesh, get your mind out of the gutter).
• Oh, Darcy Tucker.  He went to the wrong penalty box.  It was definitely a LOL moment.
• I’d pay Ruslan Salei to hold me as long as he’s holding Colby Armstrong.
• Ugh, but I wouldn’t pay him to throw me into the boards like that!  Ouch!
• Uh….Reasoner?  Wow.  The Avs don’t look so hot.
• I’m wondering why Budaj hasn’t been yanked.
• They guys are mentioning that John-Michael Liles has been out and will return later this road trip.  I hadn’t really noticed he was gone, to be honest.  Yes, that’s the kind of year the Avs have been having.
• Ilya loves playing the Western teams.  It suits his run and gun style.  I think he’d be quite at home on a team out here ;)
• Milan!  Hejduk!  He’s been a bright spot all year.
• I’d love to say something nice about Kozlov but haven’t found a way to yet.  Not that there’s anything bad, just nothing outstanding.
• Awww, little Toby. It just had to be said again about my little friend
• And the period ends 3-1

2nd Period:

• Ilya is so fast.  So very fast.  I think I was that fast at one point. And then I woke up.
• I’m actually almost missing the Thrashers’ play-by-play guy and his strange affinity for calling the guys by their first names.
• Oh no!  Laperriere blocked a shot from Kovalchuk and went down.  I think it got the side of his knee.  Aww, and Ilya asked him if he was OK.  Love!
• Ouch!  Guite!  Shoulder pain is certain to follow that crash into the boards.
• Oh, Laperierre and Ilya spoke before the face off.  I wonder what was said. “Ilya, can you *not* shoot right into me when I’m clearly not in direct line of the goal?”
• Wrong team, Slava.  This has not been your best game.
• Thrashers have won 6 of last 7 faceoffs?  Wow.  Colorado seriously needs to look at a faceoff man in the off-season.
• Toby almost scored again!  He’s having a splendid night!
• Milan part 2!  3-2 now.
• OMG! So many posts are being hit!  There have been a good 4 “almost” goals in the past 2 minutes of this game.
• Peverley goes and …. uh, yeah.  Yank Budaj!
• Melee!  Gotta love a good scrum, although not much came of it.
• And the second period ends 4-2.

Third Period:

• Oh goody. Let’s start the period on a penalty kill, Avs.
• Now a power play.  Looks like we might get out of those tonight without giving up another shorthanded goal.
• Oops.  Spoke too soon.  Another powerplay.
• Five minutes into the period and there has been hardly any even strength play.  Like no more than a few seconds.
• Fact:  Atlanta only has 9 home wins this year.  I think they’re on their way to 10 tonight.
• When did I become such a pessimist?  Couldn’t be the fact that the Avs are last place in the Western Conference, could it?
• If I had a dollar for every time Smyth  hit the boards behind the net I’d be rich … or I’d at least I’d be able to buy a nice dinner at Russia House.
• Slava Kozlov?  In the box?  I know one goddess who isn’t going to be happy….
• The skating in this game is crazy!  Crazy good.  Wow!
• Empty net already?  This is sad indeed.
• Wait!  Wow!  One goal game now.  Stewart has been good for us.
• Salei has been a much more dirty player lately.  And I like it.
• Oh!  Almost!  So close!  Yet…..yeah.  :-(
• Final score: 4-3, Atlanta.

1st period, Colorado Avalanche at Atlanta Thrashers (2-24-2009)

• Paul Stastny is back. Now I need to decide who to drop from my fantasy team.
• PP already for Colorado is not good. Only hope is that Budaj is in net.
• Enstrom has a shorthanded goal? What?! Very nice. A bizarre looking goal, but awesome nonetheless. (First career shorthanded goal.)
• It’s very interesting how the Thrashers have all of a sudden been able to score shorthanded.
• I really think it’s time to pick up Rich Peverley in one of my fantasy leagues.
• Ilya looked fantastic vs. Adam Foote.
• Nice to see Darcy Tucker back in the ATL — and still taking penalties.
• It’s getting good baby. Another nice goal.
• Kovalchuk credited for tip in. Not that I saw it, mind you …
• I am absolutely cursing Comcast. F*** YOU for having such horrible service. This entire year I’ve had to watch all of the hockey games on the Center Ice package through pixelating and stuttering and freezing on the feeds. You pay 150 bucks, you should get crystal-clear reception. One day of bad reception I can understand. EVERY night is so not acceptable. Sometimes I think I’d better off just listening to it on the radio.
• I am going to call them now, damn it. Damn them for interrupting my game watching — and making me sit on hold. And messing up my first Blog-Along since November. Grrr…
• OK So I just spent the last 15 minutes on the phone with Comcast begging them to solve our problems. I have a “job number” now and an appointment with the cable guy. You know how it goes, you have to sit there for a five hour window and wait for them to fix something that shouldn’t be a problem in the first place. Double grrr…
• So no blogging from about 13:00 – period end. Thanks Comcast!

Intermission 1, Colorado Avalanche at Atlanta Thrashers (2-24-2009)

• I scrolled back through to see that the team had scored again. Marty Reasoner looking gorgeous scoring there. Plus Slava Kozlov assist.
• What the hell has gotten into this team? Why, now that they are practically mathematically eliminated from playoff contention are they suddenly winning — and racking up goals?
• Peter Budaj is one of my favorite goalies.
• Natalie Taylor, the little cheeseball who does intermission reports, subtracts, rather than adds to broadcasts. I am a female journalist and feel ashamed of her every time I see her. STOP SMILING! You look like a deranged Cheshire cat. It was so much nicer when they made Darren Eliot hustle downstairs for the intermission interviews on that West Coast roadtrip. SportSouth, I am begging for mercy here. STOP NATALIE TAYLOR. She’s a twit. Get a female journalist — a real one. Not one who looks like she’s two seconds from jumping the guy she’s interviewing. The Southern accent isn’t helping either. She’s just not professional at all.
• I absolutely love this year’s Thrashers’ marketing piece — that little 30-second clip. “It is the moment of impact … it is making a stand when it’s needed most…” I totally dig that. I wish I could find it on YouTube. For years I thought their TV ads weren’t as good as they could be — or should be — this year’s is really, really good. I think it does a good job of conveying the intensity and toughness of the game, while showcasing the players. I find it somewhat intriguing that they used Johan Hedberg and not Kari Lehtonen as the goalie in that spot.
• I’d still like to see a little more selling of the personalities on the team. Exelby would do a fabulous job at this. But while I hold my breath for that, I’ll take this very well done ad.
• Speaking of selling the game in Atlanta, I would love to see Anson Carter, not just back in the league, but on the Thrashers. He’s good looking, he owns his own hip-hop music label, he’s personable and funny, he’d just be a great marketing piece to appeal to a hugely important demographic in Atlanta — black fans — a demographic that really is overlooked. He’s a talented player that I think could fit in in Atlanta. I’ve thought that for a long time. And with this management’s penchant for penny-pinching, bringing in an aging NHLer who is out of the league and playing in Switzerland right now — well, that sounds right up their alley. On the other hand, let’s remember, too, he’s not that far from a few glorious seasons playing on a line with the Sedins. I’d wager he’s just as good as anyone on our third or fourth lines, but, unlike most of them, he has the potential to appeal to and intrigue a whole new group of fans. Maybe. Just a thought.

2nd period, Colorado Avalanche at Atlanta Thrashers (2-24-2009)

• I predict the Avs will lock it down now. The Thrashers will get frustrated and fall behind.
• I was a cheerleader back in the day. I love real cheerleaders. The Blue Crew are NOT real cheerleaders. So cheesy. Give me a break.
• Let me tell you, the last truly great cheerleading squad I saw was in Denver — the Nuggets cheerleaders are FANTASTIC! Real cheerleading and hot girls. I don’t mind the girlies, but make them have some damn talent other than looking good in the uniform. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be nicer to have little kids shoveling snow? Just a thought.
• Ouch! Ian Laperriere hit by a Kovalchuk slapshot. I do like him very much. He seems like a cool dude.
• I was on a roll before my call to Comcast. Then my husband wanted to watch the first period. So I watched it a second time. Now I’m out of the flow. A little remark on the Marty Reasoner goal in the first period. Slava made the prettiest pass to set it up. He’s so awesome.
  
• I find myself torn. I want the Thrashers to win. I do. But I sure would love for them to get a high draft pick. At this point going on a winning streak doesn’t do them all that much good in the long run.
• Clink! Milan Hejduk scores! Typical Thrashers, just kind of mentally losing it.
• The Little-White-Russian Line lives — except the Russian is Ilya Kovalchuk now. Not Slava.
• Milan Hejduk is one of those players that you forget about. I’m not sure why because he’s so good.
• John Anderson looks thrilled with that Todd White penalty. The Thrashers love to give away leads. They’re so generous.
• Another shorthanded goal? Wow. Go Rich Peverley.
• OK. I am even more convinced that it’s time to pick up Peverley for my fantasy league. But I have so many good centers already. Hmm…
• White could have had a goal right out of the penalty box and it would have been a gorgeous one.
• I enjoy fights. I don’t want us all to just get along.
• Kozzie had a nice blast on the PP.
• Shooting gallery, but no score by Thrash.

Intermission 2, Colorado Avalanche at Atlanta Thrashers (2-24-2009)

• Aren’t intermissions so much nicer when they don’t involve Natalie Taylor?

3rd period, Colorado Avalanche at Atlanta Thrashers (2-24-2009)

• Ryan Smyth is one of my favorite players in the league. He’d be awesome on the Thrashers. He’s got guts.
• Budaj has a great goalie mask. Kari, not so much.
• Good clear Marty.
• Kind of off topic, but damn it’s good to see John Tortorella back in the league. I’m just sorry he’s out of the Southeast and we won’t see him as often. Oh the thought of him versus the New York media makes my mouth water.
• Another Thrashers penalty. They are begging for the Avalanche to step up and take the game from them.
• Zach Bogosian could have had a good one, so could Kovy.
• Clark tackled Kovalchuk.  Penalty.
• I looked at the score and know the result. Way to go Thrashers! You tried to give it away at the end, but hung on.
• Enstrom had a good game.
• Slava does this hilarious congratulate-the-goalie move.  Look for it next time you watch the Thrashers — and see them win.  (Good luck with that!)

In case you were wondering, Goddess Kaatiya was visiting this weekend and we watched a couple of games to give you a unique perspective.  Here are my observations:

Thrashers at Sabres 11-7-08 , 3rd period

- Hedberg in net.  Kari still “under the weather.”  Someone on the Thrasher’s forum said they wondered when he’d be “above the weather.”
-  Kotalik fanned on the rebound. I’m glad I’m not the only one that does this.
-  Which Kovy is a smoother stick handler?  That’s what I want to know.
-  Oystrick who?
-  Kovy is working on a creepy molester moustache today
-  Why does the color guy call Enstrom “Tobi?”
-  Does everyone have a man crash on Hainsey?
-   Slava Kozlov. Dirty Russian.  ;)
-   4-4 Now.
-   Wow. Let’s state the obvious, guys. I think it’s pretty obvious you’d like the Thrashers score next.
-   Left buttock.  What is this?  A medical physical?
-   “Tobi.”  I am beginning to wonder what kind of relationship they have.

Calgary at Chicago 11-9-08

-  Patrick Kane scores.  He is such an adorable young man
-  Ouch, Kiprusoff.  Need I say more?
-  Double ouch.
-  Frost and Brouwer going at it. Who? Yeah, that’s what I was wondering.
-  Ouch, Sharp.  Are you ok?  Sarich – you should know better.
-  Can I say Patrick Sharp is cute without sounding like a puckbunny?  No?  Ok, well I’m going to say it anyway.
-  Oh, linesman hit dead on with a puck.  No sign of life yet.
-  Prust and Walker now go at it.  Hey boys, lets stop the dancing.  Start throwing them or stop torturing us.
-  Oh, Kipper.  I even feel sorry for you tonight.
-  Patrick Kane is so diminutive.  But awesome all the same.  Second star of the game.  First star personality.

3rd period -Atlanta Thrashers at Carolina Hurricanes (11-07-2008)

- Johan Hedberg is so tiny … and cute with his moose mask

- Not a big fan of Darren Eliot. He was kind of a jerk when we called him on the Thrashers post-game show a few years ago. Total homer who refused to allow a negative opinion.

- “Pinching” — the word makes me laugh.

- Ilya and Afinogenov look very similar when they skate.

- There’s a whole lotta spitting going on!

- Darren Eliot calling Enstrom “Toby” throughout the game seems so unprofessional.

- Hainsey is such a weird last name.

- Slava is not a dirty Russian!

- Slava is so cute. I can’t stand it

- Oh the Little-White-Russian line is on fire!

- I think the Thrashers need to take a weekly trip to Fort Benning.

- Way to go Johan! Getting the left buttock on the puck!

- I flunked my first blog-along.

- Yay Thrashers.

2nd period – Calgary Flames at Chicago Blackhawks (11-09-2008)

- I like Cristobal Huet’s mask.

- Patrick Kane just had a great goal and an even greater goal celebration.

- Facewashes rule.