NHL Comes to Home of Old AHL Robins

Nashville Predators v Atlanta Thrashers, September 27, 2003

Richmond Coliseum, Sec L4 Row 12

A pre season game at a neutral site. The NHL fishes in markets in order to spread their product. I can't recall if this event was a sellout. I doubt it being the NHL has not been back to Richmond since.

Dany Heatley scored on the power play 58 seconds into overtime as the Atlanta Thrashers beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 in an exhibition game Saturday night.

Nashville's Scott Hartnell was called for hooking with 53 seconds remaining in the third. In overtime, Heatley took a pass from Vyacheslav Kozlov and beat Keri Lehtonen, the second overall pick in the NHL entry draft in 2002, high.

Nashville's Vladimir Orszagh put back Adam Hall's rebound at 16:07 of the third period to tie it 2-all.

Kozlov opened the scoring just 1:10 into the second period. Heatley used his speed to break in on Nashville starter Tomas Vokoun, but Vokoun made the save and the rebound went right to Kozlov, who deposited it into an open net.

Nashville's Scott Hartnell evened it at 1-1 midway through the final period.

Marc Savard, acquired last season from the Calgary Flames, scored just 1:22 after Hartnell's goal.

Lehtonen finished with 30 saves. Vokoun, who was replaced by Jan Lasak midway through the game, finished with seven saves on eight shots. Lasak stopped seven of nine shots.

One cool thing about this game. My sons had some hockey cards and Sharpies. Tomas Vokoun, Nashville's goaltender started the game but was replaced. He was seated in an area off the bench where fans have semi-access to. He wore the same jersey number as my son, a goalie. My son asked if he can go down and get his autograph. I told him players are not allowed to interact with fans during the game. He was excited so I let him go down and get disappointed first hand.

Volkoun signed a few things for my son and talked with him for a bit about goaltending while the game was going on. Since, my son has followed Volkoun from Nashville to Florida.

On September 29, 2003, two days after the game, Atlanta's Daniel Snyder was critically injured after the Ferrari 360 Modena being driven by his friend and teammateDany Heatley struck a wall along Atlanta's Lenox Road. Both players were ejected from the car, which was split in half by the force of the impact. Snyder suffered a fractured skull and internal brain injuries due to the rapid acceleration/deceleration incident. He dies a few days later.