Thrashers hang seven goals on the Kings (Life in Hockeywood)

[Mateo]

• Game 20: Thrashers 7, Kings 0

I don't believe in superstitions. I'll go out of my way to step on a crack to break my momma's back. If I spill salt, I won't throw some over my shoulder. And I really doubt that if my left ear itches, someone is speaking ill of me.

Superstitions like that are a bunch of hooey. I do, however, believe in Friday the 13th, and all the mythology that surrounds it. Did you know: In British tradition, Friday was the usual day for public hangings, and there were allegedly 13 steps leading up to the noose? Well, the Kings got hung by their britches Friday night by Atlanta, who literally opened a can of whoop-ass on a hapless King squad.

It makes no sense to me how the better team not only lost, but got their ass handed to them so completely. The first period, the Kings were monsters, hammering away at poor Ondrej Pavelec. It seemed a matter of time before L.A. would rung up a few goals.

But those goals never came. The only thing that did was a soul-crushing second period, where the Thrashers scored four times in five minutes. After the second goal, I wanted for Terry Murray to call a timeout. Nothing. After the third goal? Nada. After yanking Quick and putting in Ersberg, Atlanta came back to score on their first shot. Timeout? Nope....

Look, I understand that I'm no coach, but you have to use every trick in the book. This isn't college football, there's no reason to save timeouts. Why didn't Murray just call his squad over, give them a Moe Howard slap to the back of the head and say "Whatsthamattawithchu?" It's an effective way to get your team focused.

Did you know: if you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck? Catch the fight between Raitis Ivanans and Chris Thorburn? Over at hockeyfights.com, 82 percent of the readers gave the fight to Thorbury, who ended the fight with a roundhouse right that sent Raitis flying to the ice. Hey wait, how many letters in his name? See what I mean?

Look, bad games are a part of the season, you obviously can't win them all. But I leave you with final proof of my paraskevidekatriaphobia: Both Quick and Ersberg had a combined save percentage tonight of .666. Bom bom bommmmmmmmmmm...

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