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This Day in Hockey History

Reuters

1999 - Thrashers lose inaugural game

The Atlanta Thrashers play their first regular-season game in franchise history, a 4-1 loss to the visiting New Jersey Devils in front of a crowd of 18,545. 

Forward Kelly Buchberger - named the team's first captain - scored the lone goal for the Thrashers, with Martin Prochazka and Patrik Stefan drawing the assists. 

A point in his first NHL game was not a sign of things to come for the team's first overall Draft pick, as Stefan appeared in only 455 career games, with 64 goals and 124 assists to his credit.

The Thrashers went on to post a record 14-57-7-4 for a grand total of 39 points that season. The team made one lone playoff appearance - a four game sweep at the hands of the New York Rangers in 2007 - before packing up and leaving on a jet plane for Winnipeg in 2011.

Birthdays

1960 - Glenn Anderson
1968 - Glen Wesley
1987 - Phil Kessel
1989 - Josh Bailey
1989 - Frederik Andersen

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