ATLANTA — LSU head coach Nick Saban and Georgia Tech head coach George O’Leary dropped the ceremonial puck at Tuesday night’s Atlanta Thrashers hockey game, one of the many festivities leading up to Friday’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
During the first intermission, LSU quarterback Josh Booty was joined by Georgia Tech quarterback George Godsey in showing off their arm strength by throwing autographed footballs into the stands at Atlanta’s Phillips Arena.
The Tigers attended the hockey game on Tuesday evening after taking part in the Official Peach Bowl Kickoff Party at the ESPN Zone earlier in the day. There, the players were treated to a buffet-style meal before moving upstairs to play a variety of sports games.
LSU returns to practice on Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. EST.
The Atlanta Thrashers scored a franchise-best four first-period goals to take a 4-0 lead and hold on for a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Atlanta improved to 14-14-6-1 (wins-loses-ties-overtime loses), while Toronto fell to 18-11-4-3.
Toronto scored its first goal with 2.3 seconds to play in the second period before picking up two more in the third. The Thrashers scored an empty-net goal in the closing minute to take the 5-3 win.
Phillips Arena is also the home of the Atlanta Hawks, the franchise for which former Tiger great Bob-Pettit played for 11 seasons (1954-66). While playing for the Hawks, first in Milwaukee and later in St. Louis, Pettit became the first player in NBA history to score 20,000 points.
In 1970, Pettit was elected to the NBA Hall of Fame. His pro number, No. 9, hangs in Phillips Arena as one of two numbers retired by the franchise. In 1954, Pettit’s collegiate No. 50 was the first LSU number to be retired.