In Episode 2 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad pulls back the curtain and shares the deeply personal story of how hockey became one of the defining passions of his life. What begins as a childhood memory of Atlanta Thrashers games and hockey video games evolves into an unexpected journey that spans continents, family connections, professional sports, and ultimately a career behind the microphone.

Matteen recounts his unique relationship with NHL star Mika Zibanejad, his cousin and one of the most influential figures in his hockey journey. Through family trips, NHL Draft memories, championship celebrations, and firsthand experiences around some of the sport’s biggest names, listeners get an intimate look at how those moments helped spark a lifelong love of hockey. At the same time, he reflects on the winding path that led him through college broadcasting, sports information work, Atlanta United, collegiate athletics, and countless opportunities that gradually shaped him into the broadcaster he is today.

The episode also explores the pivotal moment that changed everything when a newly announced hockey team in Athens, Georgia opened a door that Matteen was determined to walk through. From submitting a last-minute audition tape to calling his first professional hockey game, he shares the challenges, excitement, and sense of belonging that came from joining the Athens Rock Lobsters and discovering the broader hockey community throughout Georgia. Along the way, listeners learn about the people, relationships, and experiences that fueled his pursuit of sports broadcasting, including his fiancée Paige, his mentors, and the fans who embraced him from the very beginning.

Part origin story, part love letter to hockey, and part reflection on chasing opportunities when they appear, this episode offers a personal look at the voice behind Peach State Puck and the journey that transformed a curious sports fan into one of the leading storytellers covering hockey in Georgia today.

00:00 - Introduction: How Hockey Took Over My Life

02:14 - First Hockey Memories and Atlanta Thrashers Games.

04:22 - Meeting My Cousin Mika Zibanejad

08:00 - Watching an NHL Dream Become Reality

10:00 - World Junior Gold and NHL Life Behind the Scenes

14:50 - Finding My Path in Sports Broadcasting

16:15 - Kennesaw State and My First Broadcast

22:19 - COVID Changes Everything

23:48 - Working in College Athletics and Sports Communications

24:20 - Atlanta United and Professional Sports Experience

28:51 - Expanding as a Broadcaster

31:06 - Meeting Paige and Building a Future

32:32 - Discovering the Athens Rock Lobsters

34:08 - The Audition That Changed Everything

35:25 - Calling My First Professional Hockey Game

37:00 - Why the Hockey Community Feels Different

38:51 - Fan Questions

49:20 - The Hockey Barn and Growing Hockey in Georgia

50:24 - Will Atlanta Get Another NHL Team?

51:25 - Closing Thoughts

In the debut episode of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad explores a question that would have sounded absurd to many hockey fans just a decade ago: Has Georgia become a true hockey state? Drawing from his experiences as the play-by-play voice of the Athens Rock Lobsters, Rad takes listeners on a tour of the hockey landscape across Georgia, examining the teams, fan bases, and communities that are fueling the sport’s rapid growth throughout the South.

From the stability and tradition of the Columbus River Dragons to the persistence of the Macon Mayhem, the momentum surrounding the Athens Rock Lobsters, the optimism of Augusta’s returning ECHL franchise, the resurgence of the Atlanta Gladiators, and the grassroots development efforts of the Savannah Ghost Pirates, Rad highlights the unique identity each organization brings to Georgia hockey. Along the way, he argues that Southern hockey culture has evolved into something entirely its own, blending the passion, pride, and community spirit often associated with SEC sports into an atmosphere that is helping hockey thrive in unexpected places.

The episode also examines the broader future of the game in Georgia, including renewed NHL expansion conversations in Atlanta and the growing evidence that hockey is no longer fighting for acceptance in the Peach State. Instead, the question has shifted from whether hockey belongs in Georgia to just how far the sport can go. For longtime fans, newcomers, and anyone curious about the future of hockey in the South, this episode serves as both a snapshot of the current landscape and a celebration of the communities building it.

00:00 – Intro

01:01 – Meet the Host

05:28 – Columbus River Dragons

11:47 – Macon Mayhem

17:34 – Athens Rock Lobsters

21:57 – Augusta Lynx

23:42 – Atlanta Gladiators

26:09 – Savannah Ghost Pirates

29:03 – Recap for the Future

The story of hockey in Georgia deserves to be told.

From Columbus to Macon. Athens to Savannah. Duluth to Augusta. Every rink, every fanbase, every rivalry, every story.

Peach State Puck was created to celebrate the people, teams, and communities that are growing the game in a place many people still don't think of as hockey country.

Episode 1 drops next week.

We'll explore why hockey feels different in Georgia, what makes our fan culture unique, and why the future of the sport in the Peach State has never been brighter.

This is just the beginning.

New episodes every week.

Hosted by Matteen Rad.