OTTAWA - Marian Hossa managed to score despite failing to get a shot on an empty-net breakaway.
Hossa was awarded his second goal of the game with 43 seconds left in the third after Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk threw his stick, leading Ottawa to a 5-2 victory Sunday over the Thrashers.
Hossa, who scored early in the third period, was awarded a power-play goal at 19:17 when Kovalchuk flung his stick and knocked the puck off Hossa's stick into the left corner with Atlanta goalie Pasi Nurminen on the bench for an extra attacker.
"When I was going on the empty net, I was going to go all the way because there was nobody close," Hossa said. "I was going to shoot and all of a sudden I saw a stick interfering with the puck, and I knew right away it was an automatic goal."
Thrashers coach Bob Hartley acknowledged that the referees were correct in awarding the goal.
"That's the rule. That was the right call," Hartley said. "He tried. It was worth what it was worth."
Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, who last saw a similar play in his native Sweden, said the Russian star acted out of frustration rather than desperation.
"(Kovalchuk) didn't get a lot of room at all," said Alfredsson, who had a goal and an assist. "He worked hard and he tried, and I think our defense and forwards did a good job of shutting him down. That play was just frustration. He's a really good player. I thought he tried really hard but we got the better of him."
The rare infraction was officially recorded as an unassisted goal, wiping out potential assists for Wade Redden and Bryan Smolinski, who set up earlier goals.
"I just feel sorry for those two guys because they didn't get the helpers," Hossa said. "That was a weird play."
Defensemen Karel Rachunek and Chris Phillips also scored, and Peter Schaefer had two assists, helping the Senators extend their season-high unbeaten streak to six games (4-0-2).
Ronald Petrovicky and Patrik Stefan scored for Atlanta, which had its three-game winning streak stopped.
BLACKHAWKS 3, RED WINGS 0: Michael Leighton stopped 20 shots for his second shutout in three games, just the third win in 23 games for the host Blackhawks. The shutout was Leighton's second this season and the third of his career. Nathan Dempsey, Tuomo Ruutu and Deron Quint scored for the Blackhawks. Two of Chicago's victories during its current skid have come against Detroit. The Red Wings lead the NHL with 126 goals, but have just four in their past four games.
FLAMES 2, OILERS 1: Jarome Iginla had a goal and an assist, and Miikka Kiprusoff made 20 saves for visiting Calgary. Kiprusoff, who made 30 saves in a 2-1 win over the Oilers on Tuesday, is 11-3-1 with the league's best goals-against average and best save percentage. Iginla set up Dean McAmmond's second-period goal and scored in the third for the Flames, who are 10-2-1-0 in their past 13. Mike York scored late for the Oilers, who have just one win in their past six games.
Late Saturday
OILERS 6, CANUCKS 2: Brad Isbister broke a tie late in the second period, and Ryan Smyth added a goal and an assist in the third as visiting Edmonton scored five straight goals.
