Sports

NHL

Petrovicky's hat trick ends pair of slumps

Associated Press
Published December 10, 2005

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ATLANTA - Ronald Petrovicky's first hat trick helped the Thrashers end a five-game losing streak, 5-2 over the Blue Jackets on Friday. Petrovicky, recently benched for six games, had only one point in three games since.

The Thrashers broke a 1-1 tie with three goals in a span of 2:22 during the second. The first two were by Petrovicky, who had been held without a goal since Oct.22, and Ilya Kovalchuk assisted on both.

It became 4-1 when Serge Aubin charged the net and flipped the puck past Pascal Leclaire before crashing into the boards behind the net. Columbus cut it to 4-2 when Nikolai Zherdev scored by slapping a rebound off goalie Michael Garnett and into the net.

But Petrovicky, who now has five goals this season, capped the hat trick with an empty-net goal.

CANUCKS 3, SENATORS 2 (SO): Daniel Sedin's goal in the fourth round handed visiting Ottawa its fifth loss this season. Vancouver outshot the Senators 37-21 in regulation, but after giving up Markus Naslund's goal 1:07 in, Ottawa killed off the next 12 power plays, including two 5-on-3s and a 4-on-3 to start overtime.

The Senators tied it 5:01 into the third. Andrej Meszaros' shot from the point was headed wide but bounced in off defenseman Bryan Allen.

AVS 4, DEVILS 3 (SO): Antti Laaksonen scored the only goal during the seven-round shootout on a backhander for visiting Colorado. The Avalanche took a 3-0 lead on a goal by Joe Sakic and two by Andrew Brunette. On his first, 3:31 into the game, Brunette put in his own rebound during a goal-mouth scramble. Pierre Turgeon assisted to become the 27th player with 1,300 points.

The Devils tied it with two in the second and Scott Gomez's goal with 9:51 left in regulation, a deflection of Richard Matvichuk's shot from the point. But Vitaly Kolesnik won his second game in two starts since being called up Tuesday by being perfect in the shootout.

WINGS 4, CAPITALS 3: Henrik Zetterberg scored two power-play goals for visiting Detroit. Zetterberg tied it at 2 5:27 into the second during a five-on-three, stuffing home a rebound. Pavel Datsyuk made it 3-2 4:01 into the third by deking right and beating Olaf Kolzig.

Leading scorer out

PHILADELPHIA - The Flyers will be without Simon Gagne, who leads the league with 23 goals, for two weeks because of a torn groin.

"It's tough news to take right now," he said. "I felt so bad the last two games that I knew something was wrong."

Philadelphia already is without defensemen Eric Desjardins for 8-10 weeks (dislocated right shoulder) and Joni Pitkanen for about a month (torn abdominal muscle) and Keith Primeau indefinitely (concussion).

But Philadelphia expects to get leading scorer Peter Forsberg and top goalie Robert Esche back tonight. Forsberg has missed six games and Esche three with strained groins.

BLUE JACKETS: Center Manny Malhotra was put on the injured list with an injured shoulder sustained during a fight Thursday. The team's assists leader is out indefinitely.

CANADIENS: Captain Saku Koivu did not skate and will miss his third game tonight because of a groin injury. He is day to day.

WILD: Kyle Wanvig was suspended for one game and coach Jacques Lemaire fined $10,000 after the forward drew an instigator penalty late in Thursday's win over Pittsburgh.

TRADE: The Penguins got right wing Eric Boguniecki from the Blues for defenseman Steve Poapst. Boguniecki has a goal and four assists in nine games. Poapst has four assists in 21 games.

[Last modified December 10, 2005, 01:12:02]