Thrashers win tightens race
Associated PressPublished April 6, 2006
SUNRISE - Scott Mellanby and Marian Hossa scored third-period goals to lead the Thrashers to a 5-2 victory over the Panthers on Wednesday night.
The Thrashers moved within five points of eighth-place Tampa Bay in the East. Both teams have seven games to play, including tonight's game at the St. Pete Times Forum. Florida is eight points behind the playoff cutoff with six games left.
Hossa added an empty-net goal with 22.9 seconds remaining and Steve McCarthy and Ilya Kovalchuk also scored for the Thrashers, who had lost three of four after an 11-3 streak.
Juraj Kolnik and Martin Gelinas scored for the Panthers, who lost for only the fourth time in 15 games.
Kari Lehtonen, making his 27th consecutive start for the Thrashers, stopped 39 shots.
Earlier, the NHL fined Atlanta teammates Ilya Kovalchuk and Garnet Exelby $2,500 each for separate incidents in a 6-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday.
'CANES 4, CAPITALS 3 (SO): Matt Cullen scored the only goal in the shootout, leading visiting Carolina over Washington in the second of three consecutive games between the Southeast rivals.The victory follows Carolina's 6-5 overtime win over Washington on Monday, and it moved the Hurricanes within two points of Ottawa for first in the East. The clubs will meet again Friday in Washington, their fifth matchup in two weeks. Mark Recchi tied it at 3 on a soft power-play goal with 6:35 left in regulation. Ovechkin got his 50th assist, putting him within two goals of becoming the second rookie in NHL history to have 50 goals and 100 points in a season. Ovechkin has 98 points with seven games to play.
SABRES 5, SENS 4 (OT): Daniel Briere scored twice, including the winner with 47 seconds left in overtime, for host Buffalo. Maxim Afinogenov had a goal and three assists, while Derek Roy and Rory Fitzpatrick also scored for Buffalo, which improved to 47-23-6, the team's most victories since 48 in 1983-84. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff (300-266-84) became the 31st NHL coach to win 300 games, and 16th to do so with the same team.Briere's goal with 39 seconds left forced overtime.
DEVILS 6, PENGUINS 4: Patrik Elias had three goals and two assists for host New Jersey. Scott Gomez added a goal and three assists for the Devils.Zach Parise and Brian Rafalski also scored and Martin Brodeur made 25 saves as New Jersey reached 40 wins for the ninth straight season.
MAPLE LEAFS 3, ISLES 2: Alexei Ponikarovsky scored a tiebreaking goal with 2:02 remaining for host Toronto.The Maple Leafs moved within six points of eighth-place Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference with seven games remaining. Former Tampa Bay fan favorite Darcy Tucker, who hadn't scored in 16 games, had two goals in Toronto's come-from-behind win. The Leafs have earned nine of 10 points in their past five games. The Islanders were eliminated with their fifth consecutive loss.
Meanwhile, goalie Ed Belfour underwent back surgery to repair a herniated disc.
HAWKS 4, PREDATORS 3: Rene Bourque had a goal and two assists as Chicago dealt Nashville its sixth loss in seven games.Duncan Keith, Patrick Sharp and Mark Bell also scored for the Blackhawks, who won for just the third time in their past 10 games. Nashville's Greg Johnson had a goal and an assist. Dan Hamhuis and Mark Eaton also scored for Nashville.
SHARKS 2, AVALANCHE 1: Marcel Goc broke a third-period tie with a rebound goal past rookie Peter Budaj as visiting San Jose bolstered its playoff hopes.Goc's goal at 2:48 gave the Sharks their first lead.