Flyers edge Thrashers

By Sean Pollard
The Phanatic Magazine

Stefan Ruzicka recorded the first three- point game of his young career, posting a goal and two assists to lead Philadelphia over Atlanta, 3-2.

Derian Hatcher scored a goal to end a 125-game goal-less drought and Geoff Sanderson added a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who had lost three of their previous four games. Netminder Martin Biron was huge for Philadelphia, finishing the game with 37 saves.

The Flyers, saddled with the worst record in the NHL, completed a four-game sweep of the Southeast division-leading Thrashers and have won six straight overall in the series.

Keith Tkachuk had a goal and an assist and Kari Lehtonen made 33 saves for Atlanta, which has lost two of three.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the second period, Ruzicka scored just his second goal of the season to give Philadelphia the lead. Atlanta center Bobby Holik leveled Flyers defenseman Joni Pitkanen deep in the Philadelphia zone, but Pitkanen still managed to poke the puck to Sanderson, who raced down the length of the ice to create a 2-on-1 break with Ruzicka. Sanderson rifled a shot on net and the rebound kicked out into the slot for Ruzicka, who backhanded the puck past Lehtonen to put Philadelphia in front.

Then, just under five minutes into the third period, R.J. Umberger dumped the puck behind the Atlanta net and Ruzicka one-timed a pass in front to Sanderson, who beat Lehtonen to give Philadelphia a much needed two-goal cushion.

With 5:32 remaining, the Thrashers pulled back within a goal as Eric Belanger redirected Tkachuk's shot from the high slot past Biron to make it 3-2.

Atlanta had several golden opportunities to tie the game as time ran out, but were unable to net the equalizer. With 1 1/2 minutes left in the third, Shane Hnidy found himself all alone in front of the Flyers net, but the defenseman's shot ringed off the left post.

The Thrashers pulled Lehtonen after that near miss and Pascal Dupuis was then all alone in front of Biron with just under a minute to play, but he fanned on the shot and Biron was able to cover up.

Hnidy was called for hooking late in the opening period and the Flyers took advantage with Hatcher's first goal since December 3, 2005. With 42.6 seconds left on the clock. Ruzicka threw the puck on net and the rugged defenseman, stationed in front of Lehtonen, was there to stuff home the rebound.

Atlanta came back to tie the game just over a minute into the second period. Ilya Kovalchuk circled around the Flyers net and then sent a pass into the slot that Niclas Havelid one-timed on net. Biron made the initial save, but Tkachuk was there to pick up his 25th tally of the season.