Blake Wheeler helps Atlanta Thrashers defeat Philadelphia Flyers 4-3
Right winger Blake Wheeler had an assist to go along with the shootout-winning goal and Ondrej Pavelec turned aside 21 shots, as the Atlanta Thrashers held on for a 4-3 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Flyers at Philips Arena on Thursday
night.
Rob Schremp also had a shootout-goal while Bryan Little, Tim Stapleton and Nik Antropov each lit the lamp in regulation time for Atlanta, who beat Philadelphia for the second time in less than a week. With this victory, Atlanta moved to within four points
of eighth-place Buffalo Sabres for the final play-off spot in the Eastern Conference.
Thrashers Goalie Ondrej Pavelec was pleased with his side’s performance in the shootout. He said after the game, "Our guys had some great moves in the shootout, and made it easier for me to stop one puck. Big win for us."
Centreman Danny Briere posted two goals while Claude Giroux also had a goal for Philadelphia, who had won three of their last four games. Flyers Goaltender Brian Boucher surrendered all four goals on 26 shots in the defeat.
Boucher said after the game, “It probably wasn’t out best piece of work. But I think the fact we got a point is something to be happy about.”
The Thrashers got the scoring started during a 4-on-4 play in the seventh minute of the opening stanza when Stapleton blasted a shot from the right wing that slipped under Boucher’s pads.
The Flyers then pulled even in the 10th minute of the first period when defenceman Andrej Meszaros passed to Giroux, who put the puck in the back of the net for his 23rd goal of the 2010-11 season. Atlanta took a 2-1 lead in the fifth minute of the middle
stanza when Little picked up a Ron Hainsey rebound and flipped it over the flailing goalie.
Philadelphia tied the game again at 2-2 with less than six minutes left in the second frame when Jeff Carte made a quick feed in front to Briere, who banged the puck home. With less than three minutes remaining in the middle frame, Antropov put Atlanta ahead
at 3-2 when he blasted a shot from the hash marks that beat Boucher for his 13th goal of the season.
Philadelphia turned on the pressure in the closing minutes of the final frame and found an equaliser with less than two minutes to play when Briere whacked in a rebound off Ville Leino’s shot. Wheeler finally netted the crucial shootout-goal to give the
Thrashers a decisive lead.
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