By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Atlanta goes wild on Minnesota
Pavelec makes 32 saves for Thrashers
Placeholder Image

ATLANTA — Ondrej Pavelec won for the first time since collapsing early in the season opener, making 32 saves in the Atlanta Thrashers' 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

Pavelec collapsed 2 minutes into the Thrashers' opener Oct. 8 against Washington and sustained a concussion when the back of his head hit the ice. He missed more than two weeks and lost once in regulation and twice in shootouts before beating the Wild.

Andrew Ladd and Fredrik Modin each had a goal and an assist to help the Thrashers end a three-game losing streak and snap Minnesota's winning streak at three games.

Ben Eager, Jim Slater and Nik Antropov also scored for the Thrashers, and Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom each had two assists. Antti Miettinen scored a power-play goal for the Wild in the third period to avoid the team's first shutout of the season. The loss matched Minnesota's worst of the season as Niklas Backstrom gave up the five goals on 34 shots.

Backstrom came in with a 1.80 goals-against average for the Wild, but the Thrashers had a 2-0 lead before the game was 14 minutes old. Eager scored from in front on a pass from Modin less than 4 minutes in and Slater backhanded in a rebound after a shot from the point by Byfuglien.

The Thrashers went up 3-0 with 45 second left in the second period. Rich Peverley came from behind the net to Backstrom's left and slid the puck across the crease to Ladd, who easily put in his sixth goal of the season.

The Wild ruined Pavelec's shutout bid 3 minutes into the third period when Miettinen deflected in Brent Burns' power-play shot from the right circle. But it was the Thrashers who scored on Minnesota's next power play, with Modin getting a short-handed goal off a pass from Tobias Enstrom.

Antropov scored with 5 minutes remaining to pad the Thrashers' lead.

NOTES: Miettinen returned to the Minnesota lineup after missing five games because of a concussion. RW Chuck Kobasew, LW Guillaume Latendresse and D Marek Zidlicky are still out with groin injuries and didn't make the Wild's trip, which continues with games at Florida on Friday and Tampa Bay on Sunday. To help fill in, Minnesota called up C Cody Almond from Houston (AHL). ... Atlanta C Bryan Little missed his sixth game because of a concussion. He is practicing and could be back in the lineup as early as this weekend. The Thrashers host Pittsburgh on Saturday and play at Washington on Sunday.

Regional events