ATLANTA — Bobby Holik scored on a pass from Ilya Kovalchuk in the closing minutes and the Atlanta Thrashers overcame a three-goal deficit Thursday night to beat the Calgary Flames 6-4 for only their second win in 12 games.
Kovalchuk scored into an empty net with 1:01 remaining, completed a hat trick and pushing his goal total to 48 this season.
The loss put a dent in the Flames’ playoff chances. Calgary entered the game in a virtual tie for first place in the Northwest Division, sixth overall in the Western Conference, but several teams were within points of the Flames in a bid for one of eight playoff berths with 11 games left.
The Thrashers, down 3-0 early in the second period, tied it at 4 on a goal by Chris Thorburn at 10:10 of the third period.
Holik scored the winner with 3:47 left, beating goalie Curtis Joseph. It was the Flames’ second loss in a row and third in four games.
Jarome Iginla scored two goals — giving him four in three games — and Daymond Langkow added a short-handed tally and two assists to lead Calgary.
Wayne Primeau added a goal for the Flames in the second period for a 4-2 lead.
Kovalchuk scored twice and Colby Armstrong also found the net during a three-goal second period that got the Thrashers within 4-3.
Langkow opened the scoring with his 27th goal when he stole the puck from Tobias Enstrom and easily beat goaltender Kari Lehtonen 13:57 into the first period.
Just over four minutes later, Iginla made it 2-0 with his 43rd, assisted by Langkow and Adrian Aucoin.
Calgary made it 3-0 when Iginla converted a rebound of Langkow’s shot past Lehtonen 2:45 into the second period.
The Thrashers, however, scored a pair of goals within 19 seconds of the second period to cut their deficit to 3-2.
Kovalchuk scored his first by knocking in a rebound of a shot by Holik, who had two assists, at 4:29 of the second period. Armstrong netted his 12th, firing a shot past Curtis Joseph, who had just stopped a shot by Eric Perrin but was out of position for the rebound at 4:48.
Calgary made it 4-2 on Primeau’s third goal, scored at 12:39 of the middle period.
Kovalchuk made it 4-3 with his 47th goal, a power-play drive with 2:24 left in the second period.Notes: Joseph, an 18-year NHL veteran, made his fourth start since signing as a free agent on Jan. 16. ... Only 2:10 into the game, the Flames’ Eric Godard and Atlanta’s Eric Boulton fought for nearly a minute. ... Atlanta’s Mark Recchi played in his 1,400th NHL game, fifth among active players, 26th overall.