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Hainsey scores winning goal in OT for Atlanta
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PHILADELPHIA - Ron Hainsey scored in overtime for the Atlanta Thrashers, who pulled off a three-goal rally and overcame Ville Leino's hat trick in a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night.

The Thrashers trailed 3-0 entering the third period after Philadelphia got a pair of goals from Leino and a short-handed tally from defenseman Kimmo Timonen to chase Atlanta goalie Ondrej Pavelec.

Andrew Ladd tied the game 4-4 by scoring with 45 seconds left in regulation.

At 1:17 of overtime, Evander Kane carried the puck down the right side, controlled it around a sliding Timonen, and centered a pass to Hainsey, who found room past goalie Sergei Bobrovksy.

Kane, Zach Bogosian and Tobias Enstrom also scored for Atlanta, which is fighting to stay in playoff contention in the tight Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia has lost five of eight and is struggling to stay atop the East.

Kane's unassisted goal at 1:09 into the third started the Thrashers' comeback, and Bogosian got Atlanta within 3-2 at 12:15.

Leino restored the Flyers' two-goal lead just 1:17 later during a power play. The goal, set up after Atlanta's Mark Stuart was called for playing with a broken stick, was scored with a one-timer past Chris Mason's stick side.

The Thrashers kept fighting and got even with a pair of goals in the final three minutes of regulation.

Leino gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead 14:11 in on a well-designed play. Danny Briere delivered the puck from behind the net to Scott Hartnell, who fed Leino on the right side.

Leino knocked down the puck with his right skate and fired a wrist shot past Pavelec, who played the first two periods before being replace by Mason.

Leino was the ninth Flyers player to reach the 15-goal mark, including recent acquisition Kris Versteeg. Jeff Carter leads the team with 30.

Timonen scored a short-handed goal - Philadelphia's NHL-leading 12th this season - in the second period.

Flyers captain Mike Richards faked a shot, then sent a pass to a waiting Timonen, who easily slapped a shot into the open net.

Leino scored his second nearly 10 minutes later, diving for a rebound of Richards' shot. Richards finished with three assists.

Notes: Philadelphia D Chris Pronger missed his second straight game with a right wrist injury. The Flyers hope to have him in the lineup Tuesday at Florida. ... Atlanta forward Patrice Cormier is out indefinitely with an undisclosed upper body injury. ... The Flyers are 31-7-3 against the Thrashers, who went 4-0 last season against Philadelphia.

 

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