Atlanta improved to 6-3 under interim coach Don Waddell, the team’s general manager. The Capitals lost their 10th in 12 games after starting the season with three straight victories.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored his NHL-leading 13th goal, a seventh in three games, to make it 1-0 at the 13:40 mark of the second.

Three minutes later, Kovalchuk doubled over in pain against Atlanta’s goal-line boards. He briefly lay face-down before skating off the ice without assistance, but did not return.

Michael Nylander’s fifth goal, coming on the power play with 15:40 remaining, made it 1-1.

White was at the left side of the crease when he beat goaltender Brent Johnson, who lost his third straight start.

The goal was White’s third of the season and gave him eight points in his first season since leaving Minnesota to sign a free-agent contract with the Thrashers.

Atlanta, which has won four of five, earned consecutive victories for the first time since the final two regular-season games last year.

The Capitals have scored just three goals in their last four games.

Thrashers goalie Ondrej Pavelec stopped Washington’s first 25 shots before Nylander’s wrister from the left side of the slot beat his stick side. Nylander had an uncontested shot after taking Viktor Kozlov’s wraparound pass.

Pavelec, a rookie, has won his first two career starts. He made 31 saves.

Washington coach Glen Hanlon gave No. 1 goalie Olie Kolzig the night off.

Johnson dropped to 7-3-1 in his career against Atlanta, 3-2-1 at Philips Arena.

Slava Kozlov, who assisted on White’s goal, has seven points, including three goals, over his last five games.