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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Once they got an early two-goal lead against
the floundering Atlanta Thrashers, Olaf Kolzig and the Washington
Capitals didn't let up.
Peter Bondra had a goal and an assist as the Capitals extended
Atlanta's winless streak to a season-worst eight games with a 4-1
victory Saturday night.
"We put it away. We did a great job of eliminating a lot of
their scoring chances," said Kolzig, who made 35 saves and picked
up an assist."
Sergei Gonchar, Jan Bulis and Calle Johansson also scored for
the Capitals, who broke a two-game losing streak. Washington
improved to 4-0-1 against the Thrashers at the MCI Center.
Andrew Brunette scored for Atlanta, which is 0-6-2 after going
over .500 for the first time in the franchise's two-year history on
Dec. 28. Atlanta was 0-for-9 on the power play.
Goaltender Damian Rhodes said all the Thrashers need to start
climbing back to .500 is a little positive momentum.
"It's just one of those stages we're going through right now,"
said Rhodes, who made 28 saves. "All we need is to get a win and
get our confidence going."
The game, the last of five between the Southeast Division
opponents this season, degenerated into a series of fights in the
final seven minutes.
Capitals defenseman Brendan Witt got away with a sucker punch
against Brunette that left the Atlanta winger face-down on the ice
for several minutes. With 4:31 to go, Washington's Joe Sacco was
assessed a match penalty for attempting to injure Thrashers rookie
Darcy Hordichuk, who took a flying cross-check to the helmet.
Washington scored on two of its first four shots as Atlanta
surrendered the first goal for the fourth time in five games.
Just 1:21 into the game, Gonchar skated between the circles and
shoveled Andrei Nikolishin's pass past Rhodes for his 10th goal.
Bondra notched his team-best 10th power-play goal at 7:38,
ramming home Glen Metropolit's pass from the left corner at the
right post.
"We should have had a couple more (goals) in that period,"
said Capitals coach Ron Wilson, whose team was whistled for three
minor penalties in the first five minutes. "But we had to kill off
two 5-on-3s."
Brunette's 10th goal made it 2-1 early in the second. Brunette
was at the right post to knock in the rebound of Yannick Tremblay's
shot from the right point.
Bulis, playing for the first time since missing 23 games with a
broken right thumb, restored the two-goal lead on a power play at
8:05, wristing a shot through Rhodes' legs from the right circle.
With 4:31 left in the second, Johansson made it 4-1. When Rhodes
blocked Sacco's shot from the right side, his momentum carried him
outside the net, leaving it open for Johansson's back-hander.
Game notes
Thrashers RW Donald Audette missed the game after receiving
a match penalty Friday night in Montreal. Audette, Atlanta's
leading scorer with 22 goals and 31 assists, was suspended
indefinitely pending an NHL hearing. ... Atlanta C Ray Ferraro
played in his 1,144th career game, tying Bobby Clarke for 60th
all-time. ... Capitals RW Richard Zednik missed the game with a
sprained left foot. ... Washington won the season series 2-1-2. ...
Kolzig's assist on Bulis' goal was the sixth of his career.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 4
NY Rangers 1
Montreal 5
Phoenix 2
Toronto 4
New Jersey 4
NY Islanders 6
Pittsburgh 5
Washington 4
Atlanta 1
Philadelphia 4
Florida 1
St. Louis 4
Los Angeles 2
Ottawa 5
Calgary 2
Nashville 5
San Jose 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jan Bulis wrists a shot through goaltender Damian Rhodes' legs.
avi: 515 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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