Thursday, Mar. 22 7:30pm ET
Atlanta snaps four-game losing skid
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – It hasn't been easy lately to get pucks past
Kevin Weekes.
Andrew Brunette and Ray Ferraro found a way Thursday night, and
Atlanta goalie Milan Hnilicka made those goals stand up as the
Thrashers earned a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Brunette broke a scoreless tie with his 13th goal 3:12 into the
third period, redirecting a puck drilled off the back of Lightning
forward Matthew Barnaby in front of Weekes.
The goal was just the second in 21 games for Brunette, who also
set up Ferraro's team-leading 28th goal at the 10:45 mark.
"They got a couple of bounces in their favor," Weekes said.
"They made them, and that was pretty much the game."
The Lightning had a franchise-record tying streak of seven games
with at least one point snapped (6-0-0-1). During that stretch,
Weekes stopped 165 of 178 shots (.927). He stopped 28 shots
Thursday.
"Weekes has played well for a long time," Ferraro said. "A
goaltender that is confident is going to make a lot of good
saves."
Hnilicka made 29 saves for his second career shutout.
"Milan hasn't played in a long time," Atlanta coach Curt
Fraser said of Hnilicka, whose last start was Feb. 10. "We want to
get him in the last nine games and give him a chance to get himself
going and find his game.
"Tonight was a real effort in net."
Hnilicka shared the credit with his teammates.
"I thought it was a team effort," he said. "We were going
into tonight's game as a playoff game."
But neither team will make the postseason, as they are tied for
the second-fewest points in the NHL (56). The New York Islanders
have 49.
The Thrashers snapped a four-game losing streak that started
with the trade of leading scorer Donald Audette to Buffalo on March
13.
Game notes
Tampa Bay RW Martin St. Louis was held scoreless for the
first time in seven games (six goals, four assists). ... Atlanta C
Stephen Guolla has scored four of his 11 goals this season against
the Lightning, who waived him last year. ... Rookie C Brad Richards
had four goals and six assists in the first four games this season
against the Thrashers. ... Tampa Bay G Nikolai Khabibulin was
selected to represent Russia at the 2002 Olympics.
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NHL Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
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Boston 3
Montreal 2
Detroit 4
Minnesota 2
Atlanta 2
Tampa Bay 0
Nashville 2
Chicago 1
Colorado 3
St. Louis 1
Calgary 3
Philadelphia 1
Ottawa 2
San Jose 1
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