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Stapleton scores in OT, Thrashers beat Hurricanes

Mar 10, 2011 - 6:50 AM Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Tim Stapleton scored 1:38 into overtime as the Atlanta Thrashers earned a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at RBC Center.

Ondrej Pavelec had just made a nice stop on a Jussi Jokinen wrister and Atlanta skated back the other way on a 2-on-1. Ron Hainsey skated into the Carolina end down the left wing and fired a pass to the front where Stapleton redirected it in for the win.

Rob Schremp and Tobias Enstrom also scored for the Thrashers, who have won their past two games. Pavelec made 35 stops in the win.

Troy Bodie and Erik Cole scored for the Hurricanes, who have dropped their past two games. Cam Ward made 26 saves in defeat.

"It wasn't an awful game that we played out there tonight," said Cole. "We just have to clean some things up and be sharper in a few areas."

Atlanta scored just 3:22 in on the power play. Ward had just made a nice stop on an Evander Kane shot, but the puck wound up back in the slot and Schremp snapped it home for his 11th goal of the season.

Just over 10 minutes later, the Thrashers took a 2-0 lead when Nik Antropov sent a backhand pass from the low left circle to the slot where Enstrom fired it home.

Carolina made it a one-goal game at the 11:55 mark of the second as a left point shot by Troy Bodie hit a body in front and Bodie was there to clean up the garbage for his first goal of the season.

The Hurricanes tied the game with 7:39 to play in regulation as a lead pass was taken by Cole, who skated into the Atlanta end on a breakaway and got Pavelec to open the pads before wristing it home.

Game Notes

Atlanta hosts New Jersey on Friday...Carolina had won the previous four meetings this season. These teams will meet one more time in Atlanta on April 8...Carolina plays at Washington on Friday...Atlanta went 1-for-2 on the power play and Carolina was 0-for-3.