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Kozlov, Belanger lead Thrashers past Senators

Mar 3, 2007 - 5:36 AM ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Just seeing an Ottawa Senators' uniform enables Vyacheslav Kozlov to send his game to another level.

Kozolv snapped a third-period tie and Eric Belanger scored twice for the Atlanta Thrashers, who posted a 4-2 triumph over the Senators.

In scoring his seventh goal in four meetings with Ottawa this season, Kozlov helped Atlanta (33-23-10) climb within two points of the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning (37-25-4) in the Southeast Division. The Thrashers are just 4-7-2 since January 31.

After former Thrasher Dany Heatley scored twice on power plays to give the Senators a 2-1 lead after two periods, Atlanta tallied three times in the third to end a five-game home losing streak.

"We didn't lose our focus," Thrashers coach Bob Hartley said. "I felt that the players regrouped very well in between the second and third. It was quite a display of speed and talent in the third period."

"This team is fighting for its life right now," Belanger said. "Coming back in the third period showed a lot of character."

Kozlov scored his 21st goal of the season and 298th career at 9:04 of the third period, when his shot from the right faceoff circle trickled between goaltender Ray Emery's pads.

"We just gave them too much room on that play," Ottawa coach Bryan Murray said. "We had a chance to forecheck and (defenseman Andy) Sutton threw the long pass before we got outside and they scored."

"We sat back too much in the third," Heatley added. "We waited for them. On their second and fourth goals, we gave them some running room and time to get wound up in the zone."

Acquired from the Nashville Predators on February 10, Belanger capped his first multi-goal game of the season at 3:41 of third by skating in from the left wing boards and lifting the puck under the crossbar.

"It (has) been a couple of weeks that Eric has been here and I think that he feels more and more comfortable, which shows on the ice," Hartley said.

After Belanger opened the scoring for Atlanta at 9:40 of the first period, Heatley netted his 39th goal nearly six minutes later with a wrist shot from the left circle past netminder Kari Lehtonen.

Heatley completed his 10th multi-goal game of the campaign and second in five contests at 4:37 of the second period with a slap shot from the left circle. It was his eighth tally in six games and 40th of the season, marking the third time he has reached the plateau.

Pascal Dupuis netted his first goal since being acquired Tuesday from the New York Rangers and Lehtonen made 21 saves for the Thrashers, who have won three of their last five.

"This is a great building," Dupuis said. "I didn't think it was going be that loud here, but it's a great building. We have a great group of guys."

Defenseman Wade Redden collected a pair assists and Emery stopped 22 shots for Ottawa, which lost in regulation for the first time in 10 contests.

"We were playing pretty good early on," Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said. "But once they got the tying goal, I think we got a little bit hesitant. We sat back a little too much compared to what we usually do in the third period."