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Kovalchuk's hat trick fuels Thrashers past Lightning

Nov 4, 2007 - 2:48 AM TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Ilya Kovalchuk is making it look too easy.

The former Maurice Richard Trophy winner recorded his second hat trick in as many games as the Atlanta Thrashers scored five unanswered goals to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-4, on Saturday.

Kovalchuk also scored three goals in Atlanta's 6-4 loss to Ottawa on Thursday.

With the Lightning holding a 4-1 lead late in the second period, Kovalchuk scored a shorthanded goal with 4:37 remaining in the session.

Marian Hossa's goal 61 seconds later cut the deficit to one, and Kovalchuk tallied again just over seven minutes into the third period to tie the game at 4-4.

Pascal Dupuis scored what proved to be the game-winner with just over two minutes remaining in the session, deflecting a brilliant feed from rookie Bryan Little past goaltender Johan Holmqvist with 2:08 remaining.

Kovalchuk added an empty-net goal with 82 seconds remaining to end Atlanta's seven-game road trip on a happy note.

The regulation loss was the first at home for Tampa Bay this season.

Kovalchuk's heroics overshadowed a strong effort by Tampa Bay's Shane O'Brien, whose two goals gave the Lightning a 2-1 advantage. The defenseman had just two tallies in 92 career games prior to Saturday.

Two minutes after blue-liner Tobias Enstrom opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 9:28 of the first period, O'Brien found his scoring touch.

Vaclav Prospal, who used excellent stickhandling to weave through the offensive zone, backhanded a pass from just outside the right faceoff circle that O'Brien tipped between the pads of netminder Ondrej Pavelec at 11:10 to tie the game at 1-1.

O'Brien gave the Lightning a 2-1 edge with 2:06 left in the first, blasting a shot from just inside the blue line that beat a screened Pavelec over the right shoulder.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy about scoring and contributing to the team, but I wish I was standing here talking about the two points," O'Brien said. "Then, the two goals would be a lot more fun."

O'Brien scored his two previous goals last season as a member of the Anaheim Ducks.

Tampa Bay doubled its advantage during a power play at 4:50 of the second. Vincent Lecavalier, who had three assists, gained possession of the puck in the slot and faked a shot before feeding Michel Ouellet on the doorstep for an uncontested goal.

"I thought we played a good game. Our transition was great," Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis said. "We play in two days and I remember last year we were in the same spot, we were 5-7 going into Philly. I feel like it's the same thing as last year.

"We're close, we just... We've got to get it done."

Brad Richards increased the Lightning's bulge to 4-1 with a slap shot from the slot beat Pavelec just inside the near goalpost.

Pavelec, who was making his first career start, made 30 saves.

"The first period was a little bit hard for us, especially for me," he said. "They scored two goals and, in the second period, they scored another two goals, so it was 4-3 after the second. In the third period, I felt great, and I'm happy about the win."

Atlanta coach Don Waddell credited his netminder after the game.

"He made some great saves for us and we were confident that he could do a good job for us," Waddell said. "When the game was on the line at 4-4, he made two unbelievable pad saves. Again, he's a 19-year-old kid and we're very proud of him, and he's very deserving of that first win."

Holmqvist stopped 16 shots for Tampa Bay.

"I thought we played a very good hockey game," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "When we develop 18, 19 scoring chances, I thought our top guys were good. I can see us getting our identity back as a club. It was 18-8 in scoring chances. ... It's a tough one to eat."