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Thrashers top Canadiens, extend streak to three

Jan 21, 2009 - 5:51 AM By Phil Foley PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Thrashers should have given All-Star Ilya Kovalchuk the captaincy a long time ago.

Rookie defenseman Zach Bogosian and Chris Thorburn each recorded a goal and an assist as the Atlanta Thrashers extended their winning streak to three games Tuesday with a 4-2 triumph over the Montreal Canadiens.

Erik Christensen and Rich Peverley also scored and enforcer Eric Boulton collected two assists for the Thrashers, who are 3-1-0 since naming Kovalchuk captain on January 12.

"We're playing with a lot more energy and consistency within the game plan," Thorburn said. "As long as we continue, we'll give ourselves chances to win."

Kari Lehtonen made 34 saves for Atlanta, which improved to 10-20-4 all-time against Montreal. The Thrashers also are in the midst of their longest winning streak since capturing five straight from November 2-14.

"It's a good win," Lehtonen said. "They're one of the best teams in our conference. (Beating them) feels great. We've been scoring a lot of goals recently. That's good. It makes my job a little easier."

Rookie Max Pacioretty and Steve Begin tallied for the Canadiens, who fell to 1-1-0 on their five-game road trip in losing for just the second time in eight games overall.

"It's tough to play from behind," Montreal All-Star Alexei Kovalev said. "We just need to focus on our team and our game."

All-Star goaltender Carey Price returned to action for the Canadiens after missing eight games with a lower body injury. Price allowed one goal on 10 shots after replacing Jaroslav Halak, who made 11 saves before being pulled early in the second period.

Price, who will not participate in the SuperSkills competition during All-Star Weekend in Montreal, is expected to get the start at New Jersey on Wednesday. Barring a setback physically, he also will start for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game at the Bell Centre on Sunday.

"I thought that Carey was pretty good," Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau said. "It was a tough situation for him, coming in (down) 3-0. He was solid. He moved well in the net."

Atlanta roared out of the gate in this one, scoring twice in an 84-second span early in the first period.

Christensen got things started at 5:02, beating Halak with a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle. Thorburn doubled the Thrashers' lead shortly thereafter with his fifth goal of the season.

Jim Slater, who left the contest midway through the period with a shoulder injury, dished the puck to Thorburn from the right corner, and the right wing fired it past Halak from the inner edge of the right circle.

"I kind of fanned on it," Thorburn said. "(Halak) expected me to go high, and it went between his legs. It was just a great play, and I'll take it."

The Thrashers made it 3-0 at 3:48 of the middle period on Peverley's fourth goal of the campaign. The 26-year-old Peverley, who was named the NHL's Third Star of the Week on Monday, received a pass from the left circle by Colby Armstrong and beat Halak from the slot.

In four games with Atlanta since being claimed off waivers from Nashville, Peverley has registered two goals and five assists.

Montreal staged a comeback as Pacioretty scored a power-play goal at 4:54, burying a backhander from the doorstep after All-Star defenseman Andrei Markov's wrister from the left point deflected off a defender.

Begin drew the Canadiens within one less than two minutes later, redirecting blue-liner Patrice Brisebois' pass from along the right wing boards past Lehtonen with his right skate while standing in the slot at 6:25. Following a video review, Begin was awarded his sixth goal of the season.

The Canadiens brought the heat at the Thrashers, registering eight unanswered shots in the opening eight minutes of the third. But Atlanta increased its lead to 4-2 on its first shot of the session.

Bogosian unleashed a slap shot from above the right circle that was headed wide of the left goalpost. But the puck hit a defender and got past Price at 8:55 for the final margin.

"I'm an offensive defenseman," said Bogosian, who has two goals in 13 games this season. "I try to jump in the rush and help things out. I just shot the puck on goal. There were a lot of people in front, so I shot. I never saw what happened after that."

Lehtonen was perfect in the final session, turning aside all 18 shots he faced.

"They got some good shots to start the third period, but I felt good," the Finnish netminder said. "It was a one-goal game at the time, so it feels good to make the saves."

"Sometimes you make your own luck," Carbonneau said. "Lehtonen saved the game in the end."