• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Thrashers take on sliding Islanders

Feb 1, 2011 - 4:04 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Thrashers hope to kick off their post-All-Star schedule with a victory when they welcome the sliding New York Islanders for tonight's clash at Philips Arena.

Atlanta entered the break with 57 points, putting the club just one ahead of Carolina for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The Thrashers have qualified for the postseason just once in their first 10 seasons as an NHL franchise.

The Thrashers ended a three-game slide in their final tilt before the All-Star break, posting a 1-0 victory last Wednesday against visiting Washington. Ondrej Pavelec stopped 36 shots for his third shutout of the season in the close win at Philips Arena.

Nik Antropov scored the lone goal off assists from Ron Hainsey and Freddy Modin for the Thrashers, who entered Wednesday's game having lost seven of their last eight.

"He was brilliant for us tonight," said Atlanta head coach Craig Ramsay about Pavelec. "It was some great play by him and all of our players tonight. Things haven't been going well, but it's nice to go into the break with a win. It wasn't pretty, but we found a way."

Atlanta ended a four-game home losing streak with the victory over the Capitals and will play the second test of three-game homestand tonight.

The Thrashers are 12-9-5 as the host this season.

Atlanta is hoping forward Evander Kane can return to action tonight after he missed the final four games before the break with a lower-body injury. Kane, who has 13 goals and 27 points on the season, is expected to be a game-time decision.

The Islanders will try to halt a three-game losing streak when they take the ice tonight. New York, which is just two points ahead of Atlantic Division rival New Jersey for the worst record in the NHL, was also just 4-8-1 in January.

New York lost its final game before the midseason hiatus against Carolina, as the visiting Hurricanes notched a 4-2 win at Nassau Coliseum.

Michael Grabner and Andrew MacDonald tallied for the Islanders. Rick DiPietro allowed all four Carolina goals on 31 shots.

"We were a little flat out there tonight," said DiPietro. "It's inexcusable for a game after a loss. We talk about it all the time, we have to play with more desperation."

The Isles, who will complete a brief two-game swing tomorrow night in Pittsburgh, are just 7-15-3 away from Long Island this season.

Atlanta has won both of its tests against the Isles this season and the Thrashers have taken three straight and six out of 10 in the series. New York has lost two in a row and six of its last 10 in Atlanta.