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Thrashers host Panthers in meeting of struggling clubs

Feb 25, 2011 - 4:05 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of struggling Southeast Division rivals will meet in Atlanta, as the Thrashers host the Florida Panthers at Philips Arena.

The Thrashers and Florida are currently the bottom-two clubs in the Southeast with 60 and 57 points, respectively. Atlanta has lost four straight and eight of its last nine games, while the Panthers have dropped two in a row and nine out of 12.

Atlanta is still just five points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but the club has not helped its postseason chances for quite some time. The Thrashers had a respectable 22-15-6 record around the midway point of the season, but have put together a dreadful 3-11-4 record over their last 18 contests.

The Thrashers were dealt a 4-1 loss Wednesday in western New York, as Ryan Miller stopped 40 shots to help lead the Buffalo Sabres to the win at HSBC Arena.

Andrew Ladd notched the lone goal for the Thrashers, while Ondrej Pavelec was tagged for all four goals on 39 shots.

Atlanta tied the game at 1-1 on Ladd's goal at 5:31 of the second period, but Buffalo scored twice in a 30-second span at the end of that frame to grab the lead for good.

"There were a key two minutes in the second period that lost it for us," said Pavelec. "We decided to take a shift off and they score two goals during that time."

The Thrashers are beginning a five-game homestand tonight, but Atlanta has lost seven of its last nine home tests. The Thrashers are 13-12-5 as the host this season.

Both Atlanta and Florida were involved in trades Thursday. The Panthers dealt left wing Cory Stillman to Carolina for forward Ryan Carter and a fifth-round pick in the 2011 draft. The Thrashers sent defenseman Brent Sopel and forward Nigel Dawes to Montreal in exchange for forward Ben Maxwell and a fourth-round pick in the 2011 draft.

Florida was on the wrong end of a 5-1 loss in its last trip to the ice, dropping the lopsided decision Wednesday in Ottawa. Bobby Butler scored twice and Craig Anderson made 23 saves to lead the Senators to the rout at Scotiabank Place.

Scott Clemmensen allowed all five goals on 34 shots for the Panthers.

"They were better than us in their end, they were better than us in our end," Clemmensen said. "We did some good things, but for the most part they deserved to win."

Panthers forward Jack Skille suffered a high ankle sprain in Wednesday's loss and is expected to miss tonight's tilt.

Florida is capping a four-game road trip tonight and has a poor 13-17-1 mark as the guest this season.

The Thrashers have won three of four versus the Panthers this year as well as seven of the last 10 encounters between the clubs. The teams have also split the last six games staged at Philips Arena.