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Florida slips past Thrashers in shootout

Feb 26, 2011 - 3:58 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Steve Bernier pumped in the decisive shootout goal, and the Florida Panthers edged the Atlanta Thrashers, 2-1, at Philips Arena.

After Tomas Vokoun turned away Atlanta's Evander Kane to open the sixth round, Bernier snapped a shot past Chris Mason to secure the extra point for his club.

Marty Reasoner lit the lamp during regulation for the Panthers, who went 2-2-0 on their road trip. Vokoun finished with 45 saves, including 14 in the third period.

"It was a nice win. We had a lot of good efforts from people," said Florida head coach Peter DeBoer.

Blake Wheeler had the lone tally for Atlanta, which began its five-game homestand with a fifth consecutive loss.

"We've been outshooting teams the last five or six games, but we haven't been getting results," said Thrashers forward Anthony Stewart. "If we keep doing that, we're not going to lose many games."

Ondrej Pavelec started between the pipes for the Thrashers and made six saves before he was replaced by Mason at the outset of the second period with an undisclosed injury. Mason stopped 25 shots in relief.

Reasoner beat Pavelec on the far side with a wrister from the right circle at the 7:13 mark of the first period. Wheeler's first goal as a Thrasher tied the game with 2:48 remaining in the middle stanza.

Game Notes

Florida defenseman Mike Weaver played in his 400th NHL game...The Panthers on Friday acquired defenseman Alexander Sulzer from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft.