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Thrashers rally, beat Leafs in OT

Feb 28, 2011 - 1:02 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Ron Hainsey scored halfway through overtime to complete the Atlanta Thrashers' 3-2 comeback win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Philips Arena.

In the extra session, Johnny Oduya sent a pass from the right boards over to the left for Bryan Little, who left a drop pass for a streaking Hainsey. Hainsey sent a blistering wrister past Jean-Sebastien Giguere for the win.

Andrew Ladd and Tim Stapleton scored third-period goals for the Thrashers, who snapped a five-game slide. Chris Mason stopped 22 shots in the win.

"We had to win tonight," said Hainsey. "We've been losing so many games to teams that we're racing with -- Buffalo, Carolina, Toronto. They still got a point but we picked up two on the teams that are ahead of us. That's what's most important."

Nikolai Kulemin and Phil Kessel scored for the Maple Leafs, who were coming off Saturday's shootout loss to Pittsburgh at home.

James Reimer started in net, but left in the second period with an undisclosed injury. He had stopped all 18 shots he faced before departing, while Giguere allowed all three goals on 25 shots.

The injury to Reimer occurred in the second period when he was hit on the helmet by the knee of Atlanta's Evander Kane. Reimer stayed in for several minutes after the play, but then skated to the bench and was taken out for precautionary reasons.

"After I saw the play, which was a little scary, I started to get myself ready," said Giguere, who hadn't played since February 16 because of a lower body injury. "It wasn't an ideal situation 'cause you don't want to go in for a guy that was injured."

Trailing by two goals to start the third period, Atlanta made it a 2-1 game just 23 seconds in during a power play, when Ladd chipped in a rebound after a flurry of shots on net.

With under five minutes to play in regulation, the Thrashers tied the contest as Stapleton put home the third-chance rebound.

Kulemin scored 6:09 into the game, when he chipped in a rebound from the right side. Kessel then scored on a nice individual effort a little more than two minutes later. He picked up a loose puck in his own zone, skated into the other end down the right wing, and cut to the front before putting in his second shot.

Game Notes

Atlanta hosts Montreal on Tuesday...Toronto hosts Pittsburgh again on Wednesday...Both teams won twice in the season series.