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Thrashers seek turnaround in matchup with Senators

Mar 3, 2011 - 4:48 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Thrashers won just two games in February and they failed to start the new month out on a positive note in their last trip to the ice.

The Thrashers will try to win for just the second time in eight games when they host the Ottawa Senators tonight at Philips Arena.

Atlanta has a 2-8-2 record since the start of February and Craig Ramsay's club has fallen six points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Thrashers ended February with Sunday's overtime win over visiting Toronto, but Atlanta was dealt a home setback Tuesday against Montreal. Carey Price stopped 40 Atlanta shots to lead the Canadiens to the 3-1 decision.

Chris Mason allowed two goals on 22 shots for the Thrashers and Nik Antropov scored the Thrashers' only goal.

"We've got to move forward. If we dwell on this one too long it'll be another four- or five-game losing streak," Mason said. "The only thing we've got to do now is forget it."

With No. 1 goaltender Ondrej Pavelec sidelined with a right wrist injury, Mason is expected to make his fourth straight start between the pipes tonight. Mason is 1-3-0 with a 2.59 goals-against average in his career against the Senators.

Atlanta is playing the fourth test of a five-game homestand tonight and is 14-13-6 as the host this season. The Thrashers will complete the residency Saturday against the Florida Panthers.

Ottawa is last in the Eastern Conference and 18 points out of a playoff berth, but the Senators had won three out of four games before getting shut out by Boston on Tuesday.

Tuukka Rask made 33 saves to record his second shutout of the season in the Bruins' 1-0 road victory at Scotiabank Place. Nathan Horton supplied the game's only goal.

Craig Anderson stopped 20 shots for Ottawa in the tough-luck loss.

"We felt we played well enough to win that game," said Senators head coach Cory Clouston.

Anderson is 3-2-0 with a sparkling 1.19 GAA since coming to Ottawa in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche. He is expected to start again tonight and is 4-1-1 with a 2.47 GAA in his career against Atlanta.

Ottawa, which will play five of its next six games on the road, is 10-16-4 as the guest this season.

The Sens and Thrashers have split a pair of games in Ottawa this season, but tonight will mark the first meeting at Philips Arena. Ottawa has lost three straight and four out of five in Atlanta and the Thrashers have taken five of seven in the series overall.