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Williams scores second of game in OT as Thrashers win

Nov 8, 2008 - 7:43 AM BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- Jason Williams put an end to what he started.

Williams scored his second goal of the game on the power play 48 seconds into overtime, lifting the Atlanta Thrashers to a 5-4 comeback triumph over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.

Bryan Little tallied twice and added an assist and Vyacheslav Kozlov set up three goals for the Thrashers, who have won three in a row following a six-game losing streak.

"It's nice," Atlanta coach John Anderson said of the winning streak. "We just have to keep on going here. We have a little way to catch up to .500. We had a few breaks, and that's part of a good trend."

Todd White also scored, Ilya Kovalchuk notched a pair of assists and Johan Hedberg made 28 saves for Atlanta, which posted its first road win of the season in seven tries.

"It was a good road win, especially against a team like Buffalo," Little said. "We're starting to turn it around. When we went into that six-game skid, we were just getting outworked. Now, we're playing our game more."

Clarke MacArthur, Ales Kotalik and Maxim Afinogenov tallied and Thomas Vanek added his league-leading 12th goal of the season for the Sabres, who had won two straight.

After posting back-to-back shutouts, Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller had his scoreless streak snapped at 149 minutes, 11 seconds when Williams netted his first tally of the night early in the first period.

"Miller hadn't given up many goals," Anderson said. "So to get a few goals on him is pretty good for us. We haven't hit our full stride on how to score goals yet."

Trailing, 4-3, after two periods, the Thrashers pulled even eight minutes into the the third period. With Sabres captain Craig Rivet in the penalty box for hooking, White gained possession of a rebound in the right faceoff circle and fired the puck past Miller for his fourth goal of the season.

"We were two goals down in the third period last night (against the New York Islanders)," Williams said. "Guys reminded each other we came back last night, and there was no reason why we couldn't do it again."

The tally ended a streak of 15 consecutive successful penalty kills by Buffalo. It also was just the sixth allowed by the Sabres in the third period this season.

Derek Roy, who notched two assists, was called for tripping Little 36 seconds into overtime, giving Atlanta another chance on the power play. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff agreed with the penalty call.

"(Roy) hooked him first and then tripped him," Ruff said. "He maybe got away with the first one, but he didn't get away with the second one. It's a penalty that has to be called, and you can't make any excuses for that."

It took just 12 seconds for the Thrashers to convert as Williams grabbed the rebound of Kovalchuk's blast from the left point and lifted a backhander under the crossbar for his first multi-goal effort of the campaign.

"I tried to get position in front of the net," Williams said. "I knew Kovy was going to tee it up. I was hoping I wouldn't get hit by the shot.

"The rebound came, sort of bounced in front of Miller. I pounced on it and tried to get it upstairs as quick as possible. A goalie like him will be down taking away the bottom of the net."

Williams began his impressive night at 4:12 of the opening period, when he beat Miller to the stick side with a shot from the slot. Atlanta's lead lasted just 4:03, however, as MacArthur deposited a cross-crease pass by defenseman Henrik Tallinder past Hedberg from the left side for his sixth of the season.

Kotalik put Buffalo ahead with 80 seconds remaining in the session, putting a one-timer from the left circle inside the left goalpost during a 5-on-3 advantage. But Little forged a 2-2 tie at 3:58 of the second, skating around defenseman Toni Lydman on the right side and sliding the puck past Miller while falling to the ice.

Goalless in his first 12 games of the season, Afinogenov ended the drought 7 1/2 minutes into the period, firing the puck between the pads of Hedberg from low in the right circle.

"It's a big relief," said Afinogenov, a three-time 20-goal scorer. "I got the monkey off my back a little bit after that goal and I feel better. Hopefully there is more to come."

"It's always tough for any player when he's not scoring goals. I know from my own experience," Kotalik said. "The longer it takes, the harder it is not to think about it. It's not a good situation for anybody. We're really happy for Max today."

Little answered again with 4:58 to go, burying a rebound from the slot for his second two-goal performance of the season - and his career. The tally also completed his second career three-point effort, with the first coming against Washington in the season opener on October 10.

"A lot of it has to do with who I'm playing with," Little said of his success. "Playing with White and Kozlov, those guys have been really good, and our line's clicking really well."

Little now has eight goals this season, two more than his total of six in 48 games last campaign.

Vanek restored the lead for the Sabres just 50 seconds later, however, as he tipped Tim Connolly's rising slap shot from the blue line past the stick side of Hedberg. Connolly finished with two assists.

"It seemed like every time we tied it up, they'd score again," Little said. "We did a good job of staying with it and not giving up."