Afinogenov performs his late-game heroics again

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Thrashers won a game. The Panthers lost a goaltender.

Max Afinogenov's goal with 5.5 seconds remaining gave the Thrashers a 4-3 victory over Florida, their fourth straight victory, Monday night. Late-game heroics have become routine for Afinogenov. The game-winner was his 11th goal of the season and eighth in the third period. Five of the late goals have come in the final minute and a half of games.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Afinogenov said. “We are winning games and playing with these guys is unbelievable.”

It wasn't the Panthers' night. In a bizarre play early on, Florida’s Tomas Vokoun was taken off the ice on a stretcher after he was hit squarely in the head by the swung stick of his own defenseman on a wild evening at Philips Arena.

Florida’s Keith Ballard swung his stick in frustration after an Ilya Kovalchuk first-period goal, striking Vokoun on his mask. Even as the goaltender was falling back into the goal, Ballard swung his stick again, striking the goal post.

Vokoun was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital with an ear laceration, where he received an undisclosed number of stitches. He was alert and oriented when transported. A CAT scan was also performed but showed no further injury, according to Florida general manager Randy Sexton. Vokoun was released from the hospital and scheduled to meet the team at the airport for the flight home.  Scott Clemmensen relieved Vokoun.

With the score tied 1-1, Thrashers goalie Johan Hedberg was peppered with several point-blank shots. The Thrashers were finally able to clear the zone when Nik Antropov found a streaking Kovalchuk down the center of the ice. Kovalchuk beat Ballard, but his initial shot was stopped by Vokoun. With the rebounded sitting in the goal mouth, Kovalchuk swept it into the net for his 15th goal of the season.

Ballard’s frustration then cost the Panthers their starting goaltender.

“There’s not a guy that feels worse than [Ballard],” Florida defenseman Bryan Allen said. “He means well, he’s doing the right thing, he’s showing he cares. It’s an unfortunate accident. I feel bad for him, but I know he feels a hundred times worse than anyone.”

Johan Hedberg stopped 14 of 17 shots to record the victory. The Thrashers outshot the Panthers, 23-17, marking on the fifth time this season they have done so.

“I just feel so sad for Vokoun and the other guy that did it,” Hedberg said. “You don’t wish that on your worse enemy. I hope Tomas is going to be good."

Antropov set up Afinogenov’s game-winner with his 21st assist of the season. The speedy Afinogenov, who came to the Thrashers on a pro tryout during training camp, one-timed the feed past Clemmensen.

“You have to give credit to Max,” Hedberg said. “He’s always there at the right time to score those clutch goals.”

Mark Popovic opened the scoring for the Thrashers with his second career goal 3:36 into the game. The Thrashers are now 10-0-0 on the season when they score first.

The Thrashers also got a second-period goal from Chris Thorburn, who was on the receiving end of tape-to-tape passes from Eric Boulton and Marty Reasoner. They are now 14-7-3 (31 points) and 8-1-2 in their last 11 games. It was Thorburn's third goal of the season. His first two were short-handed efforts.

"Any time you get scoring out of your fourth line, it helps," said Boulton, who also assisted on Popovic's goal.

Florida, which three times came back from one-goal deficits, got first-period goals from Stephen Weiss and Rostislav Olesz and a second-period score from Michael Frolik.

“Overall we played better than them,” Thrashers coach John Anderson said. “I thought we deserved to win the game. I just wish we didn't have to win it in the last five seconds.”