Bergfors delivers game-winner for Thrashers

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Things are working out for Niclas Bergfors -- and the Thrashers.

Bergfors scored a third-period goal to lift the Thrashers to a much-needed 3-2 victory over Minnesota at a soldout Xcel Energy Center Friday.

Bergfors’ goal was his third in the past three games after being acquired in last week’s trade with New Jersey for Ilya Kovalchuk. His third goal came the same night Kovalchuk got his first goal as a Devil.

“It’s working out good,” the understated Bergfors said of his 16th goal of the season.

Little set up the game-winner with an up-ice pass that hit a streaking Bergfors on the stick at the blue line. A couple of strides and a quick blast that beat Wild goaltender Nicklas Backstrom gave the Thrashers the lead for good at the 11:05 mark.

“It started off on a two-on-two and I saw him cutting through the middle and he had his guy beat,” Little said. “I had to pass it pretty hard to get it through, but he did a nice job. He’s got a pretty accurate shot. He can shoot the puck.

“He’s helping our team in a big way.”

Evander Kane and Nik Antropov scored first-period goals.

The Thrashers’ top line of Bergfors, Antropov and Little was key again. The three combined for three points (two goals, one assist) Friday and now have 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in the past three games.

“It seems like they’ve been playing together for a long time but it’s only been four games,” Thrashers coach John Anderson said. “I’m really happy the way it’s working out for them.”

The two points were huge for the Thrashers (26-24-9, 61 points) in their quest for a playoff spot. They are tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, two points out of the eighth spot. They now have five points in their past three games.

The win, their NHL-leading 35th one-goal game, took some of the sting out of Wednesday’s overtime loss to Colorado. The Thrashers earned a point, but blew a two-goal, third-period lead.

“I think we responded well after not a good period the last game,” said Pavel Kubina, who had two assists. “[Goaltender Johan Hedberg] made some great saves and it was a great effort by the whole team.”

Hedberg, in goal for the third straight game, made 36 saves.

The teams entered the final period tied after each scored twice in the first period.

Kane opened the scoring by blasting a shot past Backstrom 8:43 into the game. Kubina made an up-ice pass to Colby Armstrong who slid the puck to Kane as the left wing came down the right side of the ice. Kane’s 13th goal of the season, and second in the past three games, put the Thrashers up early.

The Wild answered with two goals. Andrew Brunette scored on a power play and Greg Zanon knocked in a rebound 3:24 seconds apart. The lead could have been bigger.

Eric Boulton was called for a high-sticking double minor with 2:36 left in the period. However, the Thrashers went from a man down to a man up when Minnesota’s Marek Zidlicky and Shane Hnidy were called for penalties. With a 4-on-3 advantage, Antropov tipped in a Kubina shot with 13.9 left. Kubina brought the puck into the Wild zone and gave it to Ron Hainsey. Kubina slid back into the center of the ice and one-timed Hainsey’s return pass on net. Antropov was credited with the goal after he tipped the puck past Backstrom. It was Antropov’s 15th goal of the season. He now has six points (two goals, four assists) in the past three games.

“I think we played a very, very solid game,” Hedberg said. “It was a tight game. It came down to who was going to break down, who was going to make a mistake. We just had a great play to win the game for us.”

The Thrashers play at Chicago Saturday night to end a three-game road trip before the two-week Olympic break.