Hossa helps beat Thrashers

Detroit — Thrashers coach John Anderson tried a new lineup and a new power-play combination Friday night in an effort to generate some offense.

He got it.

The Thrashers scored three goals for the first time since the season-opener. Brett Sterling scored a goal in his season debut. And the power play finally snapped an 0-for-27 streak.

But even that wasn’t enough against the defending Stanley Cup champions and former Thrashers star Marian Hossa, whose two goals led the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 victory.

“He showed he’s one of the best players of the game,” Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen said. “For sure, it was easier before when he was on my side.”

Hossa’s first goal was a brilliant piece of hockey, from the moment he took the puck from Zach Bogosian at the blue line, through the time his deke left Mathieu Schneider and Lehtonen flat-footed to the moment he skated around both of them and tucked the puck behind them at the far side of the net.

His second goal was the first of two Red Wings scores within 1:12.

“Every time he got the puck in our zone, he seemed to create something toward the net,” Thrashers defenseman Ron Hainsey said.

Hossa wasn’t operating alone. Henrik Zetterberg also scored twice, as the Red Wings put 46 shots on net.

Just like Tuesday night at Tampa Bay, the Thrashers rallied in the third period. They took advantage of a 5-on-3, with Hainsey’s slap shot from the point making the score 4-2, and they almost scored another power-play goal when Ilya Kovalchuk hit the puck off the post a minute later.

“If that goes in maybe the game is changed, and maybe we do tie it up. But could’ve, would’ve, should’ve,” Anderson said.

When Sterling tipped in a shot by Erik Christensen, the Thrashers had pulled within a goal with 3:40 to play. But the home team wasn’t winless Tampa Bay this time; the Red Wings didn’t lose the lead. Daniel Cleary’s empty-net goal clinched the Detroit victory.

The Thrashers have to bounce back immediately for a game in Boston tonight, and they might have to play it without center Marty Reasoner. He took a slap shot to the kneecap 3:34 into the second period and did not return. Reasoner said he had a lot of swelling but might be able to play against the Bruins.

“I’ve got a big golf ball outside my knee,” he said. “Hopefully, ice and modern medicine will flush out some of that swelling for [tonight].”

The Thrashers had scored only eight goals in their past five games before Friday night. Sterling, playing in place of Eric Boulton, skated mostly with Boulton’s line but scored while working with Colby Armstrong and Christensen.

Anderson also tweaked the power play by using forward Jason Williams at the point. Hainsey’s goal came with Kovalchuk at point and Slava Kozlov joining Kovalchuk’s first-line teammates Todd White and Bryan Little.

Anderson was more concerned with what went wrong during the first 10 minutes of the second period than with what went right on offense.

“Whether it was 10-1 or 5-3, it was still a loss,” Anderson said. “We have to be better than that.”