Thrashers’ win streak snapped in heartbreaking fashion

Philadelphia — The Thrashers didn’t extend their three-game winning streak Wednesday night.

They did, however, extend their glint of hope into something approaching a glimmer. They carried into the All-Star break the notion that better things lie ahead.

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Boris Valabik #48 of the Atlanta Thrashers skates with the puck as he pursued by Mike Knuble #22 of the Philadelphia Flyers.

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They’re a long way from being the Philadelphia Flyers, the team that beat them 5-3 and could end up winning the Atlantic Division. But they think they’re also a long way from being the old Thrashers, the ones who recently won only seven times in two months.

The Thrashers scored three goals in the first 11 minutes of the third period to erase a 3-0 deficit. They did that on the road, in their second game on back-to-back nights, against an opponent that has owned them like no other.

“You obviously saw what we can do when everyone’s on the same page,” said Chris Thorburn, who scored the game-tying goal. “I think we’re capable of doing anything, as long as we have our confidence. We showed that the last few games, and especially in the third [period] here tonight.”

The Thrashers don’t play or practice again until Monday. They’re last in the Southeast Division, next to last in the Eastern Conference. The Wachovia Center scoreboard made them look the part, too, until the third period.

That’s when Eric Perrin scored an unassisted goal, and Ilya Kovalchuk snapped a shot inside the far post, and Thorburn created his own breakaway by blocking a shot near the blue line. With less than 10 minutes to play, the game was tied.

“We played really well in the third and showed a lot of character,” said Kovalchuk, who seldom strays from a bottom-line focus on winning. “We’ve got something to build on, that’s for sure.”

If the Thrashers could have held on and forced overtime, they would have accomplished coach John Anderson’s goal of seven points in the five games before the All-Star break.

But as with so much else this Thrashers season, they wound up just a little bit short.

Mike Knuble scored the game-winner off the rebound of his own shot with 7:48 left as the Flyers won for the 13th consecutive time against the Thrashers. Knuble added an empty-net goal. Through the nine-season history of the Thrashers they have won one game in regulation play in this city.

Brotherly love? Not for these guys. Especially not for Antero Niitymaki, who improved to 12-0 with a 1.75 goals against average versus Atlanta. Niitymaki was good, stopping 28 of 31 shots, but he was also lucky. Kovalchuk hit the post twice. Ron Hainsey hit it once.

The Thrashers were playing without fourth-line center Jim Slater, who hurt his shoulder in Tuesday night’s victory over Montreal. Anderson said it’s a bruise and that Slater is day to day. Erik Christensen replaced him, with Joey Crabb moving into the lineup to take Christensen’s spot on the third line.

The All-Star break gives Slater time to heal. Defenseman Garnet Exelby also is expected back soon from his hairline leg fracture.

“I think we’re on the way up,” Anderson said. “We showed a lot of poise tonight. We showed a lot of different things of character in the last three or four games. I’m excited about after the All-Star break.”