RALEIGH -- The Thrashers finally beat the Hurricanes -- maybe when it mattered most.
Tim Stapleton’s overtime goal lifted the Thrashers to a 3-2 victory over Carolina on Wednesday night at the RBC Center. It was the Thrashers' first win against their division rival in five games this season, and it kept their playoff hopes alive.
The Thrashers (28-28-11, 67 points) won back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 2 and 5. They are still 11th in the Eastern Conference, now five points behind Buffalo for the eighth and final playoff spot. Carolina (72 points) and Toronto (68 points) also are ahead of the Thrashers, who have 15 games remaining.
“We had a good backcheck, and I was the fourth guy,” Stapleton said of the game-winner, assisted by Ron Hainsey. “I stayed high, and the rebound came out to me and I turned with it. I saw Ronny. I just went to the net with my stick down. I didn’t do much after that.
"I just went to the net, and Ronny made the play. I was fortunate enough to be there. He just put it right on my tape.”
However, the Thrashers surrendered a point to the Hurricanes (31-26-10) after failing to hold a two-goal lead.
“It’s good, but we really wanted to get out without giving up an extra point,” Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay said. “Wins feel great, and we’ll keep pushing.”
The Thrashers jumped to an early lead with two first-period goals. Newly acquired Rob Schremp scored his first goal for the Thrashers, converting on a power play 3:22 into the game. With the Hurricanes’ Tuomo Ruutu serving a hooking penalty, Schremp banged in a rebound past goaltender Cam Ward, for his 11th goal of the season.
Schremp was acquired via the waiver wire Feb. 28 from the New York Islanders.
Evander Kane and Blake Wheeler got assists. It was the sixth point (three goals, three assists) for Wheeler in eight games since joining the Thrashers.
The opening goal marked the first time in the past seven games that the Thrashers have scored first.
The Thrashers made the score 2-0 on Tobias Enstrom’s goal at the 13:27 mark. Enstrom fired a low shot past Ward after taking a pass from Nik Antropov. It was Enstrom’s ninth goal of the season and his first in 17 games.
The Hurricanes pulled to within one on Troy Bodie’s goal with 8:20 left in the second period.
Thrashers-killer Erik Cole tied the game at 2-2 by converting a break-away goal with 7:34 remaining. The goal was Cole's fourth of the season against the Thrashers, including three game-winners.
“We made it a point to be looking for Cole and pick him up,” Ramsay said. “He came off the bench and nobody saw him and got that full-speed pass. No matter what we yelled from the bench, it was too late.”
Pavelec finished with 35 saves as the Thrashers were outshot 13-4 in the third period.
“We finally did it,” Pavelec said. “I didn’t mean we didn’t play well against them in the past; we just didn’t find a way to win. Finally we did.”
Etc.
Dustin Byfuglien missed his first game of the season with a lower-body injury. The defenseman is listed as day-to-day. Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay said Byfuglien has been “sore for a little while” and after leaving Monday’s practice early, could not skate Tuesday. ... With Byfuglien out of the lineup, Paul Postma made his NHL debut.
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