Thrashers heed words in comeback victory

PHILADELPHIA -- Craig Ramsay offered no words, but Clint Malarchuk had something to say.

For that, the former goaltender turned goaltending consultant gets an assist on what could be the Thrashers’ biggest win of the season.

Atlanta rallied for a 5-4 overtime victory over Philadelphia, the top team in the Eastern Conference, on Saturday night after entering the final period down by three goals. Ron Hainsey scored the game-winner after the Thrashers' produced four third-period goals.

Ramsay decided not to speak to his players at the second intermission when they trailed 3-0. What else could the coach say? The Thrashers had played a strong game and were still losing. It was all too reminiscent of their recent struggles, and their playoff hopes were about to take another hit.

Malarchuk announced that Chris Mason would enter the game to start the third period in relief of Ondrej Pavelec. He next turned and addressed the rest of the team.

“We had to change the tide,” Malarchuk said. “Then I kind of got a little irritated. It’s not my place to do this, [to] talk to the forwards or defensemen or the team. My job is the goalies. This is a bad deal for me to say, ‘You’re out, you’re in.’

"I turned around and said, ‘You guys got to understand this [stuff]. These guys play every night. Can we not just gut it up and do it for teammates? We are a family and we have to understand that when one guy is down you fight, you push. We are family. Let’s do it for family.’”

They did.

The Thrashers received goals from Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, Tobias Enstrom and Andrew Ladd. The game-tying goal came with 46 seconds remaining and the Thrashers’ goal empty.

Entering Sunday’s NHL schedule the Thrashers were tied for 10th in the conference with Toronto at 70 points. They were four points behind Buffalo (74) for the eighth and final playoff spot and two points behind ninth-place Carolina (72). Buffalo, with a game in hand, hosted Ottawa on Sunday.

"They guys responded," said Mason, who stopped 11 of 12 shots. "Clint is a very honest guy, very respected. He comes in and speaks from the heart. Guys recognize that and they responded to that. They answered the call. It might be the game."

The Thrashers have points in their past four games, going 3-0-1. All three wins have come in overtime, adding drama to their playoff push that has 13 games remaining. Next up is New Jersey on Tuesday night. It was the Devils who twice rallied from one-goal deficits to defeat the Thrashers in overtime three days ago.