NHL: Rangers edge Thrashers in goaltender duel

Rangers lead series 2-0. (Best of Seven)

The Thrashers' Johan Hedberg and the Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist put on goaltending clinics Saturday night, but it would be Lundqvist that had the last laugh as the Atlanta Thrashers fell to the New York Rangers 2-1 before 18,803 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Hedberg would win the first star of the game, earning a .949 save percentage, but Lundqvist would win the game, holding Atlanta to just one goal, while stopping 27 of 28 shots. The Thrashers, playing in just their second postseason contest in club history, dating back to 1997, are under pressure to win after going down in the series by two games.

New York's Sean Avery scored the only goal of the first two periods at 8:08 in the first. The scoresheet would remain blank until the third period, when at 5:35, Illya Kovalchuk scored Atlanta's only goal of the contest to tie the score, 1-1. The score would remain tied until 15:59, when New York's Brendan Shanahan beat Hedberg for the game winning goal.

Scoring Summary

Scoring Summary No. Period Time Team Scorer (No.) Assists Score1 1st 8:08 NYR Sean Avery (1) Martin Straka, Fedor Tyutin 1-02 3rd 5:35 ATL Ilya Kovalchuk (1) Keith Tkachuk 1-13 3rd 15:59 NYR Brendan Shanahan (1) Sean Avery, Fedor Tyutin 2-1

Goaltending

Goaltending Team Player Shots Saves Save Pct. NYR Henrik Lundqvist 28 27 .964ATL Johan Hedberg 39 37 .949

Three Stars of the Game

#1 = Johan Hedberg, G, Atlanta Thrashers - 37 saves, .949 SV%

#2 = Henrik Lundqvist, G, New York Rangers - 27 saves, .964 SV%

#3 = Ilya Kovalchuk , LW, Atlanta Thrashers - 1 Goal