Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Marian Hossa had two goals and an assist to
lead the Atlanta Thrashers in a 6-0 shutout over the Florida Panthers.
"The game just kind of went for us tonight," Hossa said. "We worked hard and
the goals went for us. We had a good flow. We knew we had to play a full 60
minutes. We did everything right tonight."
Jon Sim, Bobby Holik, Vyacheslav Kozlov and Andy Sutton also scored for
the Thrashers, who began their season with a shootout loss to the visiting
Tampa Bay Lightning.
Kari Lehtonen stopped 22 shots for his fourth-career shutout and second
against Florida.
Ed Belfour gave up four goals on just nine shots for the Panthers, who kicked
off the campaign on Thursday with an 8-3 victory over the visiting Boston
Bruins. Alexander Auld replaced Belfour to stop 23 shots.
"I should have had the first two (goals)," Belfour said. "No excuses, just
have to play better. It doesn't get any easier as you get older."
Atlanta scored 6:54 into the game, as Sim leaned in with a wrister
unassisted from the right circle to the stick-side of Belfour.
Holik got his first goal of the season on a short-handed slap shot off a
3-2 break from the right circle that slipped through Belfour's legs 13:39 into
the period.
Kozlov also got his first goal of the season, after scoring a backhander off
a pass from Hossa 1:33 into the second period.
Hossa then scored two straight goals to make it 5-0. He scored on a slap shot
from the right circle on the power play 6:45 into the period, prompting
Belfour's exit.
Atlanta got another power-play goal as Hossa started to wrap around the goal,
cut back to the front, and slipped a wrister past Auld glove side 14:27 into
the second.
The Thrashers scored again with 14:16 to go in the third, as Scott Mellanby
slipped the puck behind to Sutton, who chipped it in on a short slap shot just
in front of the crease.
Florida finished 0-for-4 on the power play, while Atlanta went 2-for-8.
