Hossa's Heroics Pay Off for Thrashers
Atlanta 4, New Jersey 3 (SO)
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Friday, February 15, 2008; 11:54 PM
NEWARK, N.J. -- Marian Hossa got a congratulatory handshake and a very meaningful message from Thrashers coach Don Waddell.
"I'm proud of you," Waddell, who doubles as the Atlanta general manager, told his star forward after the Thrashers pulled out a 4-3 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.
That wouldn't be possible if not for Hossa, who scored the tying goal with 18.1 seconds left in regulation. It got the game into overtime and vaulted the Thrashers into a first-place tie with Carolina in the tight Southeast Division.
Whether Hossa will still be with Atlanta by the time it all plays out is in question. The unrestricted free agent to be hasn't worked out a new deal with Waddell and the Thrashers and doesn't want to stay with them long term if the team isn't going to have a legitimate chance to win.
These two points were certainly a step in the right direction. Atlanta erased a two-goal deficit in the second period and then got even again on Hossa's heroics.
Pascal Dupuis had the decisive tally in the 10th round of a shootout. None of that would have been possible without Hossa, who likely will be gone by the Feb. 26 trade deadline.
"I have a great relationship with Don and I don't think that's going to change. Either I'm going to stay or I'm going to leave," Hossa said. "He's a great guy and a great GM."
For now, he is still with the Thrashers and he was in the perfect place at the perfect time. He got to a rebound of Eric Perrin's shot and smacked the puck past Martin Brodeur.
"I'm happy I could help the team by scoring the tying goal but it wouldn't matter if it was me or somebody else," Hossa said. "We didn't quit and we got two points, which was huge."
Ilya Kovalchuk, who earlier scored his 40th goal, answered Patrik Elias' shootout goal to send the tiebreaker into extra rounds. Hossa and Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner both found the net in the fourth round, and no one else scored until Dupuis.
Arron Asham shot wide of Johan Hedberg to end it, denying the Devils' hopes of being alone atop the Atlantic Division. Instead. they had to settle for a first-place tie with Pittsburgh.
"It's disappointing," forward Zach Parise said. "It was a good chance for us to jump into sole possession of first place, but it didn't happen."
