NY Rangers Blow 4-1 Lead and Lose to the Atlanta Thrashers in a Shoot-Out

Leading the Atlanta Thrashers in a come-from-behind five to four victory over the NY Rangers, Todd White scored twice during the shoot-out—first tieing the game and then getting the game-winner.

The Thrashers captain, Ilya Kovalchuk, had a goal and two assists. The Rangers captain, Chris Drury, also had a goal and two assists.

The Rangers blew a four to one lead and and never trailed in the game until the final shot. The Thrashers started strong, but the Rangers scored first. Two of the Rangers' goals were disallowed, before one finally counted.

Scott Gomez scored a goal on the power play to make it one to zero, but the goal was reviewed and disallowed.

In the previous four games, the Rangers scored on only one of 16 power-play opportunities. The team is second to the last in the NHL for power-play goals.

The Rangers got another goal, the referee disallowed, and Avery got a goal-tender interference call on the play—even though he made no contact with the goalie.

It was what Larry Brooks of the New York Post calls "an absolute Avery penalty"— as nobody else would be penalized in the same situation.

Steve Zippay of Newsday.com described it this way: "Sean Avery drew an undeserved goal-tender interference penalty with five minutes left. He argued vociferously and replays showed that an Atlanta defenseman shouldered [Thrasher's goalie Kari] Lehtonen down."

Nik Zherdev got a goal that counted at the end of the period and put the Rangers ahead one to zero, just as he did in their last game. It was his 23rd goal of the year.

In his first intermission interview, Brooks said that if the Rangers started the season with Avery and Antropov in the line up, Renney would still be their coach. Brooks said, "I think Avery and Tortorella together have had the biggest impact on the team.

"Avery brings an element to this team that is unique and he has been their best forward." Brooks also said, "Avery brings an edge and speed to the team. He makes Gomez a better player.  Before Avery joined the Rangers, they didn't have a guy who made it hard to play against them."

The "Avery Effect" was missing in this game.

With a goal by Vyacheslav Kozlov, the Thrashers tied the game at the start of the second period.

The Rangers got their second power play goal during a five on three, when Nik Antropov tipped in a Chris Drury shot from the point. That was Antropov's fifth goal as a Ranger, and it came in his eleventh game since leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs.  He now has 26 goals this season.

Valiquette got an assist on a Hail Mary pass to Chris Drury, who blasted it into the Thrashers net moments after his previous shot went in—off Antropov.

It was Valiquette's first assist in the NHL. Valiquette and Drury caught the Thrashers on a line change.

Drury got another assist on a goal by Markus Naslund to make it four to one. In the second period, the Rangers scored three goals in under seven minutes.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored on a wrap around at the end of the period. His 39th goal of the year was a work of art.

The Thrashers cut the Rangers lead to one with an early third period goal, when Colby Armstrong scored on a pass from Kovalchuk. It was Colby's 18th goal of the year.

Kovalchuk cross-checked Avery after the goal, knocked him down, and the referees discussed it, but only gave him a two minute penalty for high-sticking.

In the third period, Kovalchu set up Todd White and the Thrashers tied the game with seven minutes left in the third period. After the end of the third period, the Thrashers came back, after being down four to one, and the game was tied at four to four.

Atlanta out shot NY 29-26, in regulation time, but the Rangers out shot the Thrashers in overtime. The teams were tied at the end of overtime.

It was Valiquette's third shoot-out this season. Brian Little couldn't beat Valiquette.

Naslund was stopped by Johan Hedberg, Valiquette stopped Koslov, who leads the NHL in shootout goals, Hedberg stopped Nik Antropov, Kovulchuk hit the goalpost, Hedburg stopped Drury, Valiquette stopped Eric Perrin, Ryan Callahan hit the goal post, and Rich Peverley was stopped by Valiquette.

White got his second goal of the night. Hedberg stopped Scott Gomez, and White got the winner.

The Rangers are now 39-27-nine and are No. 7 in the East—three points clear of eighth-place Montreal and five points ahead of ninth-place Florida.

In their last 12 games, NY is now eight-three-one. They are now one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are also on a roll since the NHL Trade Deadline.

The Rangers have 87 points; the Penguins, 88; the Carolina Hurricanes, 89; and the Philadelphia Flyers, 90, for seventh, sixth, fifth, and fourth place, respectively, in the NHL's Eastern Division.

The Rangers will meet the Penguins in Pittsburgh this Saturday and the New Jersey Devils the following Monday.