Third-period surge lifts Thrashers past Senators

OTTAWA -- Atlanta coach Curt Fraser thinks his team was aided by divine intervention.

The last-place Thrashers got goals from Pascal Rheaume, Daniel Tjarnqvist and Lubos Bartecko in 67 seconds on their only three shots of the third period to stun the Ottawa Senators 6-3 on Saturday.

"The hockey gods were looking down upon us," Fraser said. "What a great performance from our team."

The upset ended Ottawa's 9-0-2-0 undefeated streak.

Rheaume had a pair of goals and Ray Ferraro and Ilya Kovalchuk also scored for the Thrashers, who had not won a road game in 10 attempts since their season-opening 2-1 victory in Buffalo on Oct. 4.

"Those guys were hot," Rheaume said. "When you play against the worst team in the league, maybe it goes to your head."

The injury-riddled Thrashers skated with only five defensemen in the first game of a four-game road swing. They sent Petr Buzek home before the game after the Czech, who wants a new contract, said he didn't want to play until he gets a new deal.

Tjarnqvist scored from the top of the slot unassisted on Ottawa goaltender Patrick Lalime at 9:32 of the final period -- 49 seconds after Rheaume struck. Bartecko's shot from the right faceoff dot beat Lalime 18 seconds later.

Daniel Alfredsson had two goals and Marian Hossa had one for the Senators, who were foiled in their attempt to establish a club-record 12-game undefeated streak and a franchise-best nine-game home unbeaten streak.

Atlanta had won only one of 12 previous games.

"I don't know if it slipped away, I don't know if we ever had it," Alfredsson said. "They outworked us and Rhodes played really well."

Damian Rhodes earned his first goaltending win of the season, turning aside 32 of 35 shots after allowing six goals in each of his previous three matches against his former Ottawa teammates.

"We've been waiting for a big game out of Damian," Fraser said. "We needed it tonight and we got it. I'm so happy to see he gets a win against a team he has been shell-shocked against."

Alfredsson scored his 12th and 13th goals, the second coming at 15:52 of the first on a power play.

The Thrashers led 3-2 after 20 minutes on goals by Ferraro, Rheaume and Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk struck with a man advantage with 1:15 left in the period, chasing Ottawa starter Jani Hurme from the Senators' net in favor of Lalime for the start of the scoreless second period.

Lalime was tagged with his first loss in five career games against Atlanta.

Hossa kept digging away at his own rebound to tie it 3-3 at 5:28 of the final period but Rheaume replied at 8:43.

"It was nice to get that monkey off my back," Rhodes said. "We've been down after one or two periods here. Tonight we weren't and it made a difference."

Notes: Ottawa outshot Atlanta 17-3 in the third period and 35-23 overall. ... The game started at 5 p.m. EST, a result of Ottawa's request for more afternoon games to allow more children to attend. ... There were more than 2,000 empty seats.