Thrashers 6, Flames 4

3/13/2008 9:01 PM

By TOM SALADINO
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) -Calgary's road trip has been a mess, so far, and the Flames' playoff chances could be in jeopardy.

Bobby Holik scored on a pass from Ilya Kovalchuk in the closing minutes and the Atlanta Thrashers overcame a three-goal deficit Thursday night to beat the Flames 6-4 for only their second win in 12 games.

Kovalchuk scored into an empty net with 1:01 remaining, completing a hat trick and pushing his goal total to 48 this season.

``I think anytime you have a three-goal lead and don't defend it, it will hurt you,'' said Flames coach Mike Keenan, whose club fell to 18-15-1 away from home.

``It's a tough one to take. Anytime you have a 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 lead, that's a game you should win,'' said Jarome Iginla, who had two of Calgary's goals.

The Flames, who lost at Washington 3-2 on Wednesday night, will play at Chicago on Sunday and at Columbus on Tuesday before returning home.

Calgary entered the game in a virtual tie for first place in the Northwest Division, sixth overall in the Western Conference, but several teams were within points of the Flames in a bid for one of eight playoff berths with 11 games left.

``We have to put this one aside and work for the next game. We need to regroup,'' Iginla said. ``We were in good shape, but we had some breakdowns.''

The Thrashers, down 3-0 early in the second period, tied it at 4 on a goal by Chris Thorburn at 10:10 of the third.

Holik scored the winner with 3:47 left, his 12th, beating goalie Curtis Joseph. It was the Flames' second loss in a row and third in four games.

``What set it up was a great pass by Kovy. I had all the time in the world and I shot it as hard as I could, as quick as I could,'' Holik said.

``It was tough. We were down three goals but we came back and showed a lot of character,'' Kovalchuk said. ``It was good (to get the hat trick) but most importantly to win.''

Iginla's two goals gave him 44 for the season and four in three games. Daymond Langkow added a short-handed tally and two assists to lead Calgary.

Wayne Primeau added a goal for the Flames in the second period for a 4-2 lead.

Kovalchuk scored twice and Colby Armstrong also found the net during a three-goal second period that got the Thrashers within 4-3.

Langkow opened the scoring with his 27th goal when he stole the puck from Tobias Enstrom and easily beat goaltender Kari Lehtonen 13:57 into the first period.

Just over four minutes later, Iginla made it 2-0 with his 43rd, assisted by Langkow and Adrian Aucoin.

Calgary made it 3-0 when Iginla converted a rebound of Langkow's shot past Lehtonen 2:45 into the second period.

The Thrashers, however, scored a pair of goals within 19 seconds of the second period to cut their deficit to 3-2.

Kovalchuk scored his first by knocking in a rebound of a shot by Holik, who had two assists, at 4:29 of the second period. Armstrong netted his 12th, firing a shot past Joseph, who had just stopped a shot by Eric Perrin but was out of position for the rebound at 4:48.

Calgary made it 4-2 on Primeau's third goal, scored at 12:39 of the middle period.

Kovalchuk made it 4-3 with his 47th goal, a power-play drive with 2:24 left in the second period.