ATLANTA – Marian Hossa scored two more goals, Ilya Kovalchuk finally got one in regulation and Atlanta kept up the best start in franchise history.

J.P. Vigier also scored and Kari Lehtonen turned aside 18 shots in the Thrashers’ sixth win in the first eight games. Atlanta has picked up 13 of a possible 16 points, with its only regulation loss coming on a last-second goal by defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina.

Chris Gratton and Joe Nieuwendyk scored for the Panthers, who also knocked a couple of shots off the post.

Islanders 4, Hurricanes 3, OT

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Tom Poti scored New York’s third power-play goal 23 seconds into overtime, capping the Islanders’ rally over Carolina.

Poti, a defenseman who assisted on two other goals, snapped a shot from inside the blue line that passed through a screen by Mike Sillinger and found the net behind John Grahame. It gave Rick DiPietro his first win of the season following a four-game layoff due to a groin injury.

Jason Blake, Mike York and Sillinger scored in regulation for the Islanders.

Justin Williams had two goals and Rod Brind’Amour also scored for Carolina, which suffered its second straight tough loss and concluded a season-high, seven-game road trip.

Canadiens 8, Avalanche 5

MONTREAL – Sheldon Souray had two goals and two assists and Chris Higgins scored Montreal’s fourth power-play goal midway through the third, leading the Canadiens in Colorado goalie Jose Theodore’s return to the Bell Centre.

Higgins scored his fifth of the season 10:55 into the third, tapping a loose puck behind Theodore and over the goal line to put Montreal ahead 6-5.

Craig Rivet, Sergei Samsonov, Michael Ryder, Alex Kovalev and Mike Johnson had the Canadiens’ other goals.

Colorado’s Joe Sakic had a goal and an assist to move within three points of 1,500 for his career, and Paul Stastny scored his first career goal. Andrew Brunette had two goals and Tyler Arnason also scored for the Avalanche.

Lightning 6, Capitals 4

WASHINGTON (AP) – Martin St. Louis and Nikita Alexeev scored 22 seconds apart during a three-goal second period that carried Tampa Bay past Washington.

Alexeev had two goals, and Vincent Lecavalier, Andreas Karlsson and Brad Richards also scored for Tampa Bay, which has won three of four.

Alexander Semin, Mike Green, Brian Sutherby and Alexader Ovechkin scored for the Capitals, who had claimed points in five straight games. Washington had been unbeaten (2-0-1) at home.

Rangers 5, Maple Leafs 4, SO

TORONTO – Brendan Shanahan scored the only goal of the shootout after getting his eighth goal of the season in regulation to lead New York over Toronto.

Nigel Dawes, Michael Nylander and Jason Ward also scored for the Rangers, who avoided their fifth loss in six games.

Mats Sundin, Alex Ponikarovsky and Darcy Tucker failed to score in the shootout before Shanahan beat goalie Andrew Raycroft with a wrist shot between the pads.

Darcy Tucker scored twice, and Alex Ponikarovsky and Jeff O’Neill also had goals for the Maple Leafs, who have lost four straight to the Rangers.

Senators 8, Devils 1

OTTAWA – Antoine Vermette and Dean McAmmond scored two goals apiece to help Ottawa get its first win in six homes games this season.

Jason Spezza added a goal and two assists, and Dany Heatley, Joe Corvo and Tom Preissing also scored for the Senators, 1-5-0 at home and 3-4-0 overall.

Ray Emery made 34 saves for his second win of the season, while New Jersey star Martin Brodeur allowed six goals on 26 shots before being replaced by Scott Clemmensen midway through the second period. Clemmensen gave up two goals on 12 shots.

Brian Gionta scored the lone goal for the Devils.


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