Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Andrew Ladd and Freddy Modin each scored a goal and dished out an assist, as the Atlanta Thrashers dominated the Minnesota Wild, 5-1, at Philips Arena.
Ben Eager, Jim Slater and Nik Antropov also lit the lamp for the Thrashers, who snapped a three-game skid. Ondrej Pavelec made 32 saves.
"Great hockey in front of me. They didn't have a lot of scoring chances," Pavelec said. "Probably one of the best games we've played. That's the way we want to play."
Antti Miettinen scored the lone goal for the Wild, who had won three in a row. Niklas Backstrom turned aside 29-of-34 shots.
Atlanta drew first blood at the 3:24 mark of the first period. Modin carried the puck around the net before sliding a pass to the slot for Eager, whose snap shot beat Backstrom.
Slater gave the Thrashers a 2-0 lead with 6:49 remaining. Dustin Byfuglien's shot from the right point was knocked down in front by Slater, whose backhander got past Backstrom.
Ladd's goal with 45 seconds left in the second made it a 3-0 game. Rich Peverley won the puck away from a Minnesota player behind the net. He then skated in front before dishing off to Ladd, who put the disc into the net.
The Wild finally got on the board at the 3:15 mark of the third. Brent Burns fired a shot on net from the top of the right circle with Minnesota on the power play. Miettinen deflected the puck past Pavelec to make it 3-1.
Modin's shorthanded goal at the 6:06 mark gave the Thrashers a 4-1 margin. Antropov capped the scoring with 5:08 to play.
"We've got to be a lot sharper in our end. That's where the game starts," Backstrom said.
Game Notes
The Thrashers recorded a road win in Minnesota last year, but the Wild are 6-3-1 with a tie in 10 all-time meetings in this series...Miettinen returned to the lineup after missing five games with a concussion. Wild forwards Guillaume Latendresse (groin) and Chuck Kobasew (groin) and defenseman Marek Zidlicky (leg) missed Thursday's game.