Thrashers Shake Off Pavelec Scare, Beat Capitals 4-2

Evander Kane scored twice, including a goal on what used to be the most exciting play in hockey, and Chris Mason looked stellar in emergency duty as the Atlanta Thrashers beat the Washington Capitals 4-2 in Atlanta tonight. While the new-look Thrashers took it to the Capitals, starting goaltender Ondrej Pavelec was in the hospital undergoing testing after collapsing on the ice two minutes into the game.

Pavelec was attended to by medical personnel, left the ice on a stretcher and was immediately transported to the hospital where he regained consciousness. Tests were negative and Pavelec was reportedly awake and alert in his room. Off-season free agent acquisition Chris Mason was called upon in some tough circumstances, facing the best offensive team in the league in emergency duty and it showed early as less than a minute after coming onto the ice, Mason was caught over-committing on an odd-man rush towards Tomas Fleischmann which allowed Fleischmann to slide the puck to Brooks Laich for an easy tap in goal. After that, Mason setttled down and stopped 29 of the next 30 shots, shutting down the Capitals vaunted offense until late in the game.

Though the headlines will go to Atlanta's goaltenders, the Thrashers controlled the game from the start and after Laich's goal the Thrashers scored three straight goals including two from second-year player Evander Kane, the best player on the ice for either team. Kane, skating on a line with Rich Peverley and Anthony Stewart, had 7 shots on goal, and controlled the play throughout. Kane's second goal came on a penalty shot after Mike Green was called for covering the puck with his hand in the crease late in the second period, giving the Thrashers a 3-1 lead.