Thrashers beat Hurricanes 5-4 in overtime

RALEIGH (AP) — Marian Hossa scored a power-play goal off a shot from Ilya Kovalchuk with 31.5 seconds left in overtime to help the Atlanta Thrashers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4.

Kovalchuk finished with a goal and three assists for the Thrashers. The team earned a needed win and pulled within three points of the Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes. Vyacheslav Kozlov, Mark Recchi and Bobby Holik also scored for Atlanta.

Ray Whitney, Eric Staal and Erik Cole each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes.