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Penguins Waste Early Lead, Rally in Shootout

Kings fall to Wild in OT, Oilers crack .500 with SO win over Jackets

By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 3, 2008 3:06 AM CST
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(Newser) – Pittsburgh had a 2-0 lead before the Thrashers could get their bearings, but Atlanta slowly fought its way back from those two lightning minutes to send the game past overtime. Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury bested Thrashers keeper Kari Lehtonen in the shootout for a 3-2 Pens win, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Elsewhere in the coldest league:

  • Niklas Backstrom put on a 27-save performance for Minnesota, sparing the team from some costly turnovers and helping to secure a 2-1 overtime win against Los Angeles.
  • Edmonton improved to 14-3 on shootouts and dragged its record above .500 for the first time since October with a 4-3 victory over Columbus.

Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, of Finland, right, stops the shot of Los Angeles Kings' Alexander Frolov (24), of Russia, during the first period in an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 2, 2008, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)
Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, of Finland, right, stops the shot of Los Angeles Kings' Alexander Frolov (24), of Russia, during the first period in an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 2, 2008,...   (Associated Press)
Minnesota Wild's Martin Skoula (41), of the Czech Republic, puts the puck past Los Angeles Kings' goalie Eric Ersberg (31), of Sweden, during an overtime period to give the Wild a 2-1 win in a NHL hockey game, Sunday, March. 2, 2008, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/A.J. Olmscheid)
Minnesota Wild's Martin Skoula (41), of the Czech Republic, puts the puck past Los Angeles Kings' goalie Eric Ersberg (31), of Sweden, during an overtime period to give the Wild a 2-1 win in a NHL hockey...   (Associated Press)
Edmonton Oilers goalie Mathieu Garon gets run into by Columbus Blue Jackets' Rick Nash during the shoot out in NHL hockey action in Edmonton on Sunday March 2, 2008. Edmonton beat Columbus 4-3 after an overtime shoot out. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jimmy Jeong)
Edmonton Oilers goalie Mathieu Garon gets run into by Columbus Blue Jackets' Rick Nash during the shoot out in NHL hockey action in Edmonton on Sunday March 2, 2008. Edmonton beat Columbus 4-3 after an...   (Associated Press)
Edmonton Oilers goalie Mathieu Garon, left, clears the puck past Columbus Blue Jackets' Dan Fritsche (49) during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton on Sunday March 2, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jimmy Jeong)
Edmonton Oilers goalie Mathieu Garon, left, clears the puck past Columbus Blue Jackets' Dan Fritsche (49) during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton on Sunday March 2, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian...   (Associated Press)
Edmonton Oilers' Kyle Brodziak, left, goes into the corner for puck while being chased by Columbus Blue Jackets' Rick Nash during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton on Sunday, March 2, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jimmy Jeong)
Edmonton Oilers' Kyle Brodziak, left, goes into the corner for puck while being chased by Columbus Blue Jackets' Rick Nash during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton on Sunday, March 2, 2008....   (Associated Press)
Atlanta Thrashers' Bryan Little (10) and Pittsburgh Penguins Evgeni Malkin (71), of Russia, fight for a loose puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 2, 2008. Pittsburgh won, 3-2, in a shootout.(AP Photo/Don Wright)
Atlanta Thrashers' Bryan Little (10) and Pittsburgh Penguins Evgeni Malkin (71), of Russia, fight for a loose puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 2, 2008. Pittsburgh...   (Associated Press)
Atlanta Thrashers' goaltender Kari Lehtonen (32), from Finland, misses a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins' Ryan Malone (not shown) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
Atlanta Thrashers' goaltender Kari Lehtonen (32), from Finland, misses a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins' Ryan Malone (not shown) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March...   (Associated Press)
Atlanta Thrashers' Vyacheslav Kozlov (13) pushes the puck past Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) as Kris Letang (58) tries to clear the crease during third period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 2, 2008. Pittsburgh won, 3-2, in a shootout.(AP Photo/Don Wright)
Atlanta Thrashers' Vyacheslav Kozlov (13) pushes the puck past Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) as Kris Letang (58) tries to clear the crease during third period of an NHL hockey...   (Associated Press)
Minnesota Wild's Marian Gaborik (10), of Slovakia, celebrates with teammates, clockwise from Gaborik, Nick Schultz, Pierre-Marc Bouchard (96), Eric Belanger, Stephane Veilleux, Brent Burns (8) after Gaborik's goal during the second period against the Los Angeles Kings' in an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March. 2, 2008, in St. Paul, Minn....
Minnesota Wild's Marian Gaborik (10), of Slovakia, celebrates with teammates, clockwise from Gaborik, Nick Schultz, Pierre-Marc Bouchard (96), Eric Belanger, Stephane Veilleux, Brent Burns (8) after Gaborik's...   (Associated Press)
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March 2 NHL Games

Wild 2 Kings 1 (OT)
The Cub Reporter

Oilers 4 Blue Jackets 3 (SO)
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NHL • Pittsburgh Penguins • hockey • Edmonton Oilers • Atlanta Thrashers • Minnesota Wild • Columbus Blue Jackets • Los Angeles Kings • Niklas Backstrom • Kari Lehtonen • Marc-Andre Fleury

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