Thrashers blank Pens; champs 2nd in division

Associated Press

ATLANTA

Bryan Little scored a goal, Johan Hedberg made 33 saves, and the Atlanta Thrashers ruined the Pittsburgh Penguins’ hopes of claiming the Atlantic Division title by beating them 1-0 on Saturday night.

The Thrashers also prevented Sidney Crosby from scoring his 50th goal of the season. The Penguins captain will have one more game — today at the New York Islanders — to try to reach the milestone for the first time. Crosby, in his fifth NHL season, recorded three shots on goal.

Pittsburgh, the defending Stanley Cup champion, will finish second in the Atlantic behind the New Jersey Devils and be seeded fourth in the Eastern Conference when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on Wednesday.

Atlanta, which has been eliminated from postseason contention, had lost five straight games. Little netted the only goal 9:26 of the second period.

Pittsburgh had won eight straight over the Thrashers and was coming off a 4-2 homestand. The Penguins appeared to lose focus after Crosby objected to a check into the boards by rookie Evander Kane midway through the first period. Crosby was penalized for cross-checking Kane at 10:24.

Kane was behind Pittsburgh’s net about 4 minutes later when Michael Rupp was given a 10-minute misconduct and Eric Godard was called for roughing.

Penguins forward Matt Cooke skated off under his own power after a fight with Kane left him on his back for several minutes early in the second.

Cooke was the third of four Penguins skaters penalized for tangling with Kane, who appeared to anger the Penguins for hitting Crosby into the boards twice in the first period.

Cooke elbowed Kane 1:59 into the second. After both players took off their gloves near center ice, the 18-year-old Kane landed two hard right punches to Cooke’s face.