Thrashers rally to beat Blues in shootout

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Rich Peverley and Slava Kozlov scored shootout goals to complete an Atlanta Thrashers rally for a 3-2 victory over the St Louis Blues on Sunday.

While Atlanta managed to score from both their shots on goal, netminder Johan Hedberg blocked Andy McDonald and Brad Boyes's attempts to help the Thrashers (7-6-1) end a four-game home losing streak.

"He's magic," Thrashers coach John Anderson said of Kozlov's overall performance in shootouts.

"I feel confident with (Hedberg) and (Kozlov) there because they have shootout competitions every day before and after practice, so it really helps.

"That's why he (Kozlov) goes second, because he very rarely misses."

St Louis had looked on course for victory when goals from McDonald and David Perron in the second and third periods put them 2-0 ahead before Atlanta's defensemen Tobias Enstrom and Ron Hainsey both netted in a frantic four-minute span.

Marty Reasoner assisted on both the home team's goals, winning a faceoff for the equaliser with 3:31 remaining as Hainsey's bouncing shot beat St Louis goaltender Ty Conklin.

"I was trying to get something going," Hainsey said. "I just threw the puck there and hoped for the best."

Hedberg, who had 30 saves, thought the shot, which came off a broken play was a key to the victory.

"All we needed was a good bounce, which we got there," the goaltender said.

Conklin made 38 saves for St Louis but could not stop either Peverley nor Kozlov in the shootout.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by John O'Brien)