Thu Nov 29 12:03:38 2007

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Thrashers welcome Maple Leafs to Atlanta

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(Sports Network) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they visit the Atlanta Thrashers tonight at Philips Arena.

The Maple Leafs have lost their last four games and are coming off Tuesday's close defeat at the hands of the rival Montreal Canadiens. Andrei Kostitsyn scored in the fifth round of the shootout as the visiting Canadiens downed Toronto, 4-3, at Air Canada Centre.

In the fifth round, Kostitsyn skated in on net and snapped a shot between the pads of Vesa Toskala. Jason Blake had the last opportunity for the Maple Leafs, but Carey Price came up with a body save on Blake's wrist shot to seal the win.

Mats Sundin, Chad Kilger and Darcy Tucker each lit the lamp for the Maple Leafs, who have also dropped seven of their last eight games. Toskala made 27 saves in the loss.

Atlanta, meanwhile, will try to get back on the right track tonight after getting slammed in Pittsburgh on Saturday. Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves for his second shutout of the season and the Penguins trounced the Thrashers, 5-0, at Mellon Arena.

Ondrej Pavelec gave up all five goals on 34 shots for the Thrashers, who have suffered consecutive shutout losses after a four-game winning streak. Atlanta was also blanked by the New Jersey Devils, 3-0, on Friday night.

Atlanta has won four straight meetings with the Maple Leafs, but Toronto has still taken 10 of the last 15 matchups overall. The Leafs also have picked up victories in six of their last nine stops at Philips Arena.

The Thrashers are 4-5-0 as the home team this season, while Toronto is 4-6-1 as the visiting club.