Thrashers top Sabres

In a battle between two 2007 division champions who currently don't make the eight-team playoff cut, Atlanta beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Sunday as Hossa scored 2 goals.

Buffalo, opening a three-game road trip, has lost six in a row for the first time since March 18-27, 2006. The Sabres have made the conference finals each of the last two years but remain only a point ahead of last-place Toronto in the Northeast.

Johan Hedberg made 37 stops for Atlanta as Buffalo had at least 10 shots on goal in each period.

Buffalo has only 10 goals in the six losses.

Pascal Dupuis and Ilya Kovalchuk also scored for Atlanta.

Kovalchuk's league-leading 34th goal came with 15 seconds left after Buffalo pulled goaltender Ryan Miller.