Atlanta, GA (Best E Casino) - Alexei Zhitnik scored 1:26 into overtime, as the Atlanta Thrashers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1, at Philips Arena.

In overtime, Zhitnik faked a shot, went wide on Tampa Bay defenseman Filip Kuba, who had broken his stick, and beat Johan Holmqvist with a wrister high on the short side.

"I saw the defenseman had no stick, so i was going to shoot," said Zhitnik. "I made a move and shot the puck. I thought it was a pretty good shot."

Marian Hossa also tallied for the Thrashers, who snapped a two-game slide. Kari Lehtonen made 27 saves to notch his 12th win of the season.

With the win, Atlanta leaped over second-place Washington and moved into a tie with Carolina, which lost 6-1 at New Jersey, for first place in the Southeast Division.

Vincent Lecavalier found the net for the Lightning, who had a six-game road winning streak snapped. Tampa Bay fell one win shy of matching the longest road winning streak in franchise history, which was set from January 7 to February 1, 2007.

Johan Holmqvist allowed two goals on 22 shots in defeat.

"It's disappointing, we played a good game," said Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis. "We had our chances; we didn't bury them. They won the game on a broken stick. He (Zhitnik) would have never gotten that scoring chance if we had not broken our stick. Sometimes that's the way it bounces."

With 3:38 to go in the first period, Vyacheslav Kozlov appeared to have scored, but a video review provided conclusive evidence of the puck not crossing the goal line, washing out the tally.

Lecavalier broke the scoreless tie when he avoided a diving poke check by Lehtonen and roofed a backhander over the fallen netminder with 7:12 remaining in the second.

At the 4:18 mark of the third period, Hossa's slap shot from the right circle beat Holmqvist on the short side to tie the game at one.

Game Notes

Atlanta has won four straight meetings this season after dropping the first two...Zhitnik registered the 13th game-winning goal of his career...Lecavalier extended his point streak to three games (one goal, three assists)...Tampa Bay defenseman Brad Lukowich left during the second period with a lower body injury. He did not return...Atlanta concludes its four-game homestand on Wednesday against Washington...Tampa Bay hosts Montreal on Tuesday.