Thrashers, Sens Share Tricks, Tie

The Ottawa Senators are making a habit of wasting big leads.

Ottawa jumped out to a four-goal lead Saturday night before Donald Audette's hat trick helped the Atlanta Thrashers rally for a 6-6 tie Saturday night.

Against the Penguins on Thursday, the Senators let a 3-0 edge slip away in a game that finished 3-3.

"I think we played pretty good in the first and second periods," said Ottawa right-winger Andreas Dackell, scored three goals Saturday. "Then we did the same thing as the last game, we had a letup in the third.

"Everybody was trying to do everybody else's job."

Shawn McEachern, playing his 600th NHL game, and Alexei Yashin collected four assists each as the Senators stayed unbeaten (4-0-3).

Hossa and Yashin have at least a point in each game this season.

Ray Ferraro had a goal and two assists, Hnat Domenicelli scored a power-play goal, and Shean Donovan added a short-handed goal for Atlanta (0-3-3).

"To me, it's not a lack of effort," said Ottawa head coach Jacques Martin. "I don't think (goalie Jani) Hurme played a bad game. We just didn't bear down in our defensive zone."

Zamuner, Dackell and Hossa beat Thrashers goalie Damian Rhodes by the 13:31 mark of the first period as Ottawa uilt a 3-0 lead. Ferraro scored for the visitors with 3:49 left in the period.

Dackell added his fourth and fifth goals of the season less than five minutes into the second period to put Ottawa up 5-1.

Then Audette had two goals and Domenicelli one in the second period, which ended with Ottawa ahead 6-4.

"We never quit," Rhodes said, "and when it was 6-4 with 10 minutes left, the guys felt we could do it."

Donovan's goal cut the deficit with 7:46 left in the game and Audette finished the comeback with 5:25 remaining.

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