Dec 21, 2003 2 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Marc Savard had a goal and four assists and Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava Kozlov each had two goals as the Atlanta Thrashers broke out of their offensive slump in a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night. Savard established a career high for points in a game. Kovalchuk added three assists while breaking out of an eight-game goal drought and tying Columbus’ Rick Nash for the NHL goal-scoring lead with 20. Kovalchuk’s five points also matched his career high.

Kozlov also had two assists as the Thrashers won for the first time since beating Pittsburgh 6-3 Dec. 12.

The NHL’s second-highest scoring team had been shut out in a team record three consecutive games, but Ronald Petrovicky scored eight seconds after the opening faceoff and Atlanta added three more goals in the opening 30 minutes.

Savard, who assisted on the first three goals, scored his 15th of the season at 1:25 of the third. He has figured in on 10 of Atlanta’s 16 goals against Pittsburgh this season.

Kovalchuk sent a wrist shot from the edge of the circle past goaltender Sebastien Caron at 10:31 of the second for a 4-1 lead.

After goals by Milan Kraft and Martin Strbak 3:11 apart cut the margin to 4-3, Kovalchuk whipped a wrist shot past Caron from the right circle with 1:22 left in the second.

Pittsburgh also got goals from Rico Fata and Ryan Malone.

Petrovicky’s eighth goal came off a pass from Kozlov on a two-on-one break and was the Thrashers’ first goal in 182:32.