NHL: Atlanta 4, Buffalo 3 (SO)

BUFFALO, N.Y., March 15 (UPI) -- Brett Sterling scored the only shootout goal Saturday night, leading the Atlanta Thrashers to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

Atlanta's Todd White scored his 19th goal this season to tie the game at 3-3 four seconds from the end of the second period, and the third period and overtime were scoreless.

Atlanta's Slava Kozlov and Marty Reasoner scored goals and Tobias Enstrom had two assists, while Kari Lehtonen was credited with 34 saves on 37 shots for the Thrashers -- who recorded their fifth win in a row despite the absence of star forward Ilya Kovalchuk, sidelined with an upper-body injury.

Buffalo's goals, all in a five-minute span of the second period, were scored by Daniel Paille, Derek Roy (unassisted) and Maxim Afinogenov.

Patrick Lalime was beaten three times on 32 shots in regulation for the Sabres, who have dropped three of four.