NHL: Atlanta 3, Florida 1

SUNRISE, Fla., April 3 (UPI) -- Rich Peverley's second goal of the game put Atlanta in front in the third period Friday and the Thrashers went on to down Florida 3-1.

The Panthers missed a chance to move into an eighth-place tie with the idle New York Rangers in the fight for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers have 89 points and Florida has 87, with both teams having four games left on their schedule.

Peverley broke a 1-1 tie with 8:54 to go in the final period by putting a wrist shot past Craig Anderson. Todd White clinched the win by scoring into an empty net with 1:03 to go.

It was Atlanta's fourth straight win, a run of success that has come long after the Thrashers were eliminated from post-season contention.

Johan Hedberg made 35 saves to capture his fifth straight start. Florida had been trying for its fourth consecutive triumph.