PITTSBURGH, April 3 (UPI) -- Jordan Leopold's goal on a soft wrist shot 2:50 into overtime was the game-winner Saturday as the Pittsburgh Penguins downed Atlanta 4-3.
Leopold leisurely skated into the Atlanta zone surrounded by three defenders and tossed a shot at Thrashers goalie Johan Hedberg that somehow eluded the surprised netminder and found its way into the goal.
Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar -- each making returns to the Pittsburgh lineup -- also found the net and added assists for the Penguins, who beat Atlanta for the eighth straight time and moved ahead of New Jersey into first place in the Atlantic Division with 97 points.
Tyler Kennedy added a goal for Pittsburgh while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 21-of-24 shots in the victory.
The Thrashers got goals from Maxim Afinogenov, Rich Peverley and Tim Stapleton. Atlanta, losers of three of their last four, were one point behind Boston and Philadelphia for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
