NHL: Colorado 4, Atlanta 2

ATLANTA, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Milan Hejduk put Colorado in front 42 seconds into the third period Friday and the Avalanche went on to down Atlanta 4-2.

Colorado halted a four-game losing streak and handed the Thrashers only their second loss in eight games.

The teams battled to a 2-2 tie through two periods, Colorado getting a power-play goal from Tomas Fleischmann and a shorthanded tally by Greg Mauldin.

Fleischmann then assisted on Hejduk's goal early in the third, his 10th of his season. Paul Stastny added an empty-net goal with 39 seconds to play.

Craig Anderson recorded 24 saves and made an impressive pad stop of a shot by Ben Eager to preserve the lead with 2 minutes to play. Ondrej Pavelec allowed three goals on 28 shots to take the loss.