For a franchise that’s played all of four postseason games since joining the NHL in 1999, the Atlanta Thrashers faced a playoff-type contest on Saturday at Buffalo.

But in a painful reminder of how thin the line is between the haves and have-nots, the Thrashers totally blew an opportunity to thrust themselves back into the race for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Atlanta was thrashed by Buffalo 8-2, a lopsided loss during which the Thrashers were rudely reminded what it takes to prosper in early spring. Atlanta was outhustled and never slowed the Buffalo offense.

The loss was very damaging to Atlanta’s flickering postseason aspirations. Coming into the game four points behind Buffalo for the eighth and final playoff spot, the Thrashers slipped further away from the line between a second trip to the playoffs and another early spring.

Atlanta now finds itself nine points out of eighth and, more importantly, in 11th place in the East. With Buffalo, Carolina and Toronto standing between the Thrashers and the playoffs, it might take the Thrashers losing just once or twice more in their final 10 games to mark another early end of hockey season in Georgia’s capital city.

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The Atlanta Thrashers’ slim hopes of making the NHL playoffs are just that. Slim.

But a few more wins like Saturday’s 4-3 overtime thriller over Florida at Philips Arena could ignite a much-needed late-season surge.

The Thrashers watched a two-goal lead disintegrate in a three-minute span of the third period, but rallied with Andrew Ladd’s game-winning goal 25 seconds into overtime. Ladd scored twice, and newly acquired Blake Wheeler added two goals, including a tally 6:30 into the third to make it 3-1 Atlanta.

Florida rallied with a power play goal from Stephen Weiss at 7:58, and a goal from David Booth exactly three minutes later. But Chris Mason stopped the Panthers from there, recording 29 saves in the victory.

The Thrashers sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind Buffalo for the eighth and final playoff spot with just 16 games left. Atlanta plays a critical game Wednesday at Carolina. The Hurricanes are one point behind Buffalo in ninth place. Toronto is 10th with 67 points.

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The Atlanta Thrashers, trying desperately trying to jumpstart their playoff push before they fall too far out of the eighth and final spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference, were busy on Monday’s trading deadline day.

The Thrashers traded for Radek Dvorak from Florida, sending Niclas Bergfors and Patrick Rissmiller to the Panthers for the 33-year-old forward.

Atlanta also sent Fredrik Modin to Calgary for a draft pick, claimed Rob Schremp off waivers from the Islanders, and traded Drew MacIntyre to Montreal for Brett Feasterling.

The Thrashers have lost seven of their past 10 games, falling to 11th in the East. Atlanta trails eighth-place Carolina by four points.

The Thrashers play host to Montreal on Tuesday.

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A pair of Atlanta Thrashers defensemen who are a key part of the franchise’s turnaround season will display their talents during the NHL All-Star game.

Dustin Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom will represent the Thrashers during the All-Star game, Jan. 31 in Raleigh, N.C.

The Thrashers are seventh in the Eastern Conference with 51 points, just four points behind Tampa Bay and three behind Washington in the Southeastern Conference. Atlanta has allowed just as many goals as goals scored this season (140), and the combination of Byfuglien and Enstrom are a big reason why Atlanta is poised to make the playoffs for just the second time in franchise history.

Byfuglien, who came over from Stanley Cup champion Chicago in the offseason, leads all NHL defensemen with 16 goals and is tied for the lead in points at 41. Enstrom has scored a career-best eight goals and sits tied for the league lead in assists by defensemen at 30.

Atlanta plays host to Philadelphia on Friday night at Philips Arena.

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The Atlanta Thrashers opened January the same way they played through most of December: With a thrilling victory.

The Thrashers traveled to Montreal on Sunday and despite being outshot 50-28, left the building with two points. Dustin Byfuglien’s third overtime goal of the season backed up the strong goaltending from Ondrej Pavelec as the Thrashers downed the Canadiens, 4-3.

Atlanta, one of the surprises of the NHL season, is sixth in the Eastern Conference, just three points behind division leader Washington. After a 0-3-1 slide, Atlanta has won two games in a row.

The Thrashers went 7-6-3 in December, good for 17 points. Rich Peverley, Evander Kane and Andrew Ladd scored for Atlanta in regulation.

Pavelec finished with 47 saves, improving to 14-8-4 on the season.

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Coming home after two big victories on the road, the Atlanta Thrashers destroyed all that momentum inside one lackluster period Wednesday night.

Playing inside a quiet Philips Arena, the Thrashers mustered just two shots in the first period, fell behind and could not catch up. Despite a solid effort by Chris Mason in goal, the Thrashers were hammered 4-1 by Buffalo in a game that really wasn’t that close.

Tobias Enstrom scored his second goal of the year for Atlanta 1:47 into the third period, but that merely made it 3-1. The Thrashers (3-3) were outshot 42-18 and never mounted much of a threat against Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller.

Mason finished with 38 saves, doing his best against a Buffalo offense that continuously camped out inside the Atlanta zone. The game drew just 8,820 fans, a franchise low.

Atlanta plays host to Tampa Bay Friday, then travels to Washington Saturday.

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The good news for the Atlanta Thrashers is, for now, the young team has survived – and even thrived – through a rough first 11 days of the National Hockey League season.

Even better news: goalie Ondrej Pavelec returned to the ice Tuesday, a week and a half after he fainted during the opening minutes of the Thrashers’ season opener at Philips Arena.

Pavelec hit the ice and suffered a concussion just two minutes into Atlanta’s 4-2 victory on Oct. 8 against Washington. Taken from the ice and with fans and teammates fearing the worse, Pavelec underwent a battery of tests that ruled out any major ailments.

Now, the third-year Thrasher has to work his way back into game shape. He isn’t expected to play this week, as the Thrashers return home after a successful 2-2 road trip. Chris Mason will continue to handle the goaltending duties.

Atlanta dropped games to Tampa Bay and Los Angeles to start the swing, but rebounded to down Anaheim in a shootout Friday. The next night, the Thrashers won at San Jose for the first time.

The Thrashers play host to Buffalo on Wednesday and the Lightning on Friday, then travel to Washington Saturday.

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Maybe this will be the year where the Atlanta Thrashers begin building a winning tradition.

For a franchise that’s entering its second decade of existence, Atlanta has a woeful history: one playoff appearance (in 2006-07) and zero playoff victories.

Head coach John Anderson was shown the door after two years as head coach, replaced by Craig Ramsay. That wasn’t the only move, as Atlanta was busy trying to remake a roster that missed the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race by just five points.

Goaltender Chris Mason, defenders Brent Sopel and Freddy Meyer, and forward turned D-man Dustin Byfuglien are among the new acquisitions.

Atlanta begins the new season at home on Oct. 8 against Washington.

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Now that the Atlanta Thrashers had filled the veteran portion of their goaltending rotation, it was time to sign the young netminder the organization feels can be a star one day in the National Hockey League.

Ondrej Pavelec and the team agreed on a two-year deal Thursday that reportedly will pay the 22-year-old $2.3 million.

Pavelec has experienced the ups and downs all young goaltenders go through the past two years, from feeling shut out of the NHL rotation while playing at AHL Chicago to being pulled twice in a three-game span last December. But there also were brilliant moments, like a 2-0 shutout win at Detroit early last season in which Pavelec looked like one of the elite in the league.

In 42 games last season, Pavelec finished 14-18-7 – often being hampered by a porous Atlanta defense – with a 3.29 GAA and a .906 save percentage.

Pavelec will split time with Chris Mason, who the Thrashers signed in early July.

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For the sixth consecutive season, the Atlanta Thrashers will skate on Sports Radio 680 The Fan.

Cumulus Media and Dickey Broadcasting Company announced Monday the Thrashers will once again call 680 AM its flagship station, anchoring an 18-station radio network throughout Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama.

The Thrashers narrowly missed the NHL playoffs last season.

There also will be a weekly coach’s show on the station, featuring new Thrashers’ head coach Craig Ramsay.

Atlanta also will bring back Dan Kamal, the only radio play-by-play man in the franchise’s 11-year history.

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