Ovechkin didn't get a chance to go against fellow Russian Ilya Kovalchuk (FSY). Atlanta's star sat out his first game since breaking his right foot last weekend.

The Capitals built a 3-0 lead and survived a wild finish. Three goals were scored in the last 2:23, including an empty-netter by Washington's Mike Knuble and Zach Bogosian's (FSY) second goal of the game for Atlanta just before the buzzer.

Varlamov stopped Jim Slater (FSY) on a penalty shot in the first period and baled out the Capitals when Atlanta dominated over the final two periods. Washington went through an 11-minute span with one shot on goal and was outshot 41-32 after holding a 13-7 edge in the first period.

Ovechkin opened the scoring just past the midway point of the first period, ripping a power-play goal past Ondrej Pavelec (FSY) from the top of the left circle. Just under 5 minutes later, Ovechkin scooped up a loose puck after Maxim Afinogenov (FSY) fell down, took off on a breakaway and snapped a shot over Pavelec's glove hand.

The Washington star had not scored a goal in his last five games against the Thrashers. He took care of that with his 12th and 13th of the season.

Ovechkin also assisted on Washington's third goal with a nifty pass, threading the puck all the way across the crease with Atlanta a man down. Brendan Morrison (FSY) stopped the puck with his right skate and got off a shot that deflected in off the glove of Pavelec at 4:10 of the second period.

Down 1-0, the Thrashers had a chance to get back in the game when Slater was dragged down from behind by Brooks Laich (FSY) and received a penalty shot.

Slater, playing for the first time since opening night, cut to his left and tried to put a wrist shot past Varlamov. The Washington goalie slid over to smother it between his arm and chest.

Atlanta finally broke through early in the third on a power play that carried over from the previous period. Bogosian pinched in toward the left circle and one-timed a shot just under the crossbar with Varlamov screened in front by 6-foot-4 defenseman Shaone Morrisonn (FSY).

But Varlamov came up big the rest of the way, blocking several good scoring chances. He got in front of a point-blank shot from Bryan Little (FSY) and stopped a short-handed breakaway by Tobias Enstrom (FSY).

Atlanta had a chance to complete the comeback when Todd White (FSY) took a long pass from Slava Kozlov (FSY) and scored on a breakaway with 2:23 remaining to make it 3-2. But Knuble scored into an open net with 52.1 seconds left, making Bogosian's goal at the buzzer moot.

NOTES: C Jason Krog (FSY), called up from the AHL after Kovalchuk went on the injured list, didn't play. The Thrashers also scratched D Mark Popovic (FSY). ... C Michael Nylander, LW Quintin Laing (FSY) and RW Eric Fehr (FSY) were scratched by the Capitals.

Enlarge By Dale Zanine, US Presswire Washington Capitals defenseman Milan Jurcina, right, dives to knock the puck off the stick of Atlanta Thrashers right wing Maxim Afinogenov in the second period at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The Capitals beat the Thrashers 4-3.